What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director, Pharmacy Operations, Inova Fairfax Hospital position at Inova Health System?
The Director of Pharmacy directs and coordinates schedules, task assignments, staffing resources, and equipment to ensure compliance with departmental commitments. Establishes long- and short-term departmental goals, ensuring department direction and management align with organizational priorities.
Provides adaptive, emotionally intelligent leadership by recognizing team member needs, communicating with empathy and clarity, fostering psychological safety, and adjusting leadership approaches to support individuals and teams through changing operational, clinical, and organizational demands. Promotes a respectful, inclusive, accountable, and collaborative workplace culture.
Plans, directs, and coordinates activities involved in the preparation and dispensing of drugs and other pharmaceutical supplies to fulfill medication and prescription requests issued by physicians and other qualified prescribers. Ensures compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations related to medication dispensing, controlled substances, and required records.
Job Responsibilities:
- Directs and coordinates the establishment of scheduled, task assignment and allocation of man hours and equipment to assure compliance with departmental commitments.
- Selects, hires and trains staff according to Inova Health System policies and procedures and establishes, reviews, and revises performance standards for assigned staff, interacting appropriately to set goals, communicate expectations and provide feedback.
- Assesses, identifies and coordinates staff education needs based on annual assessments.
- Coordinates development of an annual department budget, monitors and reports on financial performance as a whole and recommends needed corrective action based on analysis.
- Analyzes direct and indirect costs and determine proper allocation for recording cost elements; develop and improve methods of calculating and controlling cost; compile cost data for use in developing budget proposals; implement and monitor cost accounting procedures and manage cost systems and methods for the Pharmacy ensuring compliance with overall Hospital regulations.
- Supervises inventory and ordering of pharmacy supplies; approve bills for payment.
- Develops and regularly completes reports and analyses of all phases of department operations.
- Establishes and maintains system of records and bookkeeping in accordance with hospital policy, and State and Federal guidelines concerning charges for prescriptions and requisitioning and dispensing of all pharmaceuticals including controlled substances.
- Determines accuracy of distribution of labor and projection of labor needs, as well as materials and overhead charges, and trace discrepancies to source.
- Consults with physicians on the Institutional Review Committee and provides information and input for review of investigational drug and product usage if appropriate. Consults with Purchasing and Materials Management personnel to evaluate and improve pharmacy purchasing practices.
Skills for Success:
- Demonstrates adaptive, emotionally intelligent leadership in dynamic healthcare environments, balancing clinical, operational, regulatory, financial and staffing priorities while maintaining patient safety and quality.
- Fosters a respectful, inclusive and psychologically safe culture where team members feel heard, trusted and empowered to raise concerns and contribute ideas.
- Builds collaborative relationships through clear, transparent and professional communication with pharmacy, medical, nursing and hospital leadership partners.
- Coaches and develops team members through clear expectations, constructive feedback, recognition, mentoring and growth opportunities. Manages conflict and change effectively by listening actively, addressing concerns promptly and supporting teams through evolving priorities and operational transitions.
Minimum Requirements:
- Certification - Basic Life Support within 3 months
- Valid Pharmacist license for the State of Virginia
- 5 years of experience as a Pharmacist
- 2 years of people management experience Bachelor's Degree in Pharmacy or Doctor of Pharmacy from ACPE accredited College of Pharmacy
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience leading pharmacy operations within a large, multi-specialty hospital of 500 beds
Demonstrated success building, leading and developing teams of 60 team members, including people leaders