AVP - Chief Pharmacy Officer

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A Brief Overview
The AVP & Chief Pharmacy Officer is an enterprise leader responsible for the development, direction, and performance of pharmacy services across all inpatient, outpatient, ambulatory, and retail settings. In this role, the AVP provides oversight for ensuring the programs function within all required licensure, regulatory guidelines, practices, and policies. This position provides strategic and operational leadership to pharmacy teams, ensuring overall clinical and business performance.

The AVP will develop and execute strategies to maximize cost-effective medication therapies, improve already strong clinical outcomes, and ensure safe medication practices across all areas of care. This role leads the advancement of pharmacy services by fostering innovation, optimizing medication use systems, ensuring regulatory compliance, and building sustainable and scalable operations.

In collaboration with clinical and administrative leaders, the AVP leads and supports a portfolio of pharmacy-related imperatives designed to drive improved patient safety, equitable access, financial stewardship, and overall clinical excellence. The AVP serves as a key advisor to executive leadership and represents pharmacy services in strategic planning and cross-functional initiatives, internally and externally. An extensive understanding of the evolving programs and services throughout the organization as well as an ongoing understanding and pulse on market and competitive forces are essential qualifications for this role. This role requires very strong communication skills and the ability to influence individuals and teams at all levels of the organization.

Significant experience in healthcare leadership, enterprise strategy execution, clinical pharmacy operations, hospital and ambulatory service delivery, and financial oversight are essential. The AVP is expected to lead with a system perspective, demonstrating exceptional communication, collaboration, and change leadership skills. This leader will regularly represent the VP and function as an executive leader across CHOP, consistently modeling executive behaviors and standards.

What you will do

• Lead and direct a comprehensive pharmacy program spanning inpatient, ambulatory, retail, and specialty settings to support patients and families across the care continuum.
• Elevate and enhance patient safety, medication outcomes, and the patient experience through excellence in pharmacy services.
• Serve as the strategic thought leader for the design, integration, and execution of pharmacy programs that align with CHOP's broader clinical, operational, and financial goals.
• Develop and implement strategies to maximize cost-effective medication therapies, improve clinical outcomes, and ensure safe medication practices across the system.
• Oversee and continuously optimize pharmacy business operations, workforce management, inventory systems, contracting, and technology platforms to ensure financial sustainability and operational excellence.
• Direct, supervise, and mentor pharmacy leadership teams; foster leadership development and performance management across all pharmacy disciplines.
• Drive innovation in digital pharmacy, automation, telepharmacy, and medication analytics to support scalable and equitable models of care delivery.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory and accreditation bodies, including DEA, FDA, Joint Commission, State Board of Pharmacy, USP standards, and the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
• Maintain readiness for audits, surveys, and regulatory changes through strong governance and internal controls.
• Collaborate with financial business partners on all budgeting, forecasting, position control, and capital planning related to pharmacy services.
• Partner with clinical teams, supply chain, DTS, and other key stakeholders to implement formulary alignment, technology integration, medication safety strategies, and emergency preparedness plans.
• Support the development and management of vendor contracts, purchase agreements, and payer contracting strategies, ensuring price optimization and compliance.
• Identify and implement financial stewardship opportunities across departments to reduce waste, decrease cost, and increase revenue to improve medication value.
• Monitor internal performance and external market forces to adapt pharmacy strategies, keeping pace with emerging healthcare and pharmacy trends.
• Champion best practices, evidence-based standards, and external benchmarking to improve performance and share learning across the system.
• Collaborate with senior leadership on enterprise planning, program development, and implementation of professional initiatives.
• Serve as a system representative and advisor in key meetings, forums, and decision-making bodies; represent the VP as needed in high-level functions.
• Ensure preparedness for business continuity and disaster planning, including pharmacy downtime policies and response protocols.
• Accountable for the development and maintenance of all pharmacy-related policies, procedures, and enterprise standards.

Education Qualifications

• Doctorate Doctor of Pharmacy - Required
• Master's Degree Business, Healthcare, or related field - Preferred

Experience Qualifications

• At least ten (10) years experience in healthcare leadership role - Required and
• At least ten (10) years experience in a hospital and/or healthcare environment - Required

Skills and Abilities

• Hospital operations/technical services background and healthcare regulatory knowledge (TJC, DOH, etc) (Required proficiency)
• Knowledge of healthcare business processes, and/or knowledge in one or more departmental operation in a healthcare setting. Understanding of healthcare data, operations and reporting/analytical tools. (Required proficiency)
• Demonstrates ability to prioritize work, strong organizational skills and initiative to improve processes. (Required proficiency)
• Change agent demeanor. Must be a flexible thinker, with an ability to quickly adapt to a changing environment. (Required proficiency)
• Understanding of Project and Change Management methodologies. (Required proficiency)
• A working knowledge of healthcare from acute, ambulatory, and retail perspectives. (Preferred proficiency)
• Team-oriented, self-starting individual. (Required proficiency)

Licenses and Certifications

• Registered Pharmacist (RPh) - PA State Licensing Board - upon hire - Required

To carry out its mission, CHOP is committed to supporting the health of our patients, families, workforce, and global community. As a condition of employment, CHOP employees who work in patient care buildings or who have patient facing responsibilities must receive an annual influenza vaccine. Learn more.

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SALARY RANGE:

Salary ranges are shown for full-time jobs. If you're working part-time, your pay will be adjusted accordingly.

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At CHOP, we are committed to fair and transparent pay practices. Factors such as skills and experience could result in an offer above the salary range noted in this job posting. Click here for more information regarding CHOP's Compensation and Benefits.