Director OF Pharmacy

Building Location:

Essentia Health Superior Belknap Pharmacy

Department:

1008700 EH ACUTE CARE PHARMACY - EH SS

Job Description:

This is a strategic executive role within Essentia Health’s Pharmacy division — and it sits at the heart of how our system pharmacy enterprise operates. Unlike our other Senior Director roles in pharmacy, which lead specific lines of service (acute care and ambulatory), this role owns the cross-cutting business engine that powers all of pharmacy at Essentia. Reporting to the Vice President of Pharmacy, you will serve as our system-level expert on pharmacy economics — how we get paid, how we manage costs, how we strengthen our most important external partnerships, and how we use analytics and informatics to drive decisions across both acute and ambulatory pharmacy.

You will thrive here if you have deep expertise in the business of pharmacy — payer and pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) dynamics, wholesaler and manufacturer relationships, pharmacy contracting, and revenue cycle — and you are energized by being the strategic voice on the financial decisions that shape an entire system pharmacy enterprise.

Education Qualifications:

PharmD from an accredited school of pharmacy

What You Will Do:

• Lead pharmacy business services across the system, including expense management, revenue optimization, and the financial strategy that supports both acute and ambulatory pharmacy.

• Own pharmacy payer and PBM strategy. Serve as Essentia’s primary partner with commercial payers, government payers, and pharmacy benefit managers, and build our negotiation approach to ensure we are paid fully and accurately for the services we provide.

• Lead wholesaler, manufacturer, and group purchasing organization relationships, including contract strategy, performance management, and negotiation.

• Direct pharmacy revenue cycle performance, ensuring we charge correctly, capture every dollar earned, and continuously improve our reimbursement processes.

• Lead pharmacy analytics, informatics, and AI strategy, including dashboard development priorities and the data infrastructure that supports business decisions across pharmacy.

• Partner with the Vice President of Pharmacy on planning, monitoring, and managing pharmacy budgets, including financial forecasting and variance analysis.

• Serve as a strategic thought partner to our line-of-service Senior Directors (acute care and ambulatory), ensuring business decisions are aligned and value is unlocked across the enterprise.

• Coordinate enterprise-level pharmacy projects and initiatives that span multiple business lines.

• Build, develop, and retain a high-performing team responsible for pharmacy business services, analytics, and program oversight.

• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory and accrediting requirements governing pharmacy practice and pharmacy business operations.

What You Will Need:

• Eligible for licensure to practice pharmacy in Minnesota, Wisconsin, or North Dakota.

• 5+ years of pharmacy business leadership experience, with demonstrated breadth across both acute care and ambulatory pharmacy.

• Deep expertise in pharmacy economics — including payer and PBM dynamics, wholesaler and manufacturer relationships, contracting, and revenue cycle.

• Demonstrated financial management experience with large pharmacy budgets, including planning, forecasting, and variance analysis.

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence executive audiences and translate complex pharmacy economics into clear strategy.

• Demonstrated success leading and developing teams in a complex or matrixed organization.

What Makes You a Strong Fit:

• Experience at an integrated health system, IDN, or specialty pharmacy operator known for sophisticated pharmacy business operations.

• Hands-on experience leading payer negotiations, PBM contracts, or pharmacy reimbursement strategy at a system level.

• Background in pharmacy analytics, informatics, or AI-enabled tools used to drive business and operational decisions.

• Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY1 and PGY2 in Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership.

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Health Administration, or related discipline.

• Comfort operating with system-level visibility and executive audiences, including the Vice President of Pharmacy and senior finance and operations leaders.

• Entrepreneurial mindset with a track record of identifying and operationalizing new pharmacy business opportunities.

Work Location:

• This role is hybrid. Regular in-person presence is expected to support collaboration with pharmacy and system leadership in Duluth, MN.

• Candidates must live within 50 miles of an Essentia Health location, the Twin Cities metro area, or be willing to relocate. Relocation assistance of up to $15,000 is available for qualifying candidates.

• We are unable to employ candidates residing in California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, or Colorado.

Licensure/Certification Qualifications:

• Eligible for licensure to practice pharmacy in the state of Minnesota, Wisconsin, or North Dakota

FTE:

1

Possible Remote/Hybrid Option:

Hybrid

Shift Rotation:

Day Rotation (United States of America)

Shift Start Time:

Shift End Time:

Weekends:

Holidays:

No

Call Obligation:

No

Union:

Compensation Range:

$182,332.80 - $273,499.20 Employee Benefits at Essentia Health: At Essentia Health, we’re committed to supporting your well-being, growth, and work-life balance. Our comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, along with supplemental options to fit your needs. We offer a 401(k) plan with employer contributions to help you plan for the future, and we invest in your professional development through training, tuition reimbursement, and educational programs. To help you thrive both at work and at home, we provide flexible scheduling, generous time off, and wellness resources focused on your physical, mental, and emotional health. Please note that benefit eligibility may vary. For full details, refer to your benefit summary or contact our HR Service Center at View phone number on click.appcast.io.