Pharmacy Buyer

About the position

The Pharmacy Buyer is directly responsible for procuring pharmaceuticals and supplies in a timely and accurate manner from appropriate sources and ensuring proper storage to maintain their quality and integrity for the Pharmacy Department. The buyer performs inventory management activities to maintain adequate stock of medications and other related necessary supplies, purchasing contract guidance, effective cost management, and compliance with laws and regulations. Review each invoice received for appropriate pricing/quantity shipped of medications, supplies, freight, etc. Maintain a catalog of alternative drugs and suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Knows, understands, incorporates, and demonstrates the Organization's Mission, Vision, and Values in behaviors, practices, and decisions.
• Maintaining cleanliness of affected areas in the department.
• Participates in continuous quality improvement activities.
• Implement and monitor standardized purchasing guidelines for maximizing inventory management.
• Assist in obtaining products that may be in short supply, restricted distribution channels, or re-distributed from other sites.
• Inputs inventory and floor stock requisitions to wholesaler and/or carousel, maintains vaccine orders from start to finish, all other clinic order and floor stock work as needed, sending orders to carousel, bagging, and shipping.
• Develop and maintains a system to track medication orders and invoices.
• Manages stock and routine inventory to maintain a sufficient level to support patient and user needs.
• Ensure regulatory compliance with applicable State, Federal and local requirements.
• Work directly with the clinics to resolve customer problems involving pricing, supply and delivery.
• Address recalls and reports outcomes to the Pharmacy Manager.
• Serves as a resource regarding history reports for miscellaneous drugs and drug orders.
• Master technology related to inventory management including new hardware and programs.
• Communicate purchasing initiative to all sites in a timely manner and provide analysis of purchasing initiative by site.
• Monitors purchasing records for each 340B participant; clearly documents utilization, savings, problem areas, and exceptions or discrepancies.
• Relays results to pharmacy leadership and administration.
• Manages purchasing, receiving, and inventory control processes.
• Continuously monitors product min/max levels to effectively balance product availability and cost-efficient inventory control.
• Routinely monitors utilization records and 340B purchasing accounts to ensure that software or tools are working properly.
• Ensures the effective delivery and distribution of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical products as they relate to 340B.
• Ensures compliance with regulations related to 340B purchasing.
• Communicates wholesaler price updates.
• Provides reports as requested regarding inventory levels of critical medications.
• Willingly performs other duties as assigned or requested.

Requirements

• Licensed as a Certified Pharmacy Technician with the Idaho State Board of Pharmacy required.
• Associates degree preferred.
• Two years in hospital purchasing field and/or inventory control preferred.
• General management experience is preferred.
• Pharmacy technician experience preferred.
• Pharmacy automation and pharmacy IT experience preferred.