Pharmacy Technician

At CVS Health, we are focused on transforming health care for our customers and making our company a great place to work. We help people navigate the health care system – and their personal health care – by improving access, lowering costs and being a trusted partner for every meaningful moment of health. Within our Retail locations, we bring this promise to life with heart every day. Our Pharmacy Lead Technicians (Lead Technicians) play a critical role in supporting our pharmacy teams to consistently deliver on our brand promise.

As a Lead Technician, you will be an example for and support the pharmacy team in delivering operational and service excellence within your store. Lead Technicians use and build upon the skills and responsibilities of the Pharmacy Technician/Inventory Specialist, acting as a role model, mentor, and guide to the pharmacy team while supporting the Pharmacy Manager and all Pharmacist(s). As an individual contributor and participant-leader, Lead Technicians assist in ensuring that pharmacy operations run smoothly; patients’ prescriptions are filled promptly, safely, and accurately; and that the team provides caring service that exceeds patient expectations. Lead Technicians champion and coach consistent application of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), best practices, and effective communication with the pharmacy team. Throughout their shifts and in all customer and colleague interactions, they demonstrate CVS Health’s Heart At Work behaviors, Helping With Heart actions, and contribute to a safe and inclusive culture where all people feel valued and empowered.

The Lead Technician is responsible for adhering to and championing safe and effective operations of the pharmacy, including but not limited to:

• Living our purpose of “Bringing our Heart to Every Moment of Your Health” by following all company SOPs at each workstation to help our Pharmacists and pharmacy team manage and improve patient health
• Following, and coaching the pharmacy team to follow, WeCARE workflow and procedures at each pharmacy workstation (i.e., production, pick-up, drive-thru, and drop-off) for safe and accurate prescription fulfillment
• Contributing to positive patient experiences by Helping With Heart: creating heartfelt and personalized moments while serving patients at pick-up, drive-thru, and over the phone; keeping patients healthy by offering immunizations and other services at the register and over the phone; and demonstrating compassionate care by solving or escalating patient problems
• Assisting the Pharmacist-on-duty with managing day-to-day activities and delegated administrative tasks, which may include pharmacy scheduling and review of the Digital Workstation Assignment Board, myWork communications, and daily/weekly reporting
• Maintaining the highest level of self-awareness and providing in-the-moment coaching, training, and mentoring to pharmacy team members while sharing best practices; providing pharmacy team performance feedback to the Pharmacy Manager, as needed, to contribute to their growth and development
• Overseeing and/or completing inventory activities, as permitted by law, and as directed by the pharmacy leadership team, such as accurately putting away medication deliveries, helping to prepare for and participating in annual physical inventories, and completing cycle counts, returns-to-stocks, waiting bin inventories, etc., acting as back-up and providing mentoring and coaching to the Inventory Specialist where applicable
• Contributing to a high-performing team, embracing a growth mindset, and being receptive to feedback; actively seeking opportunities to expand leadership competencies, alongside clinical and technical knowledge, to better assist patients
• Serving as a trusted source of truth to the pharmacy team, using judgement to escalate issues and referring colleagues to the appropriate support channel, as needed (e.g., Pharmacy Manager, Asset Protection, Colleague Relations, Ethics Line, etc.)
• Remaining flexible for both scheduling and business needs, while contributing to a safe, inclusive, and engaging team dynamic; voluntarily traveling to stores in the market to work shifts as needed by the business
• Understanding and complying with all relevant federal, state, and local laws, regulations, professional standards, and ethical principles. Complying with CVS policies and procedures to ensure patient safety, compliance with controlled substance dispensing and recordkeeping, and to protect patient privacy and security
• Delivering additional patient health care services (e.g., immunizations, point-of-care testing, and voluntarily staffing offsite clinics), where allowable by law and supported by required training and certification

Where permissible, the Lead Technician may also support immunizations, which includes the following responsibilities:

• Completing additional licensure and training requirements, in compliance with state Board of Pharmacy regulations, to obtain Technician Immunizer status to support preparing and administering vaccines
• Educating the pharmacy team on the benefits of becoming a certified immunizer and delivering immunizations to patients
• Educating patients about the importance of vaccines and referring patients to the Pharmacist-on-duty for vaccination questions
• Monitoring for, and responding to, adverse reactions; reporting adverse reaction events per public health requirements
• Reviewing and collecting patient information; tracking and documenting for each applicable patient

Primary Job Duties & Responsibilities:

