Director, Pharmacy Operations

Job Description

Job Description

Responsibilities

The Director, Pharmacy Operations is responsible for providing strategic, operational, and regulatory leadership for a high-volume, closed-door pharmacy that supports Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). This position oversees all pharmacy production, dispensing workflows, automation performance, staff management, and quality initiatives to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant delivery of pharmacy services. The Director ensures operational excellence in a fast-paced, highly automated environment while supporting the clinical and service needs of PACE participants.

Candidates must maintain an active Colorado and California pharmacist license in good standing and be willing to obtain additional state licenses to support multi-state compliance.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Lead and manage daily operations of a high-volume, highly automated closed-door dispensary pharmacy serving PACE organizations.
• Ensure efficient and accurate dispensing, packaging, verification, and distribution workflows.
• Oversee the performance, optimization, and reliability of automated dispensing and packaging systems.
• Implement and maintain best practices for inventory control, production scheduling, workflow standardization, and automation utilization.
• Ensure operational readiness to meet PACE program requirements, pharmacy service standards, and turnaround times.

Regulatory & Compliance Oversight

• Ensure full compliance with state and federal pharmacy laws, including Board of Pharmacy standards, DEA regulations, and PACE program requirements.
• Maintain a current Colorado pharmacist license in good standing; obtain additional state licenses as needed for compliance.
• Develop, maintain, and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) aligned with regulatory and organizational requirements.
• Prepare for and lead internal and external audits, inspections, and regulatory reviews.

Quality & Safety Management

• Drive quality assurance initiatives to ensure accuracy, patient safety, and adherence to clinical and operational standards.
• Monitor key quality indicators, determine root-cause analysis, and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Promote a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Leadership & Staff Development

• Supervise, mentor, and develop a team of pharmacists, supervisors, and technicians.
• Oversee staffing levels, hiring, scheduling, training, and performance management.
• Foster an engaged, collaborative, and high-performing team culture that supports operational excellence.

Strategic Planning & Continuous Improvement

• Collaborate with the VP of Pharmacy Operations on strategic planning, resource allocation, and operational expansion.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, throughput, and automation utilization.
• Lead or support implementation of new technologies, workflow enhancements, and operational initiatives.
• Use KPIs and data analytics to assess performance and guide decision-making.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with clinical teams, PACE center leadership, supply chain, engineering/IT, compliance, and quality departments.
• Ensure operational alignment with organizational goals, patient safety initiatives, and service expectations.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on automation, dispensing workflows, and PACE pharmacy operations.

Qualifications

Required

• PharmD or BS in Pharmacy.
• Active Colorado and California pharmacist license in good standing.
• Willingness to obtain pharmacist licensure in additional states as needed for compliance.
• 5+ years of pharmacy management experience, including leadership in operational or dispensary pharmacy settings.
• Experience in high-volume, closed-door, centralized, or automated pharmacy operations.
• Strong understanding of pharmacy regulations, controlled substance handling, and quality/safety requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and motivate diverse pharmacy teams.

Preferred

• Experience with robotics or advanced pharmacy automation systems.
• Demonstrated success operating or scaling large-volume pharmacies.

Core Competencies

• Leadership & People Management
• Operational Excellence
• Automation & Technology Fluency
• Regulatory Compliance
• Quality & Patient Safety Focus
• Strategic and Analytical Thinking
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Change Management