Sr. Director, Payments Innovation

Sr. Director, Payments Innovation & Financial Product Engineering

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by diversity and inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health equity on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Role- Based in Bangalore, India

Position Overview

We are seeking a visionary to lead our payments technology innovation initiatives and drive the development of next-generation financial solutions. This executive role requires a proven leader who can bridge cutting-edge technology with practical business applications in the rapidly evolving payments ecosystem. You will be responsible for building and scaling engineering teams, establishing technical strategy, and delivering innovative payment solutions that transform how businesses and consumers interact with money.

Primary Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Define and execute the technical roadmap for payments innovation, including emerging evaluating technologies such as real-time payments, blockchain/DLT, digital currencies, and embedded finance
• Partner with executive leadership to align engineering initiatives with business objectives and market opportunities
• Drive technical due diligence for strategic partnerships, acquisitions, and technology investments
• Establish the company's position as a thought leader in payments technology innovation

Team Leadership & Development

• Build, lead, and scale high-performing engineering teams across multiple disciplines including backend systems, API development, security, and data engineering
• Foster a culture of innovation, experimentation, and continuous learning within the engineering organization
• Recruit and retain top-tier engineering talent with expertise in payments, fintech, and emerging technologies
• Mentor and develop engineering leaders while establishing clear career progression paths

Technical Excellence & Delivery

• Oversee the architecture, development, and deployment of scalable payments infrastructure supporting millions of transactions
• Ensure compliance with financial services regulations, security standards (PCI DSS, SOX), and industry best practices
• Drive adoption of modern engineering practices including DevOps, CI/CD, microservices architecture, and cloud-native development
• Establish metrics and KPIs to measure engineering performance, system reliability, and innovation impact

Innovation & Market Leadership

• Lead research and development of emerging payment technologies and their practical applications
• Collaborate with product management to translate market needs into technical solutions
• Represent the company at industry conferences, standards bodies, and regulatory discussions
• Build relationships with fintech ecosystem partners, vendors, and technology providers

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical field; advanced degree preferred
• 12+ years of progressive engineering leadership experience with at least 5 years in senior executive roles
• Deep expertise in payments technology, financial services infrastructure, and regulatory compliance requirements
• Proven track record of scaling engineering organizations from startup through enterprise levels
• Experience with modern payment rails (ACH, wire transfers, real-time payments, card networks) and emerging technologies (APIs, blockchain, digital wallets)
• Strong background in distributed systems, cloud architecture (AWS/Azure/GCP), and high-availability system design
• History of successful product launches and technology transformations in regulated industries

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or equivalent business education
• Experience with fintech startups, payment processors, or financial institutions
• Knowledge of international payments, cross-border transactions, and multi-currency systems
• Background in security, fraud prevention, and risk management technologies
• Experience with open banking, embedded finance, or platform business models
• Track record of successful M&A integration and technology consolidation

Leadership Competencies

• Exceptional communication skills with ability to present technical concepts to diverse audiences including board members, regulators, and customers
• Strategic thinking with ability to balance innovation with operational excellence and risk management
• Collaborative leadership style with experience building cross-functional partnerships
• Data-driven decision making with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
• Entrepreneurial mindset with comfort operating in ambiguous, fast-paced environments

What We Offer

• Competitive executive compensation package including equity participation
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits
• Flexible work arrangements and professional development opportunities
• Opportunity to shape the future of payments technology and lead industry transformation
• Access to cutting-edge technology resources and innovation labs

This role offers the unique opportunity to lead engineering innovation at the intersection of technology and finance, driving solutions that will define the next generation of payments infrastructure. The ideal candidate will combine deep technical expertise with strong business acumen and the leadership skills necessary to build and inspire world-class engineering teams.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.