Senior Clinical Pharmacist

You are as unique as your background, experience and point of view. Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered and challenged to be your best self. You'll work with dynamic colleagues - experts in their fields - who are eager to share their knowledge with you. Your leaders will inspire and help you reach your potential and soar to new heights. Every day, you'll have new and exciting opportunities to make life brighter for our Clients - who are at the heart of everything we do. Discover how you can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities around the world.

Job Description:

At Sun Life, our Purpose is to help Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. As a Senior Clinical Pharmacist within the Pharmaceutical Benefits and Innovation team, you will play a crucial role in fulfilling this Purpose. Our team is at the forefront of effective drug benefit management in an ever-evolving pharmaceutical landscape.

Reporting to the Director, Drug Reviews and Pharmaceutical Partnerships, the successful candidate will join a team of professionals, including pharmacists, health economists and business analysts, that are integral to Sun Life’s commitment to providing effective drug plan management solutions. The Senior Clinical Pharmacist plays a crucial role in shaping sustainable drug plans that meet our Clients' needs while also navigating the complexities of the pharmaceutical drug landscape. The ideal candidate is an energetic and highly motivated pharmacist with knowledge of the private benefits industry who demonstrates comfort working with multiple internal and external stakeholders across the pharmaceutical and benefits industries.

In this role, you will:

• Monitor and evaluate the pharmaceutical drug pipeline

• Analyze and communicate impact to Sun Life’s drug plans

• Support drug listing decisions and pharmaceutical negotiations

• Anticipate trends and evolving needs of our Clients

• Balance member access to innovative drug therapies with drug plan sustainability

Main accountabilities:

• Conduct comprehensive drug reviews by:

  • Evaluating drug submissions from pharmaceutical manufacturers,

  • Critically appraising evidence supporting therapeutic benefits of drugs,

  • Assessing potential impacts on Sun Life’s drug plans in collaboration with internal stakeholders

  • Formulating evidence-informed drug listing recommendations

  • Developing or updating prior authorization criteria for high-impact drugs, ensuring alignment with clinical evidence and best practices.

• Monitor and evaluate the drug pipeline by:

  • Analyzing Health Canada databases for new and upcoming drug approvals

  • Liaising with pharmaceutical manufacturers to gain pipeline insights

  • Estimating potential future impacts to Sun Life’s drug plans.

• Anticipate trends and evolving needs by

  • Monitoring relevant drug and pharmaceutical industry trends

  • Providing strategic recommendations to leadership on drug listings and reimbursements

  • Acting as a Subject Matter Expert on new drugs, evolving therapies, and clinical guidelines

• Balance member access and plan sustainability through:

  • Planning and facilitating Sun Life's internal drug review committee meetings

  • Collaborating with the product team to provide clinical and pharmacy practice insights

  • Supporting inquiries from Business Development, Operations, and other stakeholders

• Contribute to team success by:

  • Participating in strategic and tactical planning for the Pharmaceutical Benefits and Innovation team

  • Offering clinical expertise to support various internal initiatives and cross-functional teams.

Required competencies:

• Licensed pharmacist in good standing to practice in Canada

• Minimum 3 years experience in both Clinical pharmacy setting and Private benefits industry

• Strong knowledge of Canadian drug landscape, key trends in the pharmaceutical and benefits industries, drug plan benefits and cost management strategies and regulatory and competitive environment for prescription drugs and pharmacy benefits

• Experience in formulary management, drug use evaluations and health technology assessments and pharmacoeconomic and budget impact analyses

• Interpersonal communication

• Written and verbal communication

• Presentation and documentation

• Planning and organization

• Analysis, critical thinking, and problem-solving

• Ability to work effectively in a matrix team environment

• Navigate ambiguity and simplify complex situations

• Make effective decisions leveraging team expertise

• Self-motivated and self-directed with demonstrated accountability and leadership

• Strong proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications

• Bilingualism (French, English, both oral and written) is required for the frequent interactions with English and French-speaking colleagues or internal partners across Canada and worldwide.

Assets:

• Experience with Quebec healthcare system and RAMQ/INESSS knowledge

• Experience with:

  • Specialty drugs

  • Oncology drugs

  • Drugs for rare diseases

Reliability Status

• As a condition of the role, the successful candidate must obtain a Government of Canada Reliability Status security clearance through Sun Life.

Why join Sun Life:

• Being a member of the Sun Life family, a group of people united by our Purpose: to help Clients and Employees achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives
• A friendly, collaborative and inclusive culture
• A collaborative and interactive team environment
• Being part of our journey in developing the next greatest digital experience
• Working together, sharing common values and encouraging growth & achievement

The Base Pay range is for the primary location for which the job is posted. It may vary depending on the work location of the successful candidate or other factors. In addition to Base Pay, eligible Sun Life employees participate in various incentive plans, payment under which is discretionary and subject to individual and company performance. Certain sales focused roles have sales incentive plans based on individual or group sales results.

Diversity and inclusion have always been at the core of our values at Sun Life. A diverse workforce with wide perspectives and creative ideas benefits our Clients, the communities where we operate and all of us as colleagues. We welcome applications from qualified individuals from all backgrounds.

Persons with disabilities who need accommodation in the application process, or those needing job postings in an alternative format, may e-mail a request to thebrightside@sunlife.com.

We are proud to be a hybrid organization that offers our employees the choice and flexibility to work from both the office and virtually based on the needs of the business, our Clients and you! Several work options are available and can be discussed throughout the selection process depending on the role requirements and individual needs.

We thank all applicants for showing an interest in this position. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

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