Vice President of Pharmacy

Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH); Lexington (KY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) seeks a Vice President of Pharmacy to lead system-wide pharmacy strategy, operations, compliance, and financial performance. This executive role oversees inpatient, retail, specialty, ambulatory, and medication management services across ARH facilities.

The position requires PharmD, state licensure eligibility, and 7+ years in healthcare leadership with experience managing multi-site operations and budgets.

Qualifications

• PharmD required with active licensure in applicable state.
• Minimum seven years of progressive healthcare leadership experience.
• Experience managing budgets, regulatory requirements, and interdisciplinary teams.
• Ability to lead multi-site, cross-functional service lines.

Responsibilities

• Develops system-wide service line strategies, operating standards and performance plans.
• Leads inpatient, retail, specialty, ambulatory and medication management pharmacy services.
• Partners with medical staff, nursing, compliance, finance, supply chain and hospital leadership to optimize safety, formulary management and procurement.
• Ensures compliance with Board of Pharmacy, DEA, CMS, Joint Commission, USP and related regulations.
• Leads initiatives on medication safety, standardization, technology, inventory control, and 340B alignment.
• Oversees performance across departments, programs and services including workforce and quality metrics.
• Supports budgeting, staffing models, contracting and long-range financial planning for the service line.
• Promotes ARH values and leadership development across assigned areas.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Healthcare operations

Financial acumen

Regulatory knowledge

Team leadership

Education

Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)

Master’s in Healthcare Administration or related field (preferred)

Job description

Overview

The Vice President of Pharmacy serves as the senior operational leader responsible for pharmacy strategy execution, operational performance, regulatory compliance, medication‑use safety, and financial outcomes across Appalachian Regional Healthcare. Areas of responsibility include inpatient pharmacy, retail pharmacy, specialty pharmacy, medication management programs, controlled substance oversight, pharmacy procurement, and other pharmacy services as assigned. Consistent with the ARH Management Level 6 (M6) framework, this position leads a major service line and is accountable for translating organizational strategy into operational execution, performance outcomes, resource stewardship, and system‑wide pharmacy service development.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements system‑wide service line strategies, operating standards, workflows, performance expectations, and improvement plans aligned with ARH strategic priorities.
• Provides leadership for inpatient, retail, specialty, ambulatory, and medication management pharmacy services to support safe, effective, compliant, and financially responsible medication‑use practices.
• Partners with medical staff, nursing, therapeutics committees, compliance, finance, supply chain, revenue cycle, and hospital leadership to optimize medication safety, formulary management, procurement, inventory, and clinical pharmacy services.
• Ensures pharmacy services maintain compliance with applicable Board of Pharmacy, DEA, CMS, Joint Commission, USP, controlled substance, privacy, billing, and accreditation requirements.
• Leads system pharmacy initiatives related to medication safety, clinical standardization, pharmacy technology, automation, inventory control, specialty pharmacy growth, retail pharmacy performance, and 340B program alignment.
• Oversees operational, financial, quality, regulatory, workforce, productivity, and patient experience performance for assigned departments, programs, and services.
• Partners with hospital executive leadership, medical staff, nursing leadership, finance, supply chain, human resources, information technology, and other stakeholders to support integrated, efficient, patient‑centered operations.
• Establishes accountability structures, dashboards, scorecards, productivity expectations, and performance review processes to monitor outcomes and drive improvement.
• Leads service growth, modernization, standardization, access, and program development initiatives across multiple facilities and markets.
• Supports annual operating and capital budgeting, equipment and technology planning, staffing models, contract management, and long‑range financial planning for the assigned service line.
• Ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, accreditation, licensure, safety, privacy, billing, and regulatory requirements relevant to the assigned service line.
• Leads recruitment, retention, succession planning, leadership development, employee engagement, and workforce stabilization initiatives within assigned areas.
• Provides leadership during emergency management events, service disruptions, regulatory surveys, operational escalations, and other organizational incidents.
• Promotes a culture aligned with ARH values and behavioral expectations focused on service, trust, compassion, collaboration, accountability, and innovation.
• Performs other duties as assigned in support of ARH operational and strategic objectives.

Qualifications

Education

• Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) required.
• Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Pharmacy Administration, or related field preferred.
• Current pharmacist licensure or eligibility for licensure in applicable state(s) required.

Minimum Work Experience

• Minimum seven (7) years progressive healthcare leadership experience, preferably in a multi‑site health system.
• Prior leadership experience over a major service line, hospital operation, or multi‑department clinical operation.
• Experience managing budgets, regulatory requirements, interdisciplinary teams, and service‑line performance.

Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Strong operational, financial, strategic, and service‑line leadership skills.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and influence outcomes across multiple facilities.
• Knowledge of healthcare regulatory, accreditation, quality, safety, workforce, and performance improvement standards.
• Strong communication, decision‑making, analytical, change management, and problem‑solving abilities.
• Experience with vendor relationships, contract performance, productivity management, and service standardization preferred.
• Exposure to union environments preferred.
• Knowledge of medication‑use systems, pharmacy operations, controlled substance management, 340B considerations, retail/specialty pharmacy operations, and pharmacy regulatory standards.