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Payer Strategy Manager Jobs (NOW HIRING)

VP of Payer Relations

Roseville, MN · On-site

$180K - $210K/yr

Payer Relationship Management * Serve as the executive point of contact for national, regional, and local payer relationships. * Build long-term strategic partnerships with key payer stakeholders.

Manager, Payer Contracts

Valencia, CA · On-site

$107K - $172K/yr

Position: Manager, Payer Contracts Location: Los Angeles, CA Employment Type: Full Time ... Develop negotiation strategies, contract language recommendations, and financial terms aligned with ...

Manager, Payer Contracts

Valencia, CA · On-site

$107K - $172K/yr

Position: Manager, Payer Contracts Location: Los Angeles, CA Employment Type: Full Time ... Develop negotiation strategies, contract language recommendations, and financial terms aligned with ...

Summary:- The Director of Payer Relations is responsible for leading the organization's payer strategy, contract negotiations, and ongoing payer performance management to optimize reimbursement and ...

Develop payer positioning and pricing strategies for multiple Eye Care brands with focus on device ... Management teams, and across multiple HEOR, MOSL, Medical, Reimbursement Advisor Teams, MABI ...

Head of Payor Strategy

$120K - $150K/yr

What You Will Be Doing As a Head of Payor Strategy, you will own the operational and strategic management of Finni Health's payer network. You will be responsible for ensuring providers successfully ...

Collaborate with the Payer Strategy, Pipeline, Trade, and Account teams to ensure that channel ... Create customer connections in collaboration with Account Management Teams. Influence customer ...

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Payer Strategy Manager information

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$55.5K

$124.7K

$217.5K

How much do payer strategy manager jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 22, 2026, the average yearly pay for payer strategy manager in the United States is $124,659.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $90,000.00 and $157,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the highest paying job in healthcare administration?

In healthcare administration, the highest paying roles are typically executive positions such as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Chief Operating Officer (COO), which can earn six-figure salaries or higher. These roles require extensive experience, leadership skills, and often advanced degrees like an MBA or healthcare administration certification.

What is a payer relations manager job description?

A payer relations manager is responsible for managing relationships with insurance payers, negotiating contracts, and ensuring reimbursement processes align with company policies. They analyze payer policies, coordinate with internal teams, and often use data analysis tools to optimize revenue and maintain compliance. Strong communication, negotiation skills, and knowledge of healthcare billing and coding are essential for this role.

What is the difference between Payer Strategy Manager vs Payer Account Manager?

AspectPayer Strategy ManagerPayer Account Manager
CredentialsBachelor's degree, healthcare or business background, sometimes an MBABachelor's degree, healthcare or business background, often with sales or account management experience
Work EnvironmentStrategic planning, market analysis, cross-functional collaborationClient relationship management, sales, contract negotiations
Employer & Industry UsageHealth insurance companies, pharmaceutical firms, healthcare consultingHealth insurance companies, managed care organizations, pharmaceutical companies

The Payer Strategy Manager focuses on developing and implementing payer strategies through market analysis and cross-functional collaboration. In contrast, the Payer Account Manager primarily manages client relationships, negotiates contracts, and maintains payer accounts. While both roles work within the healthcare payer industry, the Strategy Manager emphasizes planning and market positioning, whereas the Account Manager concentrates on client retention and sales.

Is strategy a high paying job?

A Payer Strategy Manager typically earns a competitive salary that reflects their expertise in healthcare reimbursement, payer negotiations, and strategic planning. Salaries vary based on experience, location, and company size but are generally above average for managerial roles in healthcare. Advanced skills and certifications can also influence earning potential.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Payer Strategy Manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Payer Strategy Manager, you need expertise in healthcare policy, data analysis, contract negotiation, and a background in business, healthcare administration, or a related field. Familiarity with claims management systems, financial modeling tools, and payer-provider platforms is typically required, along with relevant certifications such as Certified Professional in Healthcare Management (CPHM). Strong analytical thinking, relationship-building, and strategic communication skills help set top performers apart in this role. These capabilities are crucial for developing effective payer strategies, optimizing reimbursement, and maintaining productive partnerships with insurance payers.

What is a Payer Strategy Manager?

A Payer Strategy Manager is a professional in the healthcare industry responsible for developing and implementing strategies related to health insurance payers, such as insurance companies, government programs, and managed care organizations. Their role involves analyzing market trends, negotiating contracts, and ensuring that products and services align with payer requirements to optimize reimbursement. They often collaborate with sales, marketing, and product teams to support business growth and maintain strong payer relationships. Payer Strategy Managers play a key role in shaping how healthcare organizations interact with payers to maximize access and profitability.

What jobs in the US pay 300,000 a year?

For a Payer Strategy Manager, salaries of $300,000 or more are typically found in senior leadership roles within healthcare organizations, insurance companies, or consulting firms. These positions often require extensive experience, strategic skills, and industry knowledge, and may include bonuses or profit-sharing components. High compensation levels are more common in large organizations or executive-level roles related to healthcare payer strategy and management.

What are the primary challenges a Payer Strategy Manager faces when aligning internal teams with payer requirements?

