Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other Agencies, and all U.S. Citizens. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

The duties of the Chief of Pharmacy include, but are not limited to:

Administrative/Supervision

• The Chief, Pharmacy Service will have prime responsibility for providing operational pharmaceutical services to the veteran patients served by this level 1C medical center and for the professional and administrative activities supporting these services. Provides comprehensive and accurate interpretation and implementation of service, station and VA policies and procedures within the mission and core values of the Veterans Health Administration. Originates, adapts, and implements effective, efficient policies and procedures which assures that veterans, patients and other eligible beneficiaries are furnished quality medications, medical supplies, and services to ensure appropriate treatment consonant with applicable regulations.
• Responsible for the supervision of the approximately 100 Pharmacy Service staff. Supervises activities of all clinical, operational, and program management pharmacy staff including managers, clinical pharmacists, clinical pharmacy specialists, technicians and administrators. Staff are assigned to inpatient and outpatient pharmacies as well as institutional support functions such as logistics and institutional committee secretariat.

Research

• Provides opportunities for research conducted by the Pharmacy Service in connection with improvement of work operations, drug use, clinical services, and patient outcomes.
• Oversee the conduct of pharmaceutical research related to improving usefulness of preparations; improving taste, developing new dosage forms to meet varied demands of clinical investigators, or other members of the professional staff.

Program Management

• The incumbent is responsible for establishing and promoting an atmosphere of employee unity through cooperation and the integration of clinical and administrative roles. Expectations for impact include a high level of productivity with veteran and staff satisfaction. Facilitates strong communication channels between the service lines.
• Evaluates new patient care programs to ensure quality of care, optimum reimbursement to the medical center, and enhancement of educational and research activities without compromising VA missions and goals. The incumbent must ensure that accountability for documentation of workload and special services is accomplished.

Work Schedule: 7:30am - 4:00pm, Monday - Friday. Subject to change based on the needs of the facility.
Telework: Not available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 586-02135F.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be paid to a Highly Qualified candidate.
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

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 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).

Grade Determinations:
GS 15 Grade Level.
(a) Experience. In addition to the GS-14 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Experience at the GS-14 level include: 1. Skill in persuading others and gaining cooperation to accomplish goals; 2. Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing regarding complex clinical and
technical issues; 3. Skill in utilizing regulatory and quality standards to develop and implement operational
programs; 4. Skill in managing multiple people or programs; 5. Skill in utilizing available resources to support the mission and goals of the organization; and 6. Ability to plan, organize and direct the functions of the pharmacy staff.
(b) Grade Level Criteria. At the GS-15 level, Chiefs of Pharmacy must meet the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs):
(1) Manages a complex medical center based pharmacy program that is defined as having multiple practice settings (e.g. hospital ambulatory care, long-term care, behavior health care) that require Joint Commission review as separate standards.
(2) In addition to the medical center pharmacy, has responsibility for pharmacy services at one or more of the following: CBOCs, Rural Health Program, domiciliary, or provides dispensing and/or clinical services to State Veterans Home.
(3) Presence of advanced clinical pharmacy programs that include pharmacist(s) that have approved scopes of practice with prescriptive privileges.
(4) Pharmacy provides clinical pharmacist services to three (3) or more specialty areas such as, but not limited to, hemodialysis, oncology, operating room or an emergency department.

Preferred Experience:
1. Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) degree or equivalent.
2. Advanced training or certification in pharmacy leadership, health systems management, or related fields.
3. Leadership, clinical expertise, and administrative skills.

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-15.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

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 G. V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center.
2. All other VA employees.
3. Current Permanent Federal employees of other agencies.
4. All other 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.