The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy » Sterling

Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer

The Opportunity

The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) is seeking an Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer (EVP/CEO) to head the organization. AACP is the leading advocate for high-quality pharmacy education. The organization works to develop strong academic scholars and leaders, support excellent professional doctoral and postgraduate degree programs, and build relationships with key constituency groups both inside and external to the profession of pharmacy.

Pharmacy is a central part of an evolving, collaborative healthcare ecosystem. AACP is the home of pharmacy education and plays a key role envisioning and shaping the future of professional education in pharmacy and its role in influencing the direction of the profession. The organization is innovative and forward-thinking, promoting research and collaboration across disciplines. The strategic plan has helped move the organization toward access and equity and has strengthened the organization’s commitment to diversity. AACP has evolved with the times and is committed to meeting new challenges and opportunities.

Over the past year this has meant responding to the pandemic. Pharmacists gained visibility during the pandemic, as they counted among the few health professionals who never closed their doors to patients. Pharmacists were the earliest testing providers and today they are a major distributor of vaccines. Distance education is an attractive door that has opened for more students, nationally and globally. The next leader will head AACP’s efforts with its member institutions to adapt pharmacy education and extend the role of pharmacists in the post-pandemic period.

The new EVP/CEO will be highly visible and influential in the industry and in academia. The new leader will play a key role in influencing the future of pharmacy education and academic leadership. This position will provide the right candidate with the opportunity to think strategically and drive innovation.

Since building partnerships and relationships is a major part of this role, a politically savvy leader who is driven by external relations and relationship development is required. The new leader should excel at bringing people together and advocating in a way that strengthens partnerships and relationships. AACP seeks a listener and communicator with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Candidates must have executive-level leadership experience. A background in pharmacy and academia is desired, but experience in the healthcare realm would translate well into the role as well. AACP’s next leader should be a visionary problem-solver who thinks outside the box and helps this crucial healthcare profession reach new heights.

This position is based in Arlington, VA in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The EVP/CEO will represent AACP at a variety of special events and meetings. Some travel is required.

AACP: An Overview

Based in Arlington, VA, AACP advances the education of pharmacy practitioners and collaborates with other pharmacy and health professions organizations to positively shape the practice environment in which those graduates will serve.

A 501(c)(3) organization with an operating budget of $12 million and a staff of around 40 members, AACP represents the 142 schools of pharmacy currently accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as well as individual members, including administrators, faculty, and staff.

AACP has an active, highly structured volunteer leadership that includes a 15-member governing Board of Directors. Three Councils (Council of Deans, Council of Faculties and Council of Sections) form the foundation of AACP’s organizational affairs and representation on the AACP Board of Directors. The House of Delegates is the democratic policy-setting body of the AACP. Additionally, AACP supports broad member engagement through 11 standing committees, eight special and advisory committees, and six awards committees. A five-member Special Interest Group Cabinet manages 21 special interest groups that convene members of AACP.

The organization publishes two academic publications, produces two large conferences annually, and hosts numerous themed educational programs each year. It manages robust institutional member services, including highly valued institutional research programs, a web-based system that supports institutional assessment and accreditation programs, and PharmCAS, academic pharmacy’s centralized application service for Doctor of Pharmacy programs. In 2021, AACP is expanding its efforts to catalyze innovation in academic pharmacy with the launch of the Center to Accelerate Pharmacy Practice Transformation and Academic Innovation, joining AACP’s longstanding leadership via the Center for Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) and the Pharmacy Workforce Center.

The EVP/CEO Role

The EVP/CEO serves as the chief staff executive of the organization and is responsible to the Board of Directors to effectively conduct the organization’s affairs. The EVP/CEO assists the Board in its formulation of the association mission, goals, objectives, and related policies. Within this framework established by the Board and with the resources allocated, the EVP/CEO manages the staff, systems, resources, and infrastructure to carry out those activities required to fulfill AACP’s mission.

Within the limits of the bylaws of the association and policies established by the Board of Directors, the EVP/CEO is an ex-officio member of the Board. The EVP/CEO leads strategic initiatives and builds relationships that will assure the association’s long-term growth and sustainability.

Strategic Priorities for the EVP/CEO

The EVP/CEO is tasked with addressing the following priorities:

Advocacy

Amplify the visibility of the pharmacy profession with internal and external stakeholders.
Seek ways to communicate the benefits of a pharmacy career and how it can enhance the healthcare system as well as the lives of patients and its practitioners.
Preserve AACP’s leadership in the interprofessional healthcare community.
Explore, develop, and maximize partnerships that support collaboration and innovative approaches to healthcare.
Advocate for issues that impact the pharmacy profession and its members.