A Payer Strategy Manager often navigates the complex task of bridging internal cross-functional teams, such as sales, medical, and market access, with the evolving requirements of payers. This requires not only an in-depth understanding of payer policies and reimbursement landscapes but also strong communication skills to translate these requirements into actionable strategies. One common challenge is ensuring that all stakeholders remain informed and agile as payer expectations shift, which means the role demands adaptability and proactive coordination. Success often relies on building collaborative relationships and maintaining open channels of communication across departments.
More about Payer Strategy Manager jobs
What cities are hiring for Payer Strategy Manager jobs? Cities with the most Payer Strategy Manager job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Payer Strategy jobs? The most popular types of Payer Strategy jobs are:
What states have the most Payer Strategy Manager jobs? States with the most job openings for Payer Strategy Manager jobs include:
Infographic showing various Payer Strategy Manager job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 65% In-person, and 35% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $124,659 per year, or $59.9 per hour.
VP of Payer Relations

VP of Payer Relations

The Emily Program

Roseville, MN • On-site

$180K - $210K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 26 days ago


The Emily Program rating

6.3

Company rating: 6.3 out of 10

Based on 24 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Our vision is a world of peaceful relationships with food, weight, and body image, where everyone with an eating disorder can experience recovery. We believe that exceptional, individualized care leads to lasting recovery from eating disorders. That's why our teams are comprised of compassionate, dedicated professionals from a variety of backgrounds who collaborate to provide the very best evidence-based care for our clients at all levels of care.
Position Overview
The Vice President of Payer Relations is a senior executive responsible for defining and leading The Emily Program's payer strategy across commercial, Medicaid/ Medicare, and other managed care partners. This leader ensures sustainable reimbursement, expanded access to care, and alignment between payer contracts and The Emily Program's specialized eating disorder care delivery model across all levels of care (inpatient, residential, PHP, IOP, outpatient, virtual services).
The VP serves as the organization's primary executive liaison with payers and leads all payer-facing strategy, including contract negotiations, reimbursement innovation, and payer performance governance. This is a transformational leadership role responsible for advancing The Emily Program's payer strategy from a transactional contracting model to an enterprise, strategic, and value-driven partnership model.
Salary Range: $180,000 - $210,000 Base Salary
Commensurate with experience and competencies of the role.
Location:
Remote - Must be located in the United States.
How VP of Payer Relations Empower Recovery:
Enterprise Payer Strategy
  • Develop and execute a unified payer strategy across The Emily Program.
  • Advise executive leadership on payer risks, reimbursement trends, and strategic opportunities.
  • Aligning payer strategy with organizational growth priorities, including new markets, services, and partnerships

Contracting & Negotiation Leadership
  • Lead all aspects of payer contracting, including:
    • In-network agreements
  • Out-of-network strategies and single case agreements
    • Contract renewals, amendments, and dispute resolution.
  • Structure contracts that appropriately reflect:
    • Acuity and complexity of eating disorder and behavioral health care
    • Length of stay considerations.
    • Level-of-care differentiation (RTC, PHP, IOP, outpatient, virtual services)
    • Partner closely with Legal and Compliance to mitigate regulatory and contractual risk.

Payer Relationship Management
  • Serve as the executive point of contact for national, regional, and local payer relationships.
  • Build long-term strategic partnerships with key payer stakeholders.
  • Lead executive-level discussions around:
    • Access to care
    • Medical necessity criteria
    • Authorization requirements
    • Network participation strategy
  • Act as escalation point for complex payer disputes or systemic issues.

Revenue & Performance Oversight
  • Partner with Revenue Cycle Management and Finance to:
    • Monitor reimbursement rates and revenue yield.
    • Assess denial trends and authorization challenges.
    • Ensure contract terms are operationalized effectively.
    • Improve net revenue realization.
    • Reduce denials and underpayments.
    • Develop payer scorecards and report for executive leadership.

Clinical & Operational Alignment
  • Partner with Clinical Leadership to ensure payer policies align with evidence-based care models.
  • Support advocacy around:
    • Medical necessity for eating disorder treatment.
    • Appropriate level-of-care placement
    • Continuity of care
  • Collaborate with Operations to ensure payer requirements are executable across all sites.

arket Intelligence & Innovation
  • Monitor payer policy, mental health parity enforcement, and behavioral health regulatory developments.
  • Lead strategy for:
    • Value-based care initiatives
    • Alternative payment models
    • Risk-based arrangements.
  • Identify opportunities to improve payer mix and expand access to covered services.

Education Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in business, Healthcare Administration or related field, required. Advanced degrees (MBA, MHA, MPH, or JD), preferred.

Professional Qualifications: (Preferred)
  • 10+ years of experience in payer relations, managed care, or healthcare contracting.
  • Minimum 7 years in senior leadership roles with a track record of managing and developing successful teams.
  • Deep expertise in behavioral health reimbursement (strongly preferred: eating disorder treatment)
  • Demonstrated success negotiating complex payer agreements in multi-state environments.
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
  • Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments.
  • Demonstrated success in creating revenue upside through payer strategy.
  • Strong command of challenges and risks in Health Plans, Hospital, and Provider Group markets.
  • Experience with:
    • Residential and sub-acute behavioral health reimbursement
    • Medicaid managed care across multiple states
    • Out-of-network and SCA negotiations
  • Prior relationships/experience with payers in one or more of the following footprint states (MN, OH, WA, PA, NC, GA).

What we offer:
Employee Benefits: We understand the importance of a well-rounded benefits package. That's why we're dedicated to providing a range of plans to meet your needs.
For full-time employees, we offer:
  • HSA and PPO insurance with HSA or FSA options (Blue Cross Blue Shield)
  • Dental insurance (Delta Dental)
  • Vision insurance (EyeMed)
  • Short-term and long-term disability insurance
  • Company-paid life insurance
  • 401(k) plan available two months after start date
  • Company 401(k) matching for up to 50% of your contribution, up to 6% of your compensation

Paid time off is a crucial part of maintaining work and life balance. Our generous PTO plan accrues annually and begins with your first whole pay period. Eligible employees enjoy seven paid holidays and one floating holiday in addition to their regular PTO.

What The Emily Program employees say

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