1. Prescription Fulfillment and Inventory Management - Estimated % of Time: 40%

• Takes direction from the Pharmacist-on-duty and models best-in-class workflow excellence throughout the shift; rotates through workstations, and ensures pharmacy team rotates through workstations, as directed by the workstation assignment board and/or Pharmacist-on-duty
• Production: Produces prescriptions in accordance with WeCARE workflow SOPs, including but not limited to, accurate product selection, counting, labeling, photographing, and bagging prescriptions (where applicable) under Pharmacist supervision; follows inventory management best practices (such as utilizing the return-to-stock vial first and dispensing in manufacturer packaging when able) while in production to improve pharmacy inventory excellence
• Drop-off: Triages prescriptions for data entry, inventory availability, insurance claim processing, and insurance rejection resolution
• Partners with and coaches Inventory Specialist, where applicable, to direct and educate pharmacy team to complete required inventory tasks, leading by example when needed:
• Timely check-in and shelving of delivered product in appropriate bays
• Product cycle counts
• Waiting bin inventories and returns-to-stock
• Pulls outdates and complete one-by-one returns
• Monitoring and managing vaccine supplies
• Uses good judgment to engage Pharmacist-on-duty for clinical oversight and support when needed; proactively asks for help as required by real-time business needs
• Collaborates with, and supports, other pharmacy team members to keep workflow on-track; assists the Pharmacist-on-duty with quarterbacking the pharmacy team, aligning on top priorities, and ensuring all required work is delegated, followed-up on, and completed on time
• Helps to maintain a clean and neat pharmacy environment (e.g., vacuuming, dusting shelves, trash removal, etc.)

2. Customer Service and Patient Care - Estimated % of Time: 40%

• Leads by example, bringing a patient-centric mindset to all workstations, especially pick-up and drive-thru, Helping With Heart and showing empathy in interactions with customers and other colleagues; Observes the pharmacy team in workflow and provides feedback to improve efficiency where needed
• Demonstrates our purpose during all patient interactions at pick-up and drive-thru, operates pharmacy register and delivers patient service offerings as directed by system prompts and/or guidance of the Pharmacist-on-duty; provides in-the-moment feedback and coaching when needed to help ensure positive patient interactions
• Monitors the length of the line at pick-up and drive-thru and proactively calls for backup from other Technicians and/or the front store team (as allowed by state Board of Pharmacy guidelines) to manage customer wait times
• Engages patients at pick-up – and encourages the pharmacy team to engage patients at pick-up - with applicable service offerings, including and especially closing immunization gaps, maintaining integrity and customer-orientation in the delivery of all register prompts, and referring patients to the Pharmacist-on-Duty for required counseling as directed by the system
• Welcomes and encourages walk-in immunization opportunities; promptly flags these opportunities for the Pharmacist-on-duty or other immunizer to keep patients healthy; when an immunizer is not available, proactively schedules patients to return for an appointment to close immunization gaps
• Stays up to date on digital and loyalty offerings and cascades changes to the pharmacy team; is engaging when talking to patients about offerings and welcomes and encourages patients to add front store products to their pharmacy order at pick-up
• Answers the phone and/or returns patient voicemails promptly, using the Helping With Heart actions to understand and address patient requests
• Executes telephonic patient outreach as directed by Patient Care Central and/or the Pharmacist-on-Duty; brings a spirit of Helping With Heart to engage patients to improve health outcomes
• Steps in to support pharmacy team with challenging patient interactions, when needed, to resolve patient concern; uses good judgment to escalate challenging patient interactions to the Pharmacist-on-Duty, when needed
• Delivers additional health care services as allowable by state regulation, individual certification, and as directed by pharmacy leadership team, including but not limited to point-of-care and/or swab-and-send testing, immunization preparation and/or delivery, etc.
• Delivers service excellence by walking patients to the product in the aisle, when applicable

3. Training, Compliance, and Team Culture - Estimated % of Time: 20%

• Completes required role-based and compliance training in a timely manner, including maintaining certification and/or licensure as required by state Board of Pharmacy; follows up with pharmacy team members to ensure timely completion of ongoing compliance and role-based training, in partnership with the Pharmacy Manager
• Completes required monthly quizzes and other regular knowledge checks; follows up with pharmacy team members to ensure timely completion monthly quizzes and knowledge checks, in partnership with the Pharmacy Manager
• Attends all required service huddles and/or action planning meetings; cascades messages to pharmacy team as needed
• Regularly reviews communications (e.g., email, myWork, etc.) via computer, ironman, binders, and/or bulletin board to maintain awareness of pharmacy priorities, action plans, and changes to store processes and procedures; communicates and/or reinforces important messages, recalls, and recognition with the pharmacy team
• Listens and responds to feedback from the Pharmacist-on-duty; provides thoughtful and constructive feedback to the pharmacy team and leadership
• Supports new pharmacy team member onboarding, as directed by the Pharmacy Manager and Field Training Coordinator
• Plays an active role in building a positive team culture where all colleagues feel safe, included, valued, and empowered; recognizes positive behaviors, service wins, and growth mindset to engage, develop, and retain the team
• Partners with the Pharmacy Manager to ensure timely and accurate generation and posting of optimized schedules in mySchedule 3-weeks in advance while tracking and planning coverage for time-off requests
• Supports the Pharmacist-on-duty in ensuring pharmacy team members are starting and ending shifts promptly as scheduled; verifies pharmacy team members are taking all meal and rest breaks as required by company policy and state law
• Complies with CVS Workplace Policies, including meal and rest break policies, bag check policies, and CVS Timekeeping and Payroll Practices policies regarding proper clocking in and out, and not working while off the clock

