Principal, Pharmacy Professional Practice & Regulatory Compliance

Job Description

Job Description

Overview

The Principal Pharmacy Professional Practice, Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PMP) provides strategic leadership, oversight, and subject matter expertise for enterprise pharmacy professional practice initiatives, regulatory compliance programs, pharmacy policies and procedures, licensing support, and medication-use quality programs. This position partners closely with Pharmacy Operations, Compliance, Legal, Quality, Risk Management, Human Resources, and Information Technology to ensure adherence to applicable state and federal pharmacy laws, Board of Pharmacy regulations, DEA requirements, and organizational policies.

The Principal serves as an enterprise resource for pharmacy professional practice matters and drives regulatory compliance, inspection readiness, patient safety initiatives, and continuous improvement efforts across all pharmacy locations. This position has significant organizational influence through collaboration and indirect leadership. Responsibilities are accomplished through cross-functional collaboration, project leadership, education, consultation, and governance activities.

Benefits and perks for You!

• Medical, Dental, Vision insurance   
• Health Savings & Flexible Spending Accounts (up to $5,000 for childcare)   
• Tuition discounts & reimbursement   
• 401(k) 
• Company Paid Time Off*
• Shift Differential 
• DailyPay
• Pet Insurance
• Employee wellness and discount programs 

*Benefits may vary by employment status 

Responsibilities

• Serves as an enterprise subject matter expert for pharmacy professional practice standards and regulatory requirements
• Provides strategic guidance regarding pharmacy practice issues, emerging regulatory changes, and operational risk mitigation
• Supports development and execution of departmental goals, initiatives, and professional practice priorities
• Promotes a culture of collaboration, patient safety, compliance, accountability, and continuous improvement throughout the pharmacy
• Provides consultation to pharmacy leaders regarding professional practice, licensing, and compliance matters
• Supports governance committees, enterprise workgroups, and cross-functional initiatives
• Leads and oversees the enterprise PMP compliance program across all applicable jurisdictions
• Monitors, interprets, and communicates state-specific PMP laws, regulations, and reporting requirements
• Develops, maintains, and revises policies and procedures governing PMP compliance and utilization
• Ensures timely and accurate reporting, required queries, documentation, and audit readiness
• Collaborates with Pharmacy Operations, Technology, and Compliance teams to implement and optimize PMP workflows
• Investigates and resolves PMP compliance issues, reporting discrepancies, and regulatory inquiries
• Develops compliance metrics, dashboards, executive reports, and program effectiveness measures
• Collaborates with Professional Practice and Compliance Leadership to assess regulatory changes and develop implementation strategies to ensure organizational compliance
• Supports enterprise inspection readiness programs, including regulatory inspections and audits
• Leads or participates in investigations, corrective action plans, and remediation activities related to regulatory or internal findings
• Partners with Compliance, Legal, Quality, and Operations teams to ensure timely resolution of compliance concerns
• Leads the development, review, revision, implementation, and maintenance of enterprise pharmacy policies and procedures
• Ensures policies and professional practice standards remain aligned with current regulatory, operational, and professional practice requirements
• Establishes and maintains policy governance processes and documentation controls
• Provides guidance and support regarding interpretation and implementation of professional practice standards
• Coordinates periodic policy reviews and revisions with operational subject matter experts
• Supports medication safety, quality improvement, and risk management initiatives
• Monitors pharmacy professional practice trends, audit findings, and regulatory observations to identify opportunities for improvement
• Collaborates with Quality and Risk Management teams to develop and implement corrective and preventive actions
• Assists with development and monitoring of key performance indicators related to professional practice and regulatory compliance
• Participates in enterprise initiatives designed to improve patient outcomes and operational excellence
• Supports enterprise pharmacy licensing department initiatives, including pharmacy permits, controlled substance registrations, and practitioner licensing activities
• Provides guidance related to pharmacist, technician, and facility licensing requirements
• Assists with oversight of licensing compliance processes, records management, and regulatory documentation
• Supports regulatory reporting activities and interactions with state and federal agencies as needed
• Leads complex enterprise projects involving pharmacy professional practice, compliance, licensing, quality, and operational initiatives
• Collaborates with cross-functional stakeholders to establish objectives, timelines, and implementation strategies
• Develops executive-level reports, presentations, compliance metrics, and risk assessments
• Effectively manages multiple projects and priorities while ensuring timely completion of deliverables
• Represents the organization in interactions with regulatory agencies, professional organizations, and industry groups as appropriate
• Performs other duties and special projects as assigned by Pharmacy Professional Practice Leadership

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 8+ years of pharmacy experience, including significant exposure to Prescription Drug Monitoring Program reporting, regulatory compliance, professional practice, and/or multi-site operations; or equivalent education and experience
• Minimum of five years of leadership experience, including direct and/or indirect leadership responsibilities
• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise initiatives, projects, or programs without direct supervisory authority
• Experience supporting audits, inspections, or compliance programs
• Active, unrestricted pharmacist licensed (not state specific) or Juris Doctor (J.D.) or other advanced law degree with a concentration in healthcare, pharmacy, or regulatory law preferred
• Experience in long-term care, specialty pharmacy, or retail/multi-location pharmacy environments preferred
• Legal training or a law degree, particularly with a concentration in healthcare, pharmacy, or regulatory compliance preferred
• Knowledge of multi-state Prescription Drug Monitoring Program reporting requirements
• Working knowledge of state and federal pharmacy laws, regulations, and DEA requirements
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and identify trends or risk areas
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Strong leadership skills and ability to effectively communicate
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Access)
• Analytical thinking and problem‑solving
• Strategic planning and execution
• Collaborative mindset with cross-functional partnership skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Remote position with periodic (~10%) travel to corporate offices, pharmacy locations, regulatory meetings, conferences, and other business-related events as required
• Reside within reasonable driving distance of a pharmacy location to support professional development, relationship building, and operational engagement opportunities preferred