VP System Chief Pharmacy Officer

Job Description

VP, System Chief Pharmacy Officer — Aspirus Health

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Wausau, Wisconsin · Full-time · On-site · Relocation required

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INNOVA People has been exclusively retained to assist Aspirus Health in looking for its first enterprise-wide Chief Pharmacy Officer, an outpatient-minded leader who will help shape and then execute a five-year pharmacy strategy for one of the Upper Midwest's leading rural health systems.

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About Aspirus Health

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Aspirus is a nonprofit health system based in Wausau, Wisconsin. It serves communities across northern and central Wisconsin, Michigan's Upper Peninsula and northeastern Minnesota.

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• 18 hospitals and about 130 outpatient locations
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• Nearly 14,000 team members
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• Ongoing investment in growth, including a major expansion of Aspirus Wausau Hospital and new sites of care
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Aspirus is guided by four core values: foresight, flexibility, fortitude, and follow-through .

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The Opportunity

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This is a build-and-grow role at an inflection point. Aspirus is bringing its specialty pharmacy in-house, rolling out Epic Willow Ambulatory across its retail network, and opening new retail locations. A five-year system pharmacy strategy is being shaped now, and the new CPO will have a real hand in defining it.

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The work runs in two lanes:

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• Optimize: strengthen and standardize what Aspirus already runs across acute care, retail, specialty and infusion.
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• Diversify: build new pharmacy services and revenue models that extend Aspirus's reach to patients, employers and health plan members.
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Aspirus is looking for a long-term partner who wants to put down roots and build something lasting, not a short stop on the way somewhere else.

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What You'll Lead

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The CPO is the senior pharmacy executive for the whole system. You will set strategy and advise executive leadership, the medical staff, nursing, finance, supply chain, IT and compliance.

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Area

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Scope

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Acute care

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17 hospital pharmacies across three states, including critical access hospitals

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Retail

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12 retail pharmacies, with more locations planned

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Specialty

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A health-system specialty pharmacy moving to a self-operated model Infusion services, including oncology

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340B

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Program strategy, optimization, and compliance across the system

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Clinical and operations

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Clinical pharmacy, medication-use policy, pharmacy supply chain and medication access

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Technology

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Epic Willow (inpatient, ambulatory and inventory) as the backbone for standardization

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You will lead a team of system and regional pharmacy directors across Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota.

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Key Priorities

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Optimize current operations

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• Lead the specialty pharmacy's move to a self-operated model and grow it.
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• Grow retail prescription capture across the system, using Epic Willow Ambulatory to drive performance.
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• Protect and optimize the 340B program across the footprint, keeping it audit-ready.
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• Expand infusion services, with a focus on oncology.
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• Build toward centralized fill and purchasing, and standardize inpatient protocols and the medication-use process.
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• Bring enabling technology online in the right order, including Willow Inventory.
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Diversify into new services

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• Develop direct-to-consumer and employer-facing pharmacy programs with manufacturer partners.
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• Strengthen pharmacy's connection with Aspirus's health plan and pharmacy benefit strategy.
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• Evaluate partnerships and other strategic growth opportunities in pharmacy.
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Shape the strategy

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• Help finalize and then own Aspirus's five-year system pharmacy plan.
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• Build a sequenced roadmap with clear ROI, and turn it into measurable results.
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Who You Are

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You are not a traditional inpatient-only pharmacy leader. You think outpatient-first, you understand retail and ambulatory pharmacy from the inside, and you stay connected to acute care and the regulatory side of health-system pharmacy.

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• Forward-looking. You anticipate where pharmacy and the wider industry are heading and position the organization early, rather than reacting.
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• Strategic and hands-on. You can set the vision and also go deep to drive work to a finished deliverable.
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• Influential. You have a wide circle of influence and can move physicians, medical group leaders and operators to change practice and process.
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• Direct and tenacious. You explain the "why," then line up the resources to get it done.
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• Accountable. You hold yourself and other leaders to clear goals.
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• ROI-disciplined. You back ideas with proven returns, not trends.
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• Collaborative. You work easily across service lines, the health plan, PBMs, retail and specialty partners.
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• Energized and open. You are a lifelong learner who welcomes feedback and leads with compassion and joy alongside executive rigor.
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Qualifications

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Required

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• Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)
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• Licensed pharmacist in Wisconsin, or eligible for Wisconsin licensure
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• At least 10 years of progressively responsible pharmacy leadership, including 5 or more at a senior or executive level with multi-site or system accountability
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• A track record of measurable financial improvement in pharmacy
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• Hands-on 340B oversight, including compliance and audit readiness
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• Working knowledge of health-system pharmacy regulation and acute care operations
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Preferred

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• MBA, MHA, MPH or a related advanced degree
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• Leadership experience in retail or corporate retail pharmacy, combined with health-system or acute care leadership
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• A record of growing retail or specialty pharmacy, including specialty accreditation, payer access or limited-distribution drugs
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• Breadth across multiple pharmacy settings rather than depth in only one
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• Experience at high-performing health systems or pharmacy organizations
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• Epic Willow experience
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• Comfort leading in a matrixed, geographically dispersed organization and working with boards
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Location and Compensation

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• Location: Wausau, Wisconsin. This is an in-person, office-based executive role; it is not remote or hybrid.
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• Relocation: Relocation to the Wausau area is required. [Confirm relocation assistance with Aspirus.]
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• Travel: Occasional travel to Aspirus sites in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota.
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• Compensation: A competitive executive salary and incentive plan, plus comprehensive benefits, retirement plans and a wellness program.
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Central Wisconsin offers a lower cost of living, four-season outdoor recreation, strong schools and a close-knit community.

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How to Apply

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INNOVA People is leading this search on behalf of Aspirus Health. To be considered, send your resume and a brief note on your interest to Laurie Johnson View email address on ziprecruiter.com. All inquiries are handled confidentially.

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The selection process includes video interviews, a leadership assessment and an on-site visit to Wausau.

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Aspirus Health is an equal opportunity employer.