Education:

Equivalent Experience - Preferred

High School Diploma or General Equivalent Development (GED) - preferred

Other Certification(s): National Certification - preferred

Other License(s): Requirements vary by state - required

Prior Relevant Work Experience:

1 to 3 years - required

3 to 5 years - required

Essential Qualifications, Essential Functions & Preferred Qualifications:

Essential Qualifications and Functions:

• 1+ years of experience as a Pharmacy Technician
• Must comply with any state board of pharmacy requirements or laws governing the practice of pharmacy, which includes but is not limited to, age, education, and licensure/certification
• If the state board of pharmacy does not address or mandate a minimum age requirement, must be at least 18 years of age as allowed by state employment laws
• If the state board of pharmacy does not address or mandate a minimum educational requirement, must have a high school diploma or equivalent, as defined by the state, or be actively enrolled in high school or high school equivalency program
• State-level licensure requirements vary by state
• Ability to work 30 hours or greater per week
• Regular and predictable attendance, including nights and weekends
• Ability to complete required training within designated timeframe to fulfill the State's Board of Pharmacy and CVS requirements, including but not limited to ASHP/ACPE training program where applicable
• Attention and Focus:
• Ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time
• Ability to pivot quickly from one task to another to meet patient and business needs
• Ability to confirm prescription information and label accuracy, ensuring patient safety
• Customer Service and Team Orientation:
• Actively look for ways to help people, and do so in a friendly manner
• Notice and understand patients’ reactions, and respond appropriately
• Communication Skills:
• Use and understand verbal and written communication to interact with patients and colleagues
• Utilize active listening by giving full attention to what others are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times
• Provide clear and actionable direction, coaching and feedback to pharmacy team members
• Mathematical Reasoning:
• Ability to use math to solve a problem, such as determining the total number of tablets to dispense, day’s supply, and/or number of full bottles and additional bottles needed to fill a prescription
• Problem Resolution:
• Recognize challenging patient or colleague interactions and choose the best course of action when faced with multiple options
• Physical Demands:
• Be mobile and remain upright for extended periods of time
• Lift, scan, and bag items
• Reach overhead; stretch or reach out with the body, arms, and/or legs to grasp items
• Move fingers repetitively, picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working primarily with fingers rather than whole hand or arm
• Extend hand(s) and arm(s) multiple directions to place, move, or lift items
• Control precision; quickly adjust machines to exact positions
• Stoop to a considerable degree, requiring full use of the lower extremities and back muscles to move items between low and high positions, including bending spine at the waist
• Close visual acuity to perform activities such as: transcribing, viewing a computer terminal, reading, visual inspection involving small parts
• Occasionally lift up to 20 lbs. and/or exert up to 20 lbs. of force; Frequently lift up to 10 lbs. and/or exert up to 10 lbs. of force; Consistently lift and/or exert a negligible amount of force to move objects.
• Express or exchange ideas by means of spoken word where detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed accurately
• Have the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication
• Team Management and Leadership
• Lead by example and set a positive tone for the team
• Delegate tasks, empower team members, and foster a collaborative work environment
• Motivate and inspire team members to adhere to standards and achieve high performance
• Apply problem-solving skills to address challenges and find innovative solutions
• Adaptability and accountability to navigate changing circumstances and take ownership
• Coach, reinforce, encourage, and provide feedback to pharmacy team members
• Any additional tasks as directed by Supervisor or Manager

Preferred Qualifications:

• National Certification
• 3-5 years previous experience as a Pharmacy Technician
• Previous experience in a pharmacy, retail, medical, or customer service setting
• Previous experience in the Inventory Specialist role
• Ability to work in the home store, and across the market in other locations, to meet business needs

Our diverse work experience empowers colleagues for career success. In addition to skill and experience, we attract and retain colleagues whose beliefs and behaviors are in alignment with our core values of collaboration, innovation, caring, integrity, and accountability.

CVS Health is an equal opportunity employer. We value and are committed to the full spectrum of diversity in the workplace, including diversity based on gender, race, ethnicity, disability and protected Veteran status. We proudly support and encourage people with military experience (active, veterans, reservists, and National Guard) as well as military spouses to apply for CVS Health job opportunities. We comply with the laws and regulations set forth in the following EEO is the Law Poster: EEO IS THE LAW and EEO IS THE LAW SUPPLEMENT. We provide reasonable accommodation(s) to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance to apply for or perform this job, please contact Colleague Relations team at [email protected]

Pay: $18.00 - $32.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• AD&D insurance
• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance
• Employee discount
• Employee stock purchase plan
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Opportunities for advancement
• Paid sick time
• Paid time off
• Paid training
• Parental leave
• Prescription drug insurance
• Referral program
• Retirement plan
• Store discount
• Travel reimbursement
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person