Senior Manager - Communications And Instructional Design

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 inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health optimization on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

The Optum Senior Manager - Communications & Instructional Design is a leadership role responsible for driving strategic internal communications for enterprise and client-facing initiatives, while also providing senior-level instructional design and learning leadership across the organization.

In the near term, this role serves as a Communications Lead, designing and delivering clear, consistent, and audience-centered messaging that supports business priorities, organizational change, and large-scale initiatives. The role partners closely with Change and Learning leaders to ensure communications support readiness, understanding, and adoption.

As part of Optums broader Training and Learning organization, the role also provides senior instructional design leadership, setting direction, reviewing and elevating work quality, mentoring team members, and shaping learning solutions that address complex business challenges. This position is accountable for driving high standards in execution, anticipating stakeholder needs, and delivering integrated communication and learning solutions that align with enterprise goals and values.

Primary Responsibilities

• Communications Leadership (for the first 2 years)
• Develop and execute strategic internal communication plans aligned to enterprise and client priorities
• Lead messaging for organizational change, transformation efforts, and business initiatives
• Partner with Change and Learning leaders to ensure communications support readiness and adoption
• Own communication channels, cadence, sequencing, and approvals
• Draft and review high-quality communication assets (announcements, FAQs, intranet content, leadership updates, presentations)
• Ensure consistency of messaging, tone, and brand standards
• Measure communication effectiveness and apply insights for continuous improvement
• Instructional Design & Learning Leadership
• Provide senior-level instructional design leadership aligned to business and change objectives
• Set direction, standards, and best practices for learning design and delivery
• Review work produced by others and provide guidance to improve quality and impact
• Anticipate learner and stakeholder needs and proactively develop scalable solutions
• Serve as a subject-matter expert for complex or critical learning and enablement efforts
• Perform complex conceptual analyses to translate business needs into learning strategies
• People Leadership, Planning & Operations
• Manage and mentor instructional design team
• Resolve issues, and support capability development
• Forecast and plan resource requirements across communications and learning work
• Adapt priorities to address business and operational challenges
• Influence planning and delivery decisions that impact multiple employee groups
• Comply with the terms and conditions of the employment contract, company policies and procedures, and any and all directives (such as, but not limited to, transfer and/or re-assignment to different work locations, change in teams and/or work shifts, policies in regard to flexibility of work benefits and/or work environment, alternative work arrangements, and other decisions that may arise due to the changing business environment). The Company may adopt, vary or rescind these policies and directives in its absolute discretion and without any limitation (implied or otherwise) on its ability to do so
  

• Bachelors degree or equivalent experience; typically 5+ years of relevant experience across communications or learning roles
• Proven experience leading strategic internal communications for enterprise initiatives, change efforts, or complex programs
• Experience partnering with Change, Learning, and business leaders to support readiness, adoption, and enablement goals
• Experience managing and mentoring instructional designers, including setting priorities and resolving delivery challenges
• Solid ability to translate business strategy and complex topics into clear, audience‑centered messaging across multiple channels
• Demonstrated expertise in senior instructional design leadership, including setting direction, standards, and quality expectations
• Ability to review, elevate, and provide guidance on instructional design work produced by others; serves as a trusted expert on complex issues
• Solid project and portfolio management skills; able to manage multiple deliverables, timelines, and dependencies
• Proven excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills with solid stakeholder influence and consulting capability
• Must be willing to work on a hybrid set-up (6-10x on-site per month)
• Must be willing to be assigned to a night shift supporting a U.S. project (6:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m. Manila time)