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

The incumbent is responsible for planning, directing, staffing, coordinating, and controlling a range of pharmaceutical services including:

1) Supervisory

• Functions as a Supervisor to the Outpatient Pharmacy area to provide first-line coordination and oversight to related activities. Is responsible for scheduling, planning, directing, controlling, and coordinating comprehensive Outpatient distributive pharmacy services.
• Establishes and maintains a climate that fosters excellence.
• Responsible for the security of the assigned area particularly as it relates to controlled substances. Helps to ensure departmental and medication security, including controlled substances as required by VA and DEA.
• Oversees the day-to-day maintenance and operation of pharmacy equipment and automation. Utilizes available reporting functions to optimize the efficiency of the equipment.
• Effectively organizes workload, directs Outpatient activities, assigns work, plans short and long range objectives/goals, solves problems, and achieves established goals within budget and staffing appropriations.
• Monitors and controls the use of budgeted funds. Monitors fund control point activity and ensures accountability to regulations regarding pharmacy purchases.
• Incorporates performance improvement (PI) / System Redesign efforts into all areas of the Outpatient Pharmacy area. Develops quality assurance criteria, monitors and evaluates quality of care provided by the Outpatient Pharmacy section and reports results to appropriate pharmacy managers and staff.
• Communicates with Pharmacy leadership in regards to administrative problems or episodes of clinical pertinence which may impact the pharmacy service effectiveness and/or enhance staff performance.
• Makes administrative decisions using good professional judgment when Associate Chief or Chief, Pharmacy Service are not available or in instances where immediate decisions are required.
• Familiar with the operation and applicability of all pharmacy information systems (VistA, CPRS, Omnicell, ScriptPro, Pandora, etc) to design and generate necessary reports to monitor pharmacy service performance.
• Responsible for the development, revision, and implementation of policy and procedures for this area.
• Maintains good workflow patterns to keep drug distribution in accordance with the all necessary requirements, while ensuring accurate dispensing and record keeping.
• Ensures compliance with USP 797 standards, including competency training of pharmacy staff (as applicable for cross-coverage needs)
• Communicates and coordinates with procurement to ensure adequate inventory and stock levels based on prescription order workload volume. Coordinates Outpatient Pharmacy drug recalls.
• Responsible for all performance improvement / system redesign activities in and pertaining to the Outpatient Pharmacy area including but not limited to: audits, peer reviews, and accuracy screenings. Encourages proactive actions on these efforts.
• Works with Pharmacy leadership to promote optimal patient care within budget appropriation.
• Responsible for assignment of work for the Outpatient staff.
• Responsible for approval and management of non-formulary medications.

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.

• 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.

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: Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, 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 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.
• Physical Requirements: Incumbent must be physically and mentally able to perform the duties of the position efficiently.
• English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

• Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Examples of experience include, but are not limited to: reviewing, interpreting, and verifying medication orders; processing and filling medication orders; making recommendations to other clinical staff regarding medication therapy; reviewing patient's medications, allergies, labs, and other information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems; providing refill extensions and partial medication supplies; assisting in formulary management; and documenting and assessing adverse drug events.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Responsible for the professional and administrative management of an assigned area in pharmacy service, to include budgetary execution. Such individuals have responsibilities for supervising multiple pharmacists and technicians. Manages people, maintains effective interdepartmental relations, and cooperates with other services to accomplish the medical facility's mission and goals. Develops performance standards, assures that the program area is compliant with all regulatory and accrediting body requirements, designs and implements orientation and training programs for staff, and develops and maintains systems to monitor the performance of staff activities. Develops policies and procedures relative to their assigned area. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Ability to effectively supervise subordinate staff.
  • Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
  • Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards pertaining to pharmacy.
  • Skill in managing people or programs.
• Assignments. 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 be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

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.