Clarification from the agency

Announcement is open to current employees of the El Paso VA Health Care System. and upcoming participants of the VA Health Professions Training (HPT) Graduates. 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 include but not limited to:
Plans, Organizes and Directs the Activities of the Procurement Section

• Ensuring ordering, purchasing, receiving, storing, inventory control and documentation complies with legal and regulatory requirements and meets customer needs.
• Researching, interpreting, analyzing and applying pharmacy, supply, acquisition, Joint Commission, OIG, and other federal and VA directives, policies, guidelines, and regulations.
• Developing performance standards to confirm compliance with regulatory and accrediting body requirements.
• Identifying need for changes in priorities and taking action to implement such changes.
• Working with CMOP to ensure items are properly marked to achieve VISN operational monitors.
• Approving Official for 2237 and credit card purchases of the procurement staff.
• Following VA process for specialty drug acquisition and coordinating with logistics and contracting for the ordering of the specialty medication.
• Monitoring and analyzing ordering and distribution patterns to identify questionable circumstances, unusual trends and inappropriate ordering of pharmaceuticals and supplies not found on the national formulary.
• Representing Pharmacy Service with a variety of Health Care System Services and functional area organizations.
• Establishing, developing and maintaining effective working relationships with Physicians, health care professionals, other procurement, purchasing, and contracting professionals to optimize the utilization of rational and cost-effective drug therapy, with emphasis on legal and financial aspects of procurement.

Government Purchase Card Approving/Alternate Official

• Monitoring the cardholder to ensure that purchase card payment transactions are reconciled within 14 calendar days of receipt of IFCAP Purchase Card message.
• Monitoring all assigned cardholders.
• Certifying all procurements is legal and proper and that all items are received.
• Certifying all transactions made by the cardholder, assuring applicable documentation are maintained and questioning any discrepancies.
• Certifying reconciled payment charges in IFCAP within 14 calendar days of reconciliation by cardholder.
• Completing reconciliations for pending orders for employees who transfer out of service or are on annual leave.

Exercises Supervisory Personnel Management Responsibilities

• Responsible for the management and supervision of supply technicians and the Procurement Section of Pharmacy Service priorities and consideration of difficulty and requirements of assignments such that the experience, training, and abilities of staff are effectively utilized to meet Pharmacy and customer needs.
• Balancing workload and providing advice, guidance and direction on a wide range of Procurement and administrative issues.
• Structuring assignments to create effective and economical positions.
• Advising other Pharmacy Supervisors of significant issues and problems related to work accomplishment.
• Explaining performance expectations to employees and providing regular feedback on strengths and weaknesses.
• Holding employees responsible for satisfactory completion of work assignments.
• Appraising staff performance ensuring consistency and equity in rating techniques.
• Hearing and resolving employee complaints and referring serious unresolved complaint to higher level management.
• Initiating action to correct performance or conduct problems including verbal and written counseling and admonishments.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am to 4:45pm
Telework: Available Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
This is a Non-Bargaining Position

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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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. 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.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• 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 Determination:
Pharmacy Supervisor (Procurement) GS-13
Experience: In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12). Experience at the GS-12 level includes: pharmacist in this assignment handles routine medication-related activities in accordance with local, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and national policies and regulations. These include, but are not limited to: reviewing, interpreting, and verifying medication orders for appropriateness; processing and filling medication orders; interacting with and making recommendations to other clinical staff regarding medication therapy ordered to ensure safe and effective care; reviewing the patient's medications, allergies, labs, and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems; contacting providers as appropriate; documenting recommendations and interventions; providing refill extensions and partial medication supplies; trucing health and medication histories; performing medication reconciliation; providing drug information; assisting in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions, nonformulary reviews and medication usage evaluations; documenting and assessing adverse drug events (ADEs); assisting in medical emergencies; providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution.

Assignments: 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:

a. Ability to effectively supervise subordinate staff.
b. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
c. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards pertaining to pharmacy.
d.. Skill in managing people or programs.


Preferred Experience:

• Three to five years experience in inventory management while leading pharmacists, technician in formulary reviews and approvals..
• Three to five years experience in writing standard operating procedures in outpatient or inpatient pharmacy setting.
• Three to five years direct experience in projects geared toward patient safety, efficiency, and customer service.
• Three to five years experience as a preceptor of pharmacy students and or pharmacy residents.
• Exceptional customer service record and ability to resolve conflicts and disputes between employees or customers and employees.
• Experience in working with various teams or services for the common good of the patient.

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: light lifting and light carrying (under 15 pounds), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking (2 hours), standing (2 hours), repeated bending (1 hour), ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable to 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors, ability to distinguish shades of colors, hearing (aid may be permitted) and hearing without aid.

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.