Our client, the California Pharmacists Association (CPhA) was founded in 1869 and is the largest state association representing pharmacists. CPhA (cpha.com) represents pharmacists, technicians, and student pharmacists from all practice settings. These practice settings include community pharmacies (both independent owners and employees working in chain drug stores), hospitals & health-systems, and specialty practices such as compounding, managed care, and long-term care.

The CPhA mission is to advance the practice of pharmacy for the promotion of health. Member benefits include advocacy efforts at the State Capitol, access to insurance programs, and professional development.Annual events are designed to enhance members’ professional skills through leadership, legislative and policy-making experiences, continuing education courses, social interactions with pharmacy leaders, and a wealth of volunteer opportunities.

As an employer, CPhA offers a culture of inclusiveness and collaboration where all experiences and opinions from the staff team members matter. In this organization, you will develop professional relationships with the entire team of 16 and benefit from the experiences of all levels and positions. CPhA is an organization without a rigid and complex hierarchy; staff are encouraged to brainstorm and solve problems in ways that foster creative thinking, while respecting everyone’s opinions. It is an open-door environment where hard work is rewarded. While CPhA supports a professional workplace every day, they augment this with casual attire on Fridays when they find they do their most creative work.

CPhA supports a contemporary work environment with unique perks and benefits. For example, CPhA is a dog-friendly office where, on any given day, you’re likely to find one of the staff’s furry friends lounging around the office or stopping by your desk for a game of fetch or a belly rub. We celebrate each team member’s personal milestones like birthdays and project accomplishments with all-staff lunches and the occasional afternoon surprise treats from the ice cream shop. CPhA team members are also recognized with gift cards on their work anniversary dates. Professionally, CPhA invests in the growth and development of its team members. The association funds your membership in a relevant professional association and attendance at relevant regional, state, and national conferences and continuing education programs. Finally, you will be provided with a new cell phone and laptop to support your productivity.

POSITION SUMMARY

The California Pharmacists Association’s Vice President, Center for Learning will bring innovation to the development and implementation of educational and conference programming, utilizing technology, cutting-edge learning modalities, and a professional staff that works toward this common goal.

The Vice President, Center for Learning reports to the CEO and is responsible for strategy and innovation in expanding CPhA’s member education objectives and related sponsorship programs. The position supervises two staff, collaborates with other department leaders, and is a member of the management team.

Specifically, this position requires planning and executing educational programs, ranging from webinars, weekend seminars, online training, and large multi-day conferences, developing innovative educational models, implementing existing and new modes of education program delivery, and providing leadership to the annual educational conference and annual meeting.

This position represents an outstanding opportunity to provide leadership for a dynamic organization in the planning and execution of innovative association educational programs and annual educational conferences.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

It is expected that the Vice President, Center for Learning will achieve the following during the first year:

 By the end of Q1, will have…

• sat down with the CEO and clearly defined first year expectations and priority steps
• met with internal and external stakeholders (as defined by the CEO and management team) and begun establishing relationships
• developed a strong understanding of the April 16-19, 2020 annual meeting in Anaheim -- budget, design, technology, innovation, customer experience etc. -- and established a working relationship with and expectations of the two direct reports
• a good understanding of CPhA and its various aspects and membership

 By the end of Q2, will have…

• provided data, attendee feedback, and resultant recommendations to the CEO and management team regarding improvements and ideas for next year's annual meeting
• deeply explored current members' needs, current educational offerings, competitors' offerings as well as nontraditional offerings, and brought to the CEO and management team the results and recommendations
• begun the planning for the 2021 annual meeting, building on the data from the 2020 meeting

By the end of Q3, will have…

• begun implementation of the new education plan
• evaluated direct report staffing structure, needs, and competencies
  
  

By the end of Q4, will …

• be seen by staff and members as an innovative, performance and data-driven VP, anticipating and providing cutting edge service and offerings to the membership

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (in priority order)

Successful candidates will have the following combination of experience that will allow them to achieve the outcomes noted above:

• professional continuing education design and implementation;hospitality or membership association experience
• a background in creating customer experience, either through managing large events or creating and managing continuing education programs or similar
• experience with large hotels, convention centers, and audio-visual companies
• working with highly professional staff
• a track record of relationship-building and communicating with advance-degreed professionals
• experience with education or customer/brand experience strategies and tactics
• experience with contract negotiations and vendor procurement

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES

Successful candidates will have the following competencies that will allow them to achieve the outcomes noted above:

• Multi-tasker; high attention to detail
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to develop and manage to budgets (both overall and on a project basis)

Values, Work Style, Personal Traits, Attributes, Characteristics

The ideal candidate will possess a work style and personality that will create an excellent fit with the organization’s culture and structure:

• Awareness of how individual and team contributions create the "big picture."
• The engine for change
• An open culture, where discussion abounds; open to giving and receiving feedback
• A strong desire to build and grow
• Collaborative
• A "drama free" zone
• Accountable
• Aligned and respectful

THE COMMUNITY

This position is located in Sacramento, the capital of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. Sacramento is located at the confluence of the Sacramento and American Rivers and is connected to the San Francisco Bay by a channel through the Sacramento River Delta. The Mediterranean climate is characterized by damp, mild winters and hot, dry summers. Sacramento is a place where different interests, tastes and lifestyles abound, with something to accommodate all of them.

The city of Sacramento is the cultural and economic center of the Sacramento metropolitan area, the fourth largest city in California and the 25th largest in the U.S. Local universities include California State University, the University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law, and the University of California, in nearby Davis. The UC Davis Medical Center, a world-renowned research hospital, is one of 19 hospitals in the Sacramento region.

The Sacramento region is experiencing a profound shift in its competitive position, in large part due to an influx of entrepreneurs, businesses, and creative professionals. The Greater Sacramento Area is a top employer in life sciences and health services. As part of the agriculturally rich Central Valley, Sacramento is at the forefront of agritech innovation and is considered America’s Farm-to-Fork capital.

Sacramento is also home to the NBA Sacramento Kings, the Sacramento River Cats (the San Francisco Giant’s AAA baseball team), and the Sacramento Republic FC, a USL Professional soccer team. The Golden 1 Center, a high-tech basketball and entertainment arena, has recently opened, leading to a downtown renaissance. A new MLS soccer stadium is in the planning stages.

The Crocker Art Museum is one of the leading art museums in California and is currently planning a $40 million expansion. The Sacramento metropolitan area boasts more than 200 parks, four public golf courses, and is known for outdoor recreation including hiking, skiing, canoeing, kayaking, running, and biking.

The world-renowned Napa Valley is an hour’s drive away. San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and more than a dozen ski resorts are less than a two-hour drive from Sacramento.

For more information on Sacramento’s business climate, please visit the Greater Sacramento Economic Council’s website www.selectsacramento.com.

COMPENSATION AND INTERVIEW PROCESS

The compensation package includes a base salary of $125,000 plus a 10% bonus potential, a contribution to your 401(k), and premium health and wellness benefits valued at about $12,000 per year.

Pre-screened, selected candidates will be invited to interview in Sacramento, CA with the Search Committee on October 21, 2019, with second interviews the following morning.

PROCEDURE FOR CANDIDACY

For confidential consideration, at your earliest convenience and no later than September 27, 2019, please email your chronological resume (to include description and size of current/prior organizations and responsibilities) and compensation expectations to:

CPhA-VP@wilcoxcareer.com