VP System Chief Pharmacy Officer

VP, System Chief Pharmacy Officer — Aspirus Health

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

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.

About Aspirus Health

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.

• 18 hospitals and about 130 outpatient locations
• Nearly 14,000 team members
• Ongoing investment in growth, including a major expansion of Aspirus Wausau Hospital and new sites of care

Aspirus is guided by four core values: foresight, flexibility, fortitude, and follow-through .

The Opportunity

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.

The work runs in two lanes:

• Optimize: strengthen and standardize what Aspirus already runs across acute care, retail, specialty and infusion.
• Diversify: build new pharmacy services and revenue models that extend Aspirus's reach to patients, employers and health plan members.

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.

What You'll Lead

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.

Area

Scope

Acute care

17 hospital pharmacies across three states, including critical access hospitals

Retail

12 retail pharmacies, with more locations planned

Specialty

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

340B

Program strategy, optimization, and compliance across the system

Clinical and operations

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

Technology

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

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

Key Priorities

Optimize current operations

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

Diversify into new services

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

Shape the strategy

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

Who You Are

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.

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

Qualifications

Required

• Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)
• Licensed pharmacist in Wisconsin, or eligible for Wisconsin licensure
• 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
• A track record of measurable financial improvement in pharmacy
• Hands-on 340B oversight, including compliance and audit readiness
• Working knowledge of health-system pharmacy regulation and acute care operations

Preferred

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

Location and Compensation

• Location: Wausau, Wisconsin. This is an in-person, office-based executive role; it is not remote or hybrid.
• Relocation: Relocation to the Wausau area is required. [Confirm relocation assistance with Aspirus.]
• Travel: Occasional travel to Aspirus sites in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota.
• Compensation: A competitive executive salary and incentive plan, plus comprehensive benefits, retirement plans and a wellness program.

Central Wisconsin offers a lower cost of living, four-season outdoor recreation, strong schools and a close-knit community.

How to Apply

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 click.appcast.io. All inquiries are handled confidentially.

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

Aspirus Health is an equal opportunity employer.