DEA Compliance Specialist, Regulatory Affairs

Gifthealth Inc•Columbus, OH

About The Position

Gifthealth is seeking a DEA Compliance Specialist, Regulatory Affairs to ensure prescribers are properly credentialed and authorized to prescribe controlled substances and to help the specialty direct-to-patient pharmacy stay current with federal and state controlled substance regulations. The specialist serves as the organization’s day-to-day subject matter expert on DEA requirements and supports the Compliance department while partnering with Pharmacy Operations, Client Success, and Quality. The role reports to the Director of Compliance and supports regulatory monitoring, prescriber verification, policy and procedure maintenance, staff training, audit readiness, and compliance reporting. The position is based in Columbus, Ohio, or may be hybrid or remote depending on business need. It is full-time and includes regular meetings with cross-functional teams.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration, pharmacy, public policy, or a related field preferred, or equivalent experience.
Three to five years of experience in pharmacy, healthcare, or life sciences compliance, with direct experience in DEA or controlled substance regulations.
Working knowledge of DEA registration requirements, prescriber validation, and the Controlled Substances Act.
Familiarity with state pharmacy and medical board requirements across multiple states.
Strong research, analytical, and documentation skills, with high attention to detail.
Ability to interpret regulations and explain them clearly to non-compliance audiences.
Sound judgment, discretion, and comfort working independently.
Ability to remain stationary for extended periods while writing or reviewing documentation.
Ability to work on a computer for the entire shift.
Ability to attend virtual meetings with cross-functional teams.

Nice To Haves

CPhT, RPh, or a compliance certification such as CHC.
Experience in specialty, mail-order, or telehealth-connected pharmacy environments.
Experience with URAC, NABP, or similar accreditation standards.
Familiarity with PBM and manufacturer program requirements.
Regulatory expertise and curiosity.
Accuracy and follow-through.
Clear written and verbal communication.
Cross-functional collaboration.
Risk awareness and ethical judgment.
Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-moving environment.

Responsibilities

Review and verify prescriber credentials during onboarding, including DEA registration status, state licensure, NPI, and state-specific controlled substance registrations.
Confirm that each prescriber’s DEA registration is valid for the state in which they prescribe and for the medication schedules prescribed.
Identify and resolve discrepancies, expirations, and red flags, and escalate high-risk findings to the Director of Compliance.
Maintain accurate, audit-ready prescriber files and documentation.
Conduct periodic re-verification of prescriber credentials and monitor expirations, sanctions, and exclusions.
Track changes to DEA regulations and guidance, including the Controlled Substances Act, Ryan Haight Act, telemedicine prescribing flexibilities, and related rulemaking.
Monitor state-level developments from state boards of pharmacy, medical boards, and state controlled substance authorities.
Translate regulatory changes into operational guidance and recommend updates to policies, procedures, and workflows.
Maintain a regulatory change log and brief leadership on upcoming or active changes affecting the business.
Draft, update, and maintain SOPs related to DEA compliance, prescriber verification, and controlled substance handling.
Train pharmacy, intake, and client success teams on prescriber validation requirements and escalation paths.
Partner with Pharmacy Operations and Quality on corrective and preventive actions tied to DEA or prescriber compliance gaps.
Support DEA, state board, accreditation, payer, and manufacturer partner audits and inspections.
Prepare compliance metrics and reports on prescriber verification volumes, exceptions, and trends.
Support DEA registration activities, including registration transfers, renewals, and multi-site considerations.
Assist with responses to inquiries from regulators, partners, and clients.