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Director Utilization Management Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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Director Utilization Management information

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$18K

$52.3K

$84K

How much do director utilization management jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 24, 2026, the average yearly pay for director utilization management in the United States is $52,322.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $40,000.00 and $60,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Director Utilization Management position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Director Utilization Management, you need a strong background in healthcare administration, case management, and data-driven decision-making, often supported by a clinical degree and several years of management experience. Familiarity with utilization management software, electronic health records (EHRs), and certifications such as CCM or ACM are typically valued. Exceptional leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills distinguish top performers in this role. These competencies are vital for optimizing resource use, ensuring regulatory compliance, and leading teams to meet quality care standards.

What is a Director Utilization Management job?

A Director of Utilization Management oversees the review and approval of medical services to ensure they are necessary, efficient, and cost-effective. They develop strategies to improve care quality while managing healthcare costs, working closely with providers, payers, and regulatory bodies. Their responsibilities include policy development, compliance with healthcare regulations, and leading a team of utilization review professionals. This role is common in hospitals, insurance companies, and managed care organizations.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of a Director Utilization Management?

A Director Utilization Management generally oversees a team responsible for reviewing patient care to ensure appropriate resource use and compliance with payer requirements. Daily tasks may include analyzing utilization data, developing policy and process improvements, collaborating with clinical and administrative staff, and addressing escalated cases or issues. Directors frequently attend strategy meetings, conduct staff training, and engage with external partners like insurance providers. This role requires balancing administrative oversight with hands-on problem solving to support both cost efficiency and quality patient care.

More about Director Utilization Management jobs
What cities are hiring for Director Utilization Management jobs? Cities with the most Director Utilization Management job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Utilization Management jobs? The most popular types of Utilization Management jobs are:
What states have the most Director Utilization Management jobs? States with the most job openings for Director Utilization Management jobs include:
Infographic showing various Director Utilization Management job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 84% Full Time, and 15% Part Time. Highlights an 92% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $52,322 per year, or $25.2 per hour.
Medical Director, Utilization Management

Medical Director, Utilization Management

L.A. Care Health Plan

Los Angeles, CA • On-site

$278K - $350K/yr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 4 days ago


L.A. Care Health Plan rating

9.1

Company rating: 9.1 out of 10

Based on 7 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

24th of 261 rated insurance


Job description

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

The Medical Director, Utilization Management provides clinical oversight of authorization decision making and processing, pre and post payment claims review activities, payment integrity clinical validation and program integrity functions. This position requires evaluation and insight for both medical and behavioral health cases.  In this position, the Medical Director supports the development of and ensures the application of clinical policies are consistent with evidence-based medicine and regulatory requirements. 


The Medical Director collaborates with internal teams to support timely consistent and defensible clinical decisions and promotion of appropriate high-value care.  In support of payment and program integrity initiatives, the Medical Director reviews clinical documentation to validate coding accuracy and appropriateness and completion of billed services.  This position plays a critical role in the mitigation of Fraud, Waste and Abuse (FWA) and requires proactive analysis of service level utilization data to identify trends, outliers and emerging risk areas and recommend corrective action to minimize utilization variation, prevent improper payments and ensure financial stewardship.

Works collaboratively with Health Services departments and key organizational stakeholders, to ensure alignment of utilization management, claims review, and regulatory compliance activities.

Partners with executive leadership, clinical teams, and external stakeholders to improve outcomes, support regulatory compliance, and advance organizational goals.

Duties

Provides physician leadership within the Health Services division, with primary responsibility for overseeing Utilization Management (UM) reviews, conducting medical claims review under Payment Integrity and supporting Behavioral Health (BH).

Applies clinical expertise and evidence-based criteria to behavioral health and medical/surgical services, conducting claims reviews in compliance with regulatory timeframe requirements.

Leads efforts to strengthen Payment Integrity by overseeing clinical validation of requested services, ensuring alignment between documentation and medical necessity. Analyzes utilization and claims data to identify trends, outliers, cost drivers, and opportunities to reduce unnecessary services and prevent improper payments.

Identifies and mitigates Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA) risks by detecting patterns, and partners with internal teams as appropriate.

Develops, approves, and updates medical policies, procedures, and standards of care based on current, evidence-based practices.

Oversees and reviews the delivery of patient care to ensure it meets quality standards and regulatory guidelines.

Guides quality assurance and performance improvement (QAPI) programs and participates in quality review committees.

Maintains and enforces compliance with all federal and state laws, accreditation standards (such as NCQA), and other regulatory requirements.

Assists in the preparation and monitoring of departmental budgets, including managing costs and resource utilization.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Duties Continued
Education Required
Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)
Education Preferred
Experience

Required:

At least 8 years of experience in medical management, managed care and quality management.

Experience in Payment Integrity.

Experience in maintaining liaison with Federal, State, and local bodies and medical organizations.

Experience in performance management and possession of strong analytic ability.

Extensive post-medical degree experience in clinical practice.

Significant experience in a clinical development, medical affairs, or management role within the biotech, pharmaceutical, or healthcare industry.

Proven experience in a physician leadership role, including managing teams.

Preferred: 

Experience with Medicaid managed care and/or governmental programs for underserved, safety net populations including women, children, person with disabilities, seniors, and those of varied ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Skills

Required:

Ability to provide leadership to physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals, and an interest and involvement in the affairs of the health care community. 

Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and senior leadership.

Strong leadership, consensus-building, and stakeholder engagement skills, as well as a commitment to evidence-based practice, continuous quality improvement, regulatory compliance, and health equity.

Demonstrated ability for teamwork and collaborative problem-solving.  

Commitment to patient-centered, value-based care.

Strong leadership presence with the ability to lead, mentor, and motivate a team.

Exceptional presentation skills to effectively convey complex medical concepts to diverse audiences.

Ability to think strategically and take a broad, business-oriented perspective.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a data-driven approach to evaluating programs.

Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic, and often ambiguous environment.

Licenses/Certifications Required
Board Certified, preferably in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine or Psychiatry.
Clinical License to practice or an Administrative License to review Utilization Management cases. - Active, current and unrestricted California License
Licenses/Certifications Preferred
Certification as a Certified Medical Director (CMD)
Required Training
Physical Requirements
Light
Additional Information

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)