Director of Pharmacy Operations

Lakeshore Talent is in search of a Director of Pharmacy Operations for a direct hire opportunity with a growing, high-volume pharmacy operation based in Boulder, Colorado. This leadership role is ideal for an experienced pharmacy operations professional who thrives in fast-paced, highly automated environments and is passionate about driving operational excellence, compliance, quality, and team development.

This position will oversee a large pharmacy operations team consisting of approximately 75 employees, including pharmacy technicians, pharmacy leads, and packaging staff. The organization is seeking a strong operational leader with experience managing high-volume or closed-door pharmacy environments and a proven ability to optimize workflows, automation systems, and overall pharmacy performance.

Position Details

• Location: Boulder, CO
• Schedule: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM (flexibility required)
• Compensation: $136,400 – $177,400 annually

Position Overview

The Director of Pharmacy Operations is responsible for providing strategic, operational, and regulatory leadership for a high-volume, automated pharmacy environment. This individual will oversee pharmacy production, dispensing workflows, automation systems, quality initiatives, and staff management to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant pharmacy operations.

The ideal candidate is a collaborative leader who can successfully balance operational performance, regulatory compliance, team development, and continuous improvement initiatives in a complex pharmacy setting.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Lead daily operations of a high-volume, automated pharmacy environment
• Oversee dispensing, packaging, verification, and distribution workflows
• Ensure optimization and reliability of automated dispensing and packaging systems
• Implement best practices for inventory management, workflow standardization, and production scheduling
• Maintain operational efficiency while meeting service standards and turnaround expectations

Regulatory & Compliance Oversight

• Ensure compliance with all state and federal pharmacy regulations, including Board of Pharmacy and DEA requirements
• Develop, maintain, and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Lead internal audits, inspections, and regulatory reviews
• Maintain active pharmacist licensure and obtain additional state licenses as needed

Quality & Safety Management

• Drive quality assurance and patient safety initiatives
• Monitor KPIs and quality metrics to identify areas for improvement
• Conduct root-cause analysis and implement corrective actions
• Foster a culture centered on safety, accountability, and continuous improvement

Leadership & Staff Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop pharmacists, supervisors, technicians, and operational staff
• Manage hiring, scheduling, staffing levels, training, and performance management
• Build and maintain a collaborative, high-performing team culture

Strategic Planning & Continuous Improvement

• Partner with executive leadership on operational strategy and future growth initiatives
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, throughput, automation utilization, and workflow performance
• Support implementation of new technologies and operational enhancements
• Utilize analytics and reporting to guide operational decisions

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with clinical, compliance, IT, engineering, supply chain, and quality teams
• Ensure operational alignment with organizational goals and service expectations
• Serve as a subject matter expert for pharmacy automation and dispensing operations

Qualifications

Required

• PharmD or BS in Pharmacy
• Active Colorado pharmacist license in good standing, or ability to obtain within 6 months of hire
• Willingness to obtain additional state pharmacist licenses as needed
• 5 years of pharmacy management experience
• Experience in high-volume, centralized, automated, or closed-door pharmacy operations
• Strong knowledge of pharmacy regulations, controlled substance handling, and compliance standards
• Proven leadership experience managing and developing diverse pharmacy teams

Preferred

• Experience working with pharmacy robotics or advanced automation systems
• Experience scaling or managing large-volume pharmacy operations

Core Competencies

• Leadership & People Management
• Operational Excellence
• Automation & Technology Fluency
• Regulatory Compliance
• Quality & Safety Focus
• Strategic & Analytical Thinking
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Change Management

Benefits begin on Day 1 of employment and include:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) with 50% match on the first 4% contribution
• 11 paid holidays annually
• PTO accrual starting at 15 days in year one
• Increased PTO accrual based on tenure
• 40 hours of annual sick time
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Wellness benefits
• Employee discount program
• Tuition reimbursement after 1 year of service
• Employee referral bonus program offering up to $10,000