Contribute to Member and Organizational Success

Drive innovation in pharmacy education.
Identify and secure new and continued funding sources and revenue streams for AACP.
Provide value and engagement for members.

Maintain and Strengthen Trust

Advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and be respectful of a wide range of cultures, belief systems, and experiences.
Establish and foster strong professional relationships within the community.
Integrate a personal understanding of, respect for, and commitment to the history and values of AACP.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The EVP/CEO is responsible for the oversight of the following areas:

Strategic and Financial Leadership

Ensure the organization maintains sound organizational plans and that major additions or alterations to operating departments are properly controlled.
Work with the executive committee to prioritize and enact the current strategic plan with an eye toward the next steps needed.
Develop, oversee, and monitor the annual budget.
Invest the organization’s reserves with the advice and consent of the Board and in accordance with established policy.
Oversee all financial management responsibilities.
Develop and enhance commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity at all levels.
Work with the Finance Committee to ensure a consolidated annual operating budget is recommended to the Board and to assure that all assets are soundly administered, based on an intensive and comprehensive understanding of all aspects of fiscal management for a professional organization of this size and scope.

Member Services

Oversee live and virtual programming, academic and professional resources, administrative support, internal communications, publications, and other direct member services.
Develop relationships with peer organizations to keep abreast of emerging issues of significance.

Communications and Marketing

Oversee efforts related to public programming.
Oversee all communication and outreach efforts including publications, journals, educational materials, website content, and social media.
Serve as a spokesperson in public and represent the public face of the organization, along with the Board, at events and meetings.
Maintain and develop positive, effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Administrative Management

Plan, lead and oversee day-to-day activities and programs of the organization in accordance with the strategic plan.
Ensure the organization is in full compliance with all local, state, and federal rules governing program activities.
Manage risk, including assuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and governing documents.
Authorize and execute contracts and commitments in accordance with bylaws and policies established by the Board.
Ensure all funds, physical assets, and other property are properly safeguarded and administered.
Ensure AACP has established objectives and standards of performance for all major key result areas, including marketing, human resources, operating efficiency, innovation, physical and financial resources, public responsibility, ethical behavior, profitability, pricing strategies, and quality of member services.
Approve performance standards for operations and ensure corrective action is taken when deviation from standards occurs.
Maintain relationship with organization’s legal counsel.

Staff and Volunteer Leadership

Ensure Board is kept informed of the conditions of the organization’s programs and activities, and all important factors that influence them.
Serve as staff to the Officers and members of the Board, anticipating and meeting their needs for materials, information, and the support they might need to fully manage their roles and responsibilities.
Ensure the Board is appropriately represented to members, staff, and other constituency groups.
Execute the decisions of the Board and its committees in a timely manner, and in accordance with bylaws.
Determine goals with the Board and ensure staff and consultants establish objectives that support the organization’s goals.
Provide for the optimum use of personnel and ensure the organization is staffed with competent personnel who are delegated appropriate authority and compensated commensurately.
Ensure managers are continuously developed professionally so that qualified successors are available for major positions.
Execute full and exclusive authority to hire, compensate, and terminate staff and consultants within the framework of the approved budget and in accordance with established personnel policies.
Appoint consultants as necessary and helpful, and in consultation with the Board of Directors.
Ensure appropriate compensation structures are developed and maintained.

Candidate Profile

Required Skills, Experience, and Qualifications

Executive-level organization management experience, preferably at a healthcare-related organization.
Senior leadership experience with direct reports.
A background in pharmacy is a plus.
Experience with academia is preferred.
A Bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree is preferred.
Sustained ability to advocate across healthcare disciplinary boundaries.
Track record of innovation and success as a leader of change.
Negotiation and budget management skills.

Personal Qualities

Excels at internal and external relations and relationship development.
A visionary, creative leader who is passionate about the future of pharmacy and healthcare.
An active listener who is eager to learn.
A communicator who can articulate a vision and help others understand and join.
Unquestioned integrity.
Demonstrates appreciation for, and commitment to, diversity, equity, access, and inclusion.

Compensation

A competitive compensation package will be offered to attract an outstanding candidate.

To Apply

To apply, please send a cover letter and current résumé (Microsoft Word® format preferred) to Sterling Martin Associates. The cover letter should outline how your experience fits the requirements of the position as this will be an important factor in considering your candidacy.

Sterling Martin Associates is committed to providing equal opportunity for employees and applicants in all aspects of the employment relationship, without regard to race, religion, color, age, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, political affiliation, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.

Additional Information

For more information, contact:

Sterling Martin Associates
1025 Connecticut Avenue | Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20036

David S. Martin | Managing Partner
[email protected] | (202) 257-1627

Brian J. Glade| Vice President
[email protected] | (917) 751-3632