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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Program Management
1. Coordinates pharmacy service compliance with regulatory agencies, mandates, and directives to include but not limited to Joint Commission and Office of Inspector General. Coordinates the development of policies as needed to ensure compliance with regulatory agencies. Assumes follow up oversight for all regulatory agency findings. Provides staff education for regulatory compliance.
2. Leads Pharmacy Medication Management meetings including long range planning, goal setting and performance monitoring. Follows through on open items ensuring accountability to closure.
3. Leads and/or coordinates implementation of national, VISN and or VHA directives related to medication
safety and quality.
4. Collaborates with Quality Management Service, Patient Safety, Risk Management, Nursing, and other clinical services on medication related quality and safety issues for the facility.
5. Primary liaison for regulatory compliance meeting and for all medication management items.
6. Notifies staff of VAMEDSAFE, ISMP, FDA warnings and alerts
7. Provides oversight to PGY2 Health System Pharmacy Administration Resident to coordinate the adverse drug event reporting program (VADERS).
8. Coordinates, monitors and reports drug errors, allergies, and patient safety issues
9. Issues provider/patient notification for drug safety/warnings from PBM
10. Coordinates medication safety program for pharmacy service
11. Member of Pharmacy and Therapeutics and medication safety committee
12. Development/Implementation of processes to ensure safe medication usage
13. Acts as liaison representing Pharmacy service in safe medication practice issues - facilitating medication
related root cause analysis in collaboration with Quality Service
14. Assists Pharmacy and Therapeutics committee with medication use evaluations and other safety initiatives.
15. Adheres to all medical center and department policies and regulations.
16. Works with providers to ensure compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives.
17. Manage information security within areas of responsibility to ensure that computer system security and confidentiality of sensitive information is maintained, and that employee access to sensitive information is limited only to that which the employee requires to perform their duties. Acts as necessary to report and address violations of information security.
18. Is skilled at using both written and verbal communication techniques in teaching others.
19. Designs, executes, analyzes data, and publishes/reports results related to quality assurance, patient safety, and formulary management individually or in collaboration with other members of pharmacy, nursing, or medical staff.

Formulary Support
1. Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary and restricted drugs for appropriateness and compliance
with established criteria where applicable.

Professional Service and Practice Advancement
1. Participates in the education, training, and in-servicing of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, pharmacy residents, and other medical center staff on topics related to medication use quality and safety. Serves as the primary preceptor for the longitudinal PGY2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership (HSPAL) Quality rotation and precepts PGY1 pharmacy practice residents and PGY2
Internal Medicine pharmacy residents, and as assigned other learners, for activities focused on medication quality and medication safety.

Customer Service
1. Treats patient, team members, other facility employees and visitors with respect. Responds to the needs of the service in a courteous and timely manner.
2. Demonstrates appropriate and proactive interpersonal skills to achieve the goals of the service. Acts as a team member and is always supportive of the group's efforts.
3. Demonstrates an ability to work under a variety of circumstances to maximize group productivity and quality

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Telework: Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 554-61175-0
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.
• 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

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).

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.

NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetence or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the State for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C. § 7402(f)). Effective November 30, 1999, this is a requirement for employment. This requirement does not apply to licensed pharmacists on VA rolls as of that date, provided they maintain continuous appointment and are not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license, registration or certification.

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

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 13-Facility Program Manager

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

Facility Program Manager: Manages all aspects of a distinct program to include policy development, quality resources and specialty functions unique to the program to optimize cost effectiveness (budget) and patient outcomes. Coordinates a single program area of a complex pharmacy operation, or multiple program areas within a facility to develop, organize, manage, and control complex pharmacy programs. Develops, organizes, coordinates and manages single or multiple program areas within the medical facility; this may include a single program area at multiple facilities. The Program Manager title is reserved for those individuals who have one or more of the following: supervisory responsibilities for various sections within Pharmacy Service; a complex program requiring coordination of multiple locations such as medical center care facilities, Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), rural health, telemedicine, etc; specialized areas of a complex nature such as nuclear pharmacy, quality assurance, pharmacy informatics, clinical applications coordinator, Home Based Primary Care, pharmacoeconomist or liaison pharmacist duties requiring the coordination of processes with other medical facilities or VISNs.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
2. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
3. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
4. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
5. 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-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: The work involves long periods of sitting, standing, and walking. The work requires regular and recurring bending, lifting, stooping, stretching, lifting. The incumbent must be a mature, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, demonstrating a positive attitude, compassion, courtesy and concern for staff and patients. Must possess math skills in order to convert medications to the correct
dosing. The incumbent must be able to perform all activities of the position without restriction. This position involves lifting 25 pounds or less, able to visually confirm drug order correctness, and able to stand for periods of 30 minutes or greater.

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.