Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. The area of consideration will be referred in the following order: 1. Current permanent Federal employees of other agencies 2. Preference eligible Veterans 3. U.S. Citizens

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Patient Centric Care

• Participates in the development of pharmaceutical product monographs and treatment protocols for local and VISN20 Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committees.
• Efficiently and effectively identifies and prioritizes the patient's pharmaceutical problems and initiates and executes evidence-based pharmacotherapeutic regimens and corresponding monitoring plans.
• Orders, reviews and interprets appropriate laboratory tests and other studies necessary to monitor, support and modify the patient's medication therapy.
• Identifies the need for and orders consults necessary to monitor, support and modify the patient's medication therapy.
• Effectively monitors and assesses patient's outcomes to drug therapy.

Pharmacoeconomic Program Management

• Develops, implements, and manages programs to optimize Pharmacy procurement activities.
• Responsible for pharmacoeconomic analysis, implementation, outcomes, performance measures, and impact assessments.
• Manages the non-formulary drug approval process.
• Actively participates in formulary and non-formulary usage discussions to promote evidence-based, cost effective drug therapy.
• Coordinates medication conversions to comply with local, VISN, and National contracts and approved formulary substitutions.
• Develops and conducts drug usage evaluation in areas of needs from a cost-effective and patient outcome perspective.
• Documents cost reduction/cost avoidance activities and reports findings to the Chief of Pharmacy.
• Develops and presents pharmacoeconomic budget analysis and forecasts annually.

Inventory Management

• Reviews procurement activities to ensure VA contracts, federal laws, and VA policies and procedures are followed.
• Oversees the ordering from National Acquisition Center (NAC), open market purchases, direct to patient supplies, and credit card purchases.
• Conducts review of open market purchases to ensure appropriateness, availability of alternatives and cost effective selections.
• Coordinates the annual wall-to-wall inventory for the pharmacy.
• Coordinates the resolution of out-of-stock and backorder situations in timely manner.
• Ensure special labeling and storage and automation, drug file or clinical reminders are set appropriately for High Alert, Look-alike-Sound-Alike, Hazardous, chemotherapy, and pregnancy risk category drugs.

Procurement Program Management

• Ensure clear separation of duties to minimize the risk of fraud or loss of property.
• Oversees the Drug Accountability program.
• Monitors approved pharmaceutical manufacturers' rebate and incentive programs to ensure appropriate cost savings are realized.
• Manages the Reverse Distribution System for pharmacy.
• Conducts quarterly high-cost non-controlled drugs inventory as directed by PBM for timely submission.
• Trains all technicians assigned to a primary or back up procurement role.
• Unusable medications, excess or infrequently used drugs or supplies are returned according to policy
• Works with National Special Pharmacy Program Manager to ensure all specialty medications procurement and distributions along with all record keepings are in full compliance

Contracting Officer's Representative (COR)

• Serves as the COR of the Pharmaceutical Prime Vendor and other purchasing contracts.
• Performs monitoring and surveillance of all pharmaceutical purchasing contracts

Purchase Card Activities

• Ensures all VA laws and regulations associated with the use of the purchase card are followed.
• Must be familiar and utilize the search capabilities of the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) and locate Veteran owned small businesses (VOSBs) and service-disabled Veteran owned small businesses (SDVOSBs).
• Performs timely reconciliation of the payment charges from the Purchase Card Program Contractor to the IFCAP purchase card order.

Administrative

• Develops and updates policies and procedures defining operational requirements of the section as needed.
• Serves as the Pharmacy representative on various local and VISN committees.
• Systematically reports pharmacoeconomic data in a complete and timely manner.

Education/Training

• Serves as a resource and provides information and education to staff, residents and students in areas of formulary management and approved clinical guidelines to reduce unnecessary and inappropriate use of drugs.
• Works with the Associate Chief of Pharmacy to identify targeted drug therapy interventions. Develops and performs in-services promoting cost- effective medication management to all health care providers and pharmacy staff within the Health Care System.
• Participates in the precepting of pharmacy residents and students during clinical responsibilities.
• Actively participates in educational programs of the Pharmacy Department .

Work Schedule: 8AM - 4:30PM, Monday - Friday
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00000
Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Available
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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

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.
• English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
• 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 2 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).
• 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.

Grade Determinations:
GS-13, Pharmacist (Facility Program Manager)

Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs:
a. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
b. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
c. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
d. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
e. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 lbs.), light lifting and carrying (under 15 lbs.), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands, standing, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, and near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4. Environmental factors include dry atmospheric conditions, constant noise, working closely with others, and working alone.

How you will be evaluated

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

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

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.