Strategic Foundations, Healthier Futures: Advancing Growth in Healthcare Strategy

The Client

Our client is the largest customer-owned health insurer in the United States, serving nearly 23 million members. With a mission rooted in access and whole-person health, the company offers a broad portfolio of products and services including employer, individual, Medicare, and Medicaid coverage, along with pharmacy solutions, life and dental insurance, and health data technology.

With nearly a century of experience, the organization is a driving force in health innovation by continually evolving to improve outcomes, expand access, and reduce costs. Their strong local presence, commitment to communities, and coordinated care approach position them as a trusted leader and changemaker in the healthcare space.

The Challenge / Mandate

As part of its next phase of growth, the client sought a Senior Director or Director of Corporate Strategy to serve as a strategic partner to business leaders across the enterprise. This individual would be tasked with identifying opportunities for innovation, enabling enterprise-wide strategic planning, and helping steer long-term vision and execution. The client was looking to hire someone who would help with developing growth strategies in collaboration with cross-functional partners and leading initiatives from strategic concept through implementation. Additionally, the client aimed to identify someone who would conduct industry analysis to identify partnership opportunities and bring a structured, data-informed approach to market intelligence and execution planning.

The role required exceptional leadership, a balance of big-picture thinking and executional rigor, and the ability work independently. A strong communicator, natural collaborator, and strategic problem-solver, the ideal candidate would be equally comfortable in the boardroom and in the details.

The Search

We targeted strategy professionals with deep healthcare experience—especially within payers or care delivery—and a background in market analysis, growth planning, and cross-functional leadership. Candidates with a mix of management consulting and in-house strategy roles were prioritized, particularly those who had worked in large, matrixed organizations and demonstrated success navigating complex internal dynamics. Strong storytelling skills, structured thinking, and a track record of executing strategic plans were key criteria in our evaluation.

The Placement

The selected candidate brought end-to-end experience in healthcare strategy and operations, having worked at multiple organizations focused on care delivery, innovation, and payer-provider integration. Most recently, they held senior roles at a national healthcare provider network, where they advanced from senior analyst to strategy manager. There, they led go-to-market strategies and managed cross-functional market intelligence efforts to support expansion.

Previously, they were a management consultant at a global advisory and technology services firm, focusing on revenue cycle optimization and electronic health record (EHR) implementation for hospitals and health systems. Throughout their career, they demonstrated an ability to bridge strategy, operations, and data to drive business outcomes—presenting insights to executive audiences, managing complex projects, and working across clinical and technical teams.

The Outcome

In their new role, the hire joined the team as a creative thought partner working with the Vice President. The hired candidate was tasked with developing the client’s long-range and annual planning processes, including the creation of success metrics and progress tracking mechanisms. Ultimately, the client hired a strategic healthcare expert to help lead efforts to build competitive and market intelligence capabilities and contribute to the company’s broader mission of improving access to care and advancing health outcomes for millions of Americans.