The Supervisor, Research Pharmacy Operations manages day to day operations and staff of the Research Pharmacy Operations to ensure high-quality patient care and high-level investigational drug accountability are delivered in compliance with all laws, regulations, and institutional policies and standards.

The Supervisor works closely with research pharmacy management team and members of the pharmacy leadership team to coordinate and administer the pharmacy quality assurance and quality control initiatives. The Supervisor is expected to be able to step in, when needed, to carry out all functions of a staff pharmacist or technician.

The supervisor is also expected to coordinate the onboarding and training of new staff members and to ensure ongoing training and competency requirements are met in a timely manner.

Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute brings together world renowned clinicians, innovative researchers and dedicated professionals, allies in the common mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS and related diseases. Combining extremely talented people with the best technologies in a genuinely positive environment, we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all ages; we conduct research that advances treatment; we educate tomorrow's physician/researchers; we reach out to underserved members of our community; and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with research pharmacy management team to oversee the daily operations to ensure that research pharmacy activities and services are carried out to meet all regulatory and institutional standard.
• Participate in the development and implementation of efficient workflows within the research pharmacy. Participate in and lead quality improvement initiatives and projects.
• Participate in the development and implementation of quality assurance and quality control activities, including investigational drug accountability and inventory management. Verify that quality controls are completed and documented on time. Identify gaps and work to remedy.
• Work closely with research team, nursing, pharmacy, regulatory and other departments to develop and implement action plans to address arising patient care and regulatory issues pertaining to investigational drugs.
• Work with the Medication Safety Officer and research pharmacy management team for review and/or follow up of safety reports and concerns related to investigational drugs.
• Participate in the recruitment, selection, orientation, training and performance management of research pharmacy staff (pharmacists and technicians).
• Assist in the development and maintenance of programs and policies.
• Communicates the status of projects, staff concerns, and problems to the Research Pharmacy management team.
• Oversee monthly inventory management practices (ordering, cycle count, product expiration, product return and destruction, resolving inventory discrepancies).
• Assist with scheduling both pharmacists and technicians.
• Provide coverage for the Research Pharmacy Operations staff, as needed.
• Preform other duties as assigned, including attending meetings and participating in Institute wide committees representing Research Pharmacy.

Management / Leadership:

• Staff / Daily Oversight:
  • Provide daily oversight of the pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy co-op students in assigned area and encourage excellence in work habits, inclusivity, maintaining the pharmacy, and customer service.
  • Assess daily volume and ensure adequate coverage to meet needs.
  • Manage lunches and breaks.
  • Round daily with pharmacy infusion staff in assigned area to address any concerns they have or issues that arise.
  • Identify, triage, and resolve any issues related to pharmacy, including patient delays.
  • Attends regular staff meetings and huddles. Leads huddles as assigned.
  • Ensures compliance with USP chapters, federal and state regulations, and department policies and SOPs and escalates concerns with compliance to Pharmacy Manager.
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• Schedule / Payroll:
  • Drafts the Pharmacy Technician schedule for the assigned areas for manager approval.
  • Maintains the schedule with switches and unexpected absences.
  • Tracks vacation requests and approves based on department standards and needs.
  • Processes payroll for assigned employees.
•  Quality / Safety:
  • Work in conjunction with other pharmacy staff members when a new medication or procedure change is introduced.
  • Participate in the implementation of pharmacy policies and procedures and SOPs in collaboration with other members of the leadership team and ensure that that they are understood and followed by staff.
  • Participate in the development and implementation of the department’s quality assurance and quality control activities.
  • Verify that quality controls are being completed and documented daily, weekly, and monthly; identify gaps and escalates to Pharmacy manager when necessary.
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•  Process Improvement:
  • Identifies areas of opportunity and presents proposed solutions to infusion pharmacy leadership.
  • Supports the development and implementation of efficient workflows within the pharmacy.
  • Participates in quality improvement initiatives and projects.
• Human Resources:
  • Works with the Pharmacy Manager to participate in pharmacy interviews and hiring process.
  • Coordinates the on-site onboarding and training and orientation of new pharmacy staff members and ensures proper documentation.
  • Ensures compliance with ongoing training, competencies, and development and ensures proper documentation.
  • Reinforces proper pharmacy practice and performance in accordance with departmental and Institute policies and procedures, remediates employees as needed and escalates to Pharmacy Manager when necessary.
  • Supports improvement plans as appropriate
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•  Committee Work:
  • Participate in departmental and institute committees as assigned.
•  Other Duties:
  • Stay current with trends and developments in pharmacy practice and serve as a role model to the professional and technical staff.
  • Provide coverage for the pharmacy staff, as needed, to provide coverage for illness, meetings, staff vacations and during periods of peak volume.
  • Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Bachelor’s Degree or Doctorate in Pharmacy from an accredited college of Pharmacy is required along with a minimum 5 years of hospital or retail pharmacy experience, 2 years of oncology experience, and 1 year in a supervisory/leadership role or equivalent.  Must be licensed to practice pharmacy in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

1. Oral and written communication skills
2. Attention to detail
3. Prioritization and organization of work under stress and time constraints
4. Problem solving
5. Critical thinking skills
6. Management skills
7. Possess the ability to prevent and resolve intradepartmental and interdepartmental problems
8. Ability to make decisions as part of a multidisciplinary group
9. Must have supervisory training, organization, and time management skills in order to achieve departmental goals.

At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we work every day to create an innovative, caring, and inclusive environment where every patient, family, and staff member feels they belong.  As relentless as we are in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all, we are equally committed to diversifying our faculty and staff.  Cancer knows no boundaries and when it comes to hiring the most dedicated and diverse professionals, neither do we. If working in this kind of organization inspires you, we encourage you to apply.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an equal opportunity employer and affirms the right of every qualified applicant to receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, ancestry, military service, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.

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