Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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• Supervises program managers, supervisors, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, administrative staff, pharmacy residents, volunteers, on-the-job trainees, and pharmacy technician students.
• Assists the Chief in formulating short and long-term goals for the service and coordinates these with the goals of the medical center.
• Develops action plans to accomplish these goals within the resources available.
• Assists the Chief in justification of budgetary, personnel, equipment, and space requirements for Pharmacy.
• Ensures personnel are scheduled in such a way as to provide consistency of coverage and to accommodate planned leave and promote employee morale.
• Recruits, interviews, and selects suitable personnel, in collaboration with Human Resources, maintaining staff who effectively fulfill the needs of the Pharmacy Service.
• Recommends individuals for appointment, promotion, and reassignment involving such positions. Provides disciplinary action when necessary.
• Provides advice, counsel, and instruction to individual supervisors and employees, concerning operational, clinical, and administrative matters.
• Ensures all rules, regulations, and policies are consistently followed.
• Serves on Medical Center, VISN, university and national committees assigned by the Chief and/or CAVHCS leadership. Applies knowledge, judgment, and experience to guide committee decision and actions.
• Develops and maintains effective procedures for clinical practice oversight, including credentialing, professional practice evaluations, productivity, clinic utilization/bookability, interpretation and implementation of national program office guidance, serving as a liaison between Pharmacy and other services, and acting as an SME for clinical practice topics.
• Recommends program changes to enhance patient care programs, documents cost savings and maintains or improves quality of care.
• Ensures the adherence and education of the national medication formulary as determined by VHA Pharmacy Benefits Management.
• Provides a wide range of drug information and advice to the professional staff, including written and verbal information on therapeutic agents.
• Instructs or participates in the instruction of supervisors, residents, and students. Serves as primary preceptor for the Pharmacy Service for administrative rotations for both residents and students. Help direct affiliated training programs for pharmacy students, residents, and technicians.

Work Schedule: Varies depending on service needs
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 619-60585F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education: (1) Graduate of an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) and/or a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Verification of approved degree programs may be obtained from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois 60602-5109; phone: (312) 664-3575, or through their Web site at: http://www.acpe-accredit.org/. (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy.) (2) Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the graduate is able to provide proof of achieving the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Commission (FPGEC) Certification, which includes passing the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet Based Test (TOEFL iBT).
• English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
• Licensure: Full, current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia. The pharmacist must maintain current registration if this is a requirement for maintaining full, current, and unrestricted licensure. A pharmacist who has, or has ever had, any license(s) revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations GS-14:

Experience: In addition to the GS-13 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Skill in persuading others and gaining cooperation to accomplish goals.
• Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing regarding complex clinical and technical issues.
• Skill in utilizing regulatory and quality standards to develop and implement operational programs.
• Skill in managing multiple people or programs.
• Skill in utilizing available resources to support the mission and goals of the organization.
• Ability to plan, organize and direct the functions of the pharmacy staff

Preferred Experience: Supervisory Experience, Clinical Pharmacy Experience

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.