Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Open to current, permanent Veterans Health Administration employees.

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• Performs analytical and evaluative work associated with program activities of the Pharmacy Service. Organizes and develops information upon which Pharmacy Service leadership can make effective data-driven decisions to anticipate and meet pharmaceutical needs of customers and goals of the facility and network. Responsible for coordination, development, and implementation of all pertinent information applications to support clinical practice, administration, educational development, and the computerized medical record in the Pharmacy Service.
• Serves as a subject matter expert on Pharmacy processing applications and the ability to place and manage all work orders/tickets associated with the EHR. Work order/ticket scope will include those directly under the Pharmacy Service as well as domains related to medication safety and medication ordering with downstream impact to Pharmacy. Responsible for receiving and triaging reports of Pharmacy-related EHR issues and routing to the appropriate pathway for resolution. Manages all work orders/tickets placed for Pharmacy-related EHR issues and tracks/traces through to completion. Captures and reports out work order/ticket data and metrics.
• Collaborates to make changes to Pharmacy operating systems to meet evolving and complex computerized initiatives (e.g., EHR, Pharmacy automation equipment, Bar Code Medication Administration [BCMA]) and Pharmacy Service needs. Serves as the coordinator to ensure that Pharmacy systems are fully integrated, operational, and resources are utilized effectively and efficiently to meet objectives. Performs testing, evaluation, and quality assurance as appropriate.
• Collaborates with Clinical Application Coordinators (CACs), Health Informatics staff, Pharmacy Service staff, and other healthcare staff either independently or through multidisciplinary teams to develop, implement, and maintain medication quick orders, order sets, order menus, clinical decision support systems (CDSS) menus, clinical reminders, clinical reminder order checks, notes, templates, consults, etc., in the EHR.
• Serves as the coordinator for the implementation and verification of new Pharmacy operating system packages, program development, enhancement, troubleshooting, and problem prevention related to Pharmacy Service. Serves as the liaison to other service lines on informatics issues related to the Pharmacy Service.
• Responsible for Pharmacy drug file maintenance at a facility level in collaboration with the PBM national drug file team. Actively manages the EHR ordering menus to guide intuitive, safe, effective, and cost-conscious ordering of pharmaceutical products consistent with the VA National Formulary, Pharmacoeconomic strategies, and local, VISN, and national initiatives. Remains actively involved in the local formulary conversions, cost-savings/cost-avoidance initiatives, therapeutic substitutions, and other projects as assigned.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining Pharmacy Service contingency plans relating to automated data processing (ADP), information resource management (IRM), medical information system (MIS) programs, and Pharmacy automation and operations in collaboration with Pharmacy Service leadership team members and staff.
• Assists with the review and revision of Pharmacy Service and facility policies, procedures, protocols, standard operating procedures (SOPs), competency assessments, training programs, etc., to ensure compliance with facility policies, VHA Directives, VHA Handbooks, and regulatory agency requirements relating to Pharmacy informatics and automated Pharmacy systems.
• Provides education and training to Pharmacy Service staff and other healthcare system staff on the application and operation of Pharmacy packages and automation as needed.
• Provides education and training to Pharmacy Service staff on changes and updates to the EHR. Provides education and training to other healthcare system staff on Pharmacy-related changes and updates to the EHR.
• Serves as a Pharmacy Service representative on committees, subcommittees, workgroups, or taskforces relating to Pharmacy Informatics as assigned.
• Travel to VA facilities may be necessary to ensure program compliance, education of staff, and monitoring of quality assurance measures. The incumbent will be expected to exercise initiative and to collaborate effectively with clinical and administrative staff at all Fargo VA HCS sites to meet performance goals and support quality patient care activities.
  A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position.
  

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 0800-1630
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00000
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.
• A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position.
• 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

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 appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
• Education:
  • 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.)
  • 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.

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).

Grandfathering Provision. All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

• Employees grandfathered into the GS-660 occupational series may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration, that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
• If a licensed pharmacist who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations:

Facility Program Manager, GS-13

• Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements (1 year experience at the GS-11 level or completion of an ACPE-accredited PharmD program), must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of 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.

Preferred Experience: Strong pharmacy automation skills and knowledge; Informaticist experience; Strong teaching skills; Completion of a PGY2 residency in Informatics or equivalent experience

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

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

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of examination.

How you will be evaluated

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

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:
1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
2. All other VHA employees.

Note: Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

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.