Career Opportunities

Job Description

LEAD PHARMACIST

Full-Time Permanent – Competition #21-01

Position Summary

We have an exciting opportunity for a Lead Pharmacist to join our team in Edmonton. In this highly collaborative role, you will have the opportunity to bring your pharmaceutical expertise to a number of ASEBP programs and initiatives. The successful candidate will provide clinical expertise and pharmacy knowledge to inform ASEBP’s prescription drug management strategies. This includes providing direct and, at times complex, support to covered members through involvement in programs such as Enhanced Special Authorization and liaising with health care providers as needed in support of members’ health. In addition, the Lead Pharmacist will provide support to the Trustees and the CEO in ASEBP’s drug formulary management.

Our benefits model is a rarity in the traditional health insurance arena, designed to promote, protect and improve the overall health of our covered members and their dependants. The Lead Pharmacist plays a key role in this work.  If you are a motivated, innovative professional who can work at both an individual and strategic level, this might be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for!

Your Key Responsibilities

Inform ASEBP’s drug management strategies, initiatives and programs

• Contribute to plan design considerations with respect to prescription medication management.
• Research, investigate and propose options to improve existing programs and/or to initiate new strategies, initiatives and programs.
• Support relevant analytic activities.
• Review and provide commentary on new medications, treatments and technologies coming to market, considering potential implications to ASEBP benefit plans and covered members.

Assist the Trustees and CEO in the management of ASEBP’s formulary

• Review, research and make recommendations regarding the potential ASEBP formulary coverage of new drugs.
• Stay current regarding industry trends using information from CADTH, Alberta Blue Cross, Cubic Health and other relevant sources.
• Provide written and verbal scheduled and ad hoc reports on ASEBP pharmaceutical management to the trustees.

Delivery of member drug management programs

• Lead Enhanced Special Authorization (ESA) program, including case management of ESA claims.
• Provide subject matter expertise into system enhancements and case management strategies to improve ASEBP’s case management approach to various health states.
• Review and make recommendations regarding Therapeutic Alternative Reference Pricing.
• Identify and propose operational strategy when external factors (e.g. drug shortages) impact drug benefit adjudication and/or health managment programs.
• Provide ad hocervices to extended health care cases related to prescription medications.
• Act as a subject matter expert to support complex disability claims adjudication and management.
• Assist in the oversight and management of other health claims as required.

Liaise cross divisionally and with external stakeholders as required

• Serve as a subject matter expert on projects as required.
• Work closely with other teams for issue management and opportunity development where pharmacy expertise is required.
• Work closely with ASEBP’s third party adjudicator regarding pharmacy strategies, processes and specific claim decisions as requried.Liaise with key stakeholders in the pharmacy and health benefits community , such as  the Alberta College of Pharmacists, RxA,.

Your Education and Experience

• Five to ten years of experience as a licensed pharmacist.
• Registered/licensed as a clinical pharmacist, in good standing, with the Alberta College of Pharmacy.
• Minimum three to five years of experience working within group benefits.

A combination of education and experience may be considered.

Your Abilities

• Direct experience working in a multidisciplinary health team focused on patient support.
• Experience in case management; working within case management technologies, such as FINEOS, considered an asset.
• Strong understanding of Alberta government programs and services related to prescription medication benefits.
• Strong working knowledge of the prescription medication review and coverage decision making structure at the provincial and federal levels.
• Exceptional collaboration, interpersonal and customer service skills with various internal and external stakeholders and in difficult situations.
• Exceptional written and verbal skills with an ability to effectively communicate complex benefit information to a variety of audiences.
• Exceptional prioritization and time management skills.

If you have the required qualifications and would like to become a member of our team, please submit your resume through our website, www.asebp.ca. This job posting will remain open until the position has been filled.

No phone calls please. We thank all interested individuals, but only those candidates being considered for an interview will be contacted. Please note our offices are currently closed due to COVID-19. All interviews will be conducted via video conference.

ASEBP is an equal opportunity employer.

All offers of employment for this position are conditional upon satisfactory background and reference checks, which may include a criminal record check, and/or education and employment verification.