Management Positions in CVS/Walgreens

[josh6718]

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Does anyone know about the opportunities for management beyond the PIC or district manager?

Also, I realize it depends on the location, but typically how big of a difference is the salary for a district manager compared to a regular pharmacist?

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

Does anyone know about the opportunities for management beyond the PIC or district manager?

Also, I realize it depends on the location, but typically how big of a difference is the salary for a district manager compared to a regular pharmacist?

The same. The difference is the bonus depending on how your district does plus stock options.

 

[josh6718]

Have you worked as a DM or know of anyone who has? What are their thoughts about it?

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

Have you worked as a DM or know of anyone who has? What are their thoughts about it?

Yes. Most pharmacists should know their DM. Keep in mind that for both companies, the hierarchy is usually Corporate staff -CEO, VP, CFO, etc, DM/regional manager, then SP, then pharmacy supervisor, and then staff pharmacist.

Anyone from the company can be a DM and usually is a mix of pharmacists and store managers. The pay is usually low six figures like pharmacists if that is what you are asking. Keep in mind that retail companies are usually lean and it is hard for stores to support 2.5 staff pharmacist, a SP, DM, and then corporate people among other things. A DM usually deals with both the business aspect and pharmacy while SP will focus on pharmacy side only.

DM and SP usually get compensated through their stock options ~100k if it is a good year plus bonus.

In terms of thoughts, it depends on what you are thinking. That is too general of a question for me to answer.

 

[josh6718]

In terms of thoughts, it depends on what you are thinking. That is too general of a question for me to answer.

In terms of payoff, would they do it again if they had the chance and why, was it what they thought it'd be, what did they like/dislike about it.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

In terms of payoff, would they do it again if they had the chance and why, was it what they thought it'd be, what did they like/dislike about it.

Hard question to answer. You go in knowing what the pros/cons of the job would be. There are no surprises. If they dont like it, they can always become a staff pharmacist or take up another position. Nobody is forcing them to do it...

 

[clachan3]

Pharmacy manager makes a dollar more per hour in CVS

 

[meister]

Yes. Most pharmacists should know their DM. Keep in mind that for both companies, the hierarchy is usually Corporate staff -CEO, VP, CFO, etc, DM/regional manager, then SP, then pharmacy supervisor, and then staff pharmacist.

It's funny you mention the hierarchy, because back when I worked for CVS I actually "hacked" into their employee database and could look up any employee in the company. They organize their corporate and supervising employees by fictitious store numbers so I could actually see the hierarchy first hand. It was absolutely ridiculous how much middle management there was. And to think all of those people are making $150k+ is just unbelievable. There's the first place to trim the fat if you ask me.

From memory, and it was a year ago that I saw all this so I forgot some stuff I'm sure, it went:

CEO/President (Tom Ryan) -> COO/Executive VP -> Senior VPs -> VPs -> Area VPs -> Regional VPs -> DMs -> Pharmacy Supervisors -> PICs -> staff RPhs -> ancillary staff

This is just for operational rank. There are TONS of attorneys and MBAs meshed in there, especially between the VPs and the Regional VPs. General counsel, assistant general counsel, etc. You get the idea.

Pharmacy manager makes a dollar more per hour in CVS

haha not always. In Orange County, CA a PIC I know makes a dollar less per hour than his staff RPhs because he was a PIC at a core CVS and they were staff RPhs from converted Sav-on stores. You would not believe the ****fest he started when he found that out. He made up for it in the end though...which I won't delve into here. Heh.

And by the way, for all the CVS employees out there, if you hate doing those stupid modules and training CDs don't feel too bad: even Tom Ryan has to do some of that crap! Insider trading and ethical modules mostly, but still. lol.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

I am surprised meisterl. I have never even heard of area VP and senior VP. I know there was a bunch of MBA and attorney stuck in there because all region/district have full time attornies/support staff taking care of legal issues among other things.

But then again, walgreen has 237,000 employees and I figure you need a couple of vp's to manage that many.

 

[meister]

But then again, walgreen has 237,000 employees and I figure you need a couple of vp's to manage that many.

This is true, but CVS at least has taken that too far. This much middle management just removes the employees completely from corporate and makes the company terrible to work for, IMHO.