Clarification from the agency

Open to permanent and current VISN 10 Employees Only NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws

Duties for the VISN 10 Non Formulary Program Manager, Pharmacist include but are not limited to:

• Serves as the program manager of the VISN NF and PA medication adjudication program as it relates to implementation, enhancement, and standardization when appropriate.
• Develops and implements long and short-term goals and plans.
• Works collaboratively with the VISN Clinical Pharmacy Program Manager to ensure NF and PA medication adjudication program services are consistent with professional standards.
• Maintains awareness of and achieves VA performance metrics outlined for adjudication of national prior authorizations and monitoring parameters
• Ensures effective personnel utilization and consistently assesses the organizational structure for maximum utilization and effectiveness.
• Works collaboratively with the VISN Clinical Pharmacy Program Manager to address personnel issues to include recommending action on hiring, selections, awards, and disciplinary actions.
• Assigns work to clinical staff based on priorities, selective consideration of the difficulty and requirements, and the capabilities of the employees.
• Plans and coordinates changes in workload to meet deadlines and maintain a smooth workflow; evaluates resource needs; assigns, directs and reviews work of assigned staff and assures work is complete and accurate.
• Assists the VISN 10 Clinical Pharmacy Program Manager in developing and tracking monitors for program areas.
• Identifies outcomes that can be improved and leads the performance improvement process.
• Assesses the productivity, effectiveness and efficiency of operations and acts when appropriate.
• Completes and documents reviews in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) in a timely manner.(every effort will be made to complete reviews in no later than 96 hours of medication request) and includes allergy assessment, ADR information, drug-drug and drug-food interaction potential, lab value assessment, elimination of duplicate/obsolete orders, and appropriate drug conversions.
• Contributes to the quality improvement/performance improvement of the VISN Pharmacy Service by documenting system errors and working toward resolution of identified problem(s).
• Promotes and advocates for compliance with the VA National Formulary (VANF), VA criteria-for-use documents, and established VISN 10 medication restrictions.
• Maintains a good working knowledge of information resources, both written and electronic, as well as therapeutics and disease management areas covered by clinical pharmacy services.
• Maintains awareness of changes in the Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) Formulary services (e.g., formulary additions and deletions, relevant memoranda, and policies and procedures).
• Maintains knowledge of formulary updates, guidelines, and assists providers by offering formulary choices that lead to cost-effective and positive patient outcomes.
• Reviews and completes NF and PA drug requests for appropriateness, utilizing clinical knowledge, national and VISN treatment guidelines, drug use criteria, and relevant literature and resources.
• Provides one-on-one education during adjudication and prescribers are provided with preferred, cost-effective therapeutic alternatives to improve patient outcomes.
• Collaborates with the VISN 10 Clinical Pharmacy Program Manager, the VISN 10 Pharmacy Informaticist, and the VISN 10 Pharmacy Procurement and Inventory Program Manager, as well as the VISN and local P&Ts to conduct prospective/retrospective drug use evaluations of high-risk, high-use or high-cost NF and/or PA drugs.
• Reviews patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required.

Work Schedule: Full Time- variable.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 91762-0
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Moving expenses would be covered by employee.

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:

• Citizenship: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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.)
• 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment in paragraph 2, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

GS-13 Clinical Pharmacist Specialist- In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following:

• Experience- In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Completion of an ACPE- accredited Pharm D. program.
• Assignments- Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed below. for all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

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 Base 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 KSAs identified in subparagraph 3b(3)(b)1 above.

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 are of pharmacy.
5. Advanced skill in motoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Preferred Experience:

• Program/Project Management Experience
• Non-Formulary Request Review Experience

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: The work is administrative and technical in nature, primarily sedentary. Work is performed in an office setting and requires the use of numerous communication modalities. Some travel and tour of duty changes are required to meet demands of the position. Occasional light physical effort may be required.

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.