Executive Director

Introduction to the OrganizationThe Canadian Pharmacists Association (CPhA) has a long and established history as the national voice for pharmacists in Canada. In 1907 a group of fifteen pharmacists came together to create the first-of-its kind organization to act on issues affecting their profession. Throughout its history, CPhA has played a key role in advocating for the profession and advancing the role of pharmacists in the healthcare system. Furthering their commitment to the field, CPhA has developed a digital tool, Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties (CPS). This tool provides pharmacists with a comprehensive, evidence-based online resource enabling optimal patient care through quick access to critical updates, drug interaction checkers, and patient handouts. It serves as Canada's primary source for drug information, updated weekly to ensure pharmacists have the most current and reliable content at their fingertips.Following a change to its governance and membership model in 2014, CPhA's Board of Directors is now composed of representatives from each provincial pharmacist association. This shift was the first crucial step in creating a collaborative, national model, unifying provincial partners to represent and advocate for the profession on a strong, united front.To further its commitment to professional advancement and financial sustainability, CPhA is looking to launch the Third-Party Payer Negotiation Entity. This standalone unit will be established in direct response to overwhelming demand from pharmacists who recognize the need for a strong, unified voice in contract dealings with third-party payers and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) across Canada. The new entity will serve as CPhA's strategic answer to this market imbalance: a vehicle for collective negotiation that also generates a vital self-funding revenue source to support the association's mission.Summary of the RoleWorking closely with the CEO and board members, the Executive Director of the Third-Party Payer Negotiation Entity is the first hire for a high-impact national initiative, tasked with building the organization from the ground up. This entity is a separate unit under the CPhA umbrella, created to collectively represent pharmacy owners, particularly independents, in negotiations with third-party payers and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). The core objective is to protect the professional autonomy of pharmacists against the financial interests of private payers and put pharmacies on a more level playing field in negotiations. You will be instrumental in determining the success of this endeavor. This includes leading the operational setup—developing policies, procedures, and systems that align with CPhA's vision—and leveraging your financial management expertise to set and maintain the budget with oversight from the Board of Directors (BOD) and the CEO. Central to your mandate is building a high-performing team with the diverse legal, data, and negotiation skills necessary to ensure the entity's long-term compliance and success.Strategic member recruitment is a core part of your mandate, securing the organization's future and ensuring a sustainable financial model beyond the seed money. You'll be responsible for crafting a compelling roadmap that effectively rallies the pharmacist community by articulating a clear value proposition and a tangible return on their investment. Your success in this step is paramount, as a robust membership base is the sole source of leverage required to effectively represent members' interests in negotiations, directly impacting the entity's national influence and bargaining success.As the Executive Director, you will be the primary liaison, establishing and maintaining productive relationships with third-party payers and key stakeholders. You will lead collective bargaining to negotiate fair terms across critical issues, including audits, contractual language, and payment schedules. Furthermore, you will serve as a bridge between policy and practice: you and your team will create tangible support tools for members, partner with CPhA's Advocacy team to influence broader policy changes, and utilize effective member communication to identify common industry issues that strengthen the organization's collaborative voice and drive standardization across provinces.Is this role for you?As a seasoned professional with progressive leadership experience, you have worked in a relevant field such as professional associations, healthcare administration, insurance, or collective bargaining. Additionally, you may have worked with or been exposed to working with Third-Party Payors, Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), or with the pharmacists directly. You bring a proven and sophisticated track record in contract negotiation, dispute resolution, and stakeholder relationship management. A strategic and diplomatic approach is essential for this role to effectively resolve complex issues with powerful entities.You demonstrate credibility and understanding of the payer-driven business models from your background in the private payer sector. Your expertise is also coupled with a thorough understanding of competition law to ensure all collective bargaining efforts are legally compliant and successful. Ultimately, your experience will provide you with the foundation to confidently bring forward creative solutions and the strategic vision to the future members of the CPhA Negotiation Entity. You have a proven track record of following through and delivering results.You describe yourself as an entrepreneurial, self-motivated, and independent thinker who thrives in a startup environment along with experience building or scaling an organization. Your excellent and tactful communication skills allows you to drive both membership recruitment and ongoing engagement as you build consensus, and forge relationships among diverse and sometimes competing stakeholders. In this dynamic landscape, your proactive approach and innovative mindset will be essential to drive momentum and foster a culture of accountability for the new entity. How will you know you have succeeded in the first year?Success in your first year is measured by achieving critical milestones across three phases: Foundation, Strategy, and Execution.In the initial 3–4 months, your success will be defined by building robust internal and external relationships. You will develop a comprehensive understanding of the organization’s operations and services, and establish strong trust with the Board of Directors, provincial associations, and other key stakeholders. This active engagement is essential for establishing a collaborative environment and positioning yourself as a credible leader, which will provide the necessary foundation for confident decision-making.By the end of the year, you will have produced a detailed strategic roadmap. This strategy will be based on your deep understanding of the priorities and current issues facing Canadian pharmacists. It will clearly identify the current state of affairs in each province, outline the gaps, and present a clear strategy to elevate and standardize TPP reimbursement/payment policies across the country. This roadmap will also inform the framework and necessary skill-sets of the small, high-performing team you will have the opportunity to build. The ultimate measure of success will be the membership recruitment, and headway on negotiations. Your roadmap will serve as a compelling value proposition, leading to conversations with independent pharmacists and larger organizations to secure their commitment. Success is quantified by securing a critical mass of members, and achieving engagement with third-party payers. Your leadership will have strengthened CPhA’s advocacy work, ensuring members feel supported and engaged, and positioning you as the clear voice of collective bargaining for Canadian pharmacists.