Senior director, network contract and strategy

Salary Range: $206,311.00 (Min.) - $278,520.00 (Mid.) - $350,729.00 (Max.)

Established in 1997, L.A. Care Health Plan is an independent public agency created by the state of California to provide health coverage to low-income Los Angeles County residents. We are the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan. Serving more than 2 million members, we make sure our members get the right care at the right place at the right time.

Mission: L.A. Care’s mission is to provide access to quality health care for Los Angeles County's vulnerable and low-income communities and residents and to support the safety net required to achieve that purpose.

Job Summary

1 Position Available

The Senior Director, Network Contract and Strategy functions as a strategic architect and operational steward, driving the health plan’s contracting excellence and ensuring the provider network remains responsive, resilient, and aligned with organizational goals. Leads the health plan’s contracting strategy across a broad range of providers and partners. Develops strategic plans, drives change and influences critical business outcomes. Directs operations, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness. Steer top-level decision-making and implement initiatives that drive organization forward.

This role translates organizational goals and market insights into actionable contracting initiatives that enhance network adequacy, access, quality, and financial performance. The Senior Director develops tailored contracting strategies, manages a robust portfolio, and drives negotiations to optimize provider relationships and ensure compliance. As a senior authority, this leader partners with cross functional teams, oversees the full contract lifecycle, and mentors a high-performing team. Representing the health plan in key meetings and forums, the Senior Director ensures the provider network remains responsive, resilient, and aligned with organizational objectives.

Responsible for directing all aspects of running an efficient team, including hiring, supervising, coaching, training, disciplining, and motivating direct reports.

Duties

Responsible for shaping and executing the health plan’s contracting vision across a diverse spectrum of providers and strategic partners. Translates organizational strategy, market intelligence, and regulatory requirements into actionable contracting initiatives that drive network adequacy, access, quality, and financial sustainability.

With a comprehensive view of the provider landscape, including ancillary providers, skilled nursing facilities, CalAIM providers, community-based organizations, specialty health plans, and other non-traditional partners, develop differentiated contracting strategies tailored to provider type, market position, service category, and strategic value. Leverages data-driven insights and market benchmarks and ensures that contracting priorities are aligned with member needs, competitive positioning, and long-term organizational objectives.

Maintains a robust contracting portfolio and pipeline, proactively identifying opportunities for network expansion, consolidation, diversification, and optimization. This includes managing renewals, addressing network gaps, and navigating high-priority negotiations, all while ensuring compliance with legal, regulatory, and financial parameters.

Leads the development, evaluation, and refinement of contract language, structures, and negotiation strategies. Balances cost optimization with the imperative to maintain a high-quality, accessible network, and partners with cross-functional teams to assess the total economic impact of agreements.

Establishes disciplined processes for contract development from opportunity assessment through execution and ongoing administration, i.e. review, negotiate, approve, amend, renew, and closure. Ensures meticulous documentation of negotiation history, financial assumptions, approvals, exceptions, and final terms.

Conducts strategic planning to maximize the utilization of resources to meet current and future departmental and Enterprise-wide goals. Manages department budget(s).

Leads discussions on policy operationalization and oversee key policy perspective sharing.

Identifies and actualizes enhancements to support company vision. Identifies and drives change initiatives.

Develop and implement communication strategies.

Collaborates with cross-functional teams to achieve common goals. Develops and maintains relationships with key stakeholders. Represents the company or organization in external interactions.

Builds and mentors a high-performance contract management team. Fosters a culture of clarity, accountability, and decision-oriented execution. Provides executive management with concise assessments of contracting opportunities, risks, financial implications, and recommended strategies. Represents the health plan in high-level provider meetings, community forums, and strategic partnerships. Develops goals, objectives and actions plans for assigned staff which includes full management responsibility for the hiring, performance reviews, salary reviews and disciplinary matters for direct reporting employees.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Duties Continued

Education Required

Bachelor's Degree. In lieu of degree, equivalent education and/or experience may be considered.

Education Preferred

Master's Degree

Experience Required:

• At least 10 years of progressive experience in managed care, provider contracting, network strategy, and healthcare finance.
• Experience managing complex, high-value provider arrangements and driven organizational performance.
• At least 5 years in senior leadership roles, directing contract and network functions, led teams, and executed enterprise priorities.
• At least 10 years of lead staff, supervising staff and/or people management experience.
• Experience developing market-level contract strategies aligned with access, affordability, quality, and growth.
• Experience leading teams, projects, initiatives, or cross-functional groups.
• Experience leading high-stakes negotiations with hospitals, health systems, and strategic partners; and establishing negotiation strategies and financial parameters for major agreements.
• Experience making strategic contracting decisions, ensuring network adequacy and competitive positioning, and representing the organization in complex negotiations with provider executives and senior health system leadership.

Preferred:

• At least 12 years of healthcare industry experience with significant leadership roles in complex organizations such as health plans, integrated delivery systems, and/or medical groups.

Skills Required:

• Deep knowledge of provider reimbursement and advanced payment models. Ability to successfully manage contract portfolios, renewals, and multi-year plans.
• Demonstrated successful ability to design and execute comprehensive provider contracting strategies that align negotiations and relationships with organizational, financial, and network objectives.
• Excellent skills in leading complex, high-stakes negotiations and managing significant financial exposure, while balancing competing interests and minimizing network disruption.
• Advanced knowledge of healthcare economics, reimbursement models, and financial analysis, translating contracting decisions into organizational performance.
• Demonstrated ability to think long-term and develop strategies that align with the overall goals of the organization.
• Demonstrated ability to make sound and timely decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to changing situations and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to a fast-paced and evolving environment and to lead others through change.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills for building relationships, fostering teamwork, and creating a positive work environment.
• Excellent ability and knowledge in analyzing data, identifying problems, and making informed decisions, often in complex or ambiguous situations.

Preferred:

• Expert skills in leading contracting strategies for large, multi-type provider networks across diverse markets and lines of business, including Medi-Cal, Medicare Advantage, Commercial, and government-sponsored programs.
• Advanced skills in negotiating advanced reimbursement arrangements with major hospitals and health systems, and developing multi-year contracting strategies, provider segmentation, renewal frameworks, and network optimization plans.

Licenses/Certifications Required

Licenses/Certifications Preferred

Required Training

Physical Requirements

Light

Additional Information

Required: Travel to offsite locations for work required. Salary Range Disclaimer: The expected pay range is based on many factors such as geography, experience, education, and the market. The range is subject to change.

L.A. Care offers a wide range of benefits including:

• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Retirement Plans
• Medical, Dental and Vision
• Wellness Program
• Volunteer Time Off (VTO)