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Pharmacist (Pharmacy Supervisor)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration

Summary

The Outpatient Pharmacy Supervisor is responsible for all aspects of day-to-day planning, directing and coordinating the outpatient pharmacy service, including maintaining all aspects of pharmacy's involvement with accurate and timely processing of outpatient prescriptions. Responsibilities also include pharmacy benefits management, teaching/mentoring learners, supporting research, quality assurance, and staff development.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$138,579 - $180,155 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
Yes
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
CBTE-13034762-26-VA
Control number
880524000

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open to current, permanent employees of the Veterans Health Administration and and Past/Current/Upcoming VHA HPT Graduates. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Duties

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This position is a supervisory member of the pharmacy service, is a core member of the outpatient pharmacy management team and supervises several outpatient pharmacists and technicians. This manager reports directly to the Associate Chief, Pharmacy Operations and collaborates closely with all members of pharmacy management team.

A. Program Management

  • Provides coordination of day-to-day activities of pharmacists, technicians, students, and volunteers assigned in outpatient pharmacy. Oversees the daily operation of outpatient pharmacy services including window and main prescription dispensing, repackaging, and special extemporaneous compounding.
  • Assumes responsibility for the overall planning, operation and evaluation of outpatient medications delivered to the veteran. Establishes program goals and develops the operational plans and policies to achieve them.
  • Assists procurement staff in the prompt and cost-effective purchase of medications and supplies and advises them of any unusual usage.
  • Serves as a consultant within Pharmacy Service and with other facility health care staff in evaluating health care delivery to patients.
B. Administration/Supervisory
  • Directly supervises activities of the outpatient processing and dispensing area. Responsible for maintaining smooth work flow of day-to-day activities, and assumes responsibility of workflow performed under his/her supervision.
  • Approves/disapproves leave requests, develops performance standards, trains or retrains, counsels, disciplines, evaluates and recommends employees for awards. Responsible for performance reviews for staff as assigned.
  • Responsible for implementation, revision and interpretation of Pharmacy Service policies and procedures related to outpatient pharmacy and outpatient pharmacy contingency planning, and assures their compliance with USP 797, USP 800 and Joint Commission standards, and VACO directives and handbooks.
  • The Outpatient Supervisor shares in the responsibility for recruiting and hiring qualified employees, as well as interviewing and selecting candidates for promotion according to federal laws, VA policies, and EEO requirements.
C. Outpatient Clinical and Distributive
  • Assists in the functions and responsibilities of all staff pharmacists and program managers. All staff pharmacist duties are part of the position. Provides some cross-coverage in outpatient pharmacy areas for urgent, unplanned leave and in enough frequency to assure clinical skills are maintained.
Distributive:
  1. Reviews pharmacy orders to include patient information, dose, and route, frequency of administration, patient allergies, drug interactions, incompatibilities, duplication, and priority. Resolves prescribing and dispensing issues, including pharmacotherapeutic and formulary issues. Documents interventions as appropriate.
  2. Coordinates with non-VA physicians and VA primary care team on the appropriate VA National Formulary medications to consider for patients that are transferring their care to VA.
  3. Finishes, inputs, and/or verifies information and orders in the computer system as assigned. Accurately labels and dispenses medications appropriately for areas of use (outpatient, unit dose, and IV). Ensures proper dispensing documentation is completed.
  4. Identifies actual or potential drug-related problems prospectively, thereby eliminating duplication of efforts, reducing medication errors and increasing patient satisfaction.
  5. Dispenses controlled substances according to current policies, procedures, and standards established by DEA, FDA, VA, and Joint Commission.
D. Education
  • Identifies continuing education needs of staff and, where possible, provides programs/resources to help meet the identified needs.
  • Assures that all necessary employee orientation and training occurs to assure continuance of high quality services.
  • Collaborates with the Clinical/Education Pharmacy Program Manager on pharmacy training and development, to promote the learning experience and improve the performance of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy residents and students.
E. Quality Assurance
  • Collaborates with outpatient management team to plan, coordinate, develop, and implement all quality assurance activities for the outpatient pharmacy program with a lead role in areas such as controlled drug dispensing, error rates, and wait times. Assists other program managers for other pharmacy programs.
  • Monitors activity in the outpatient areas and other pharmacy areas as assigned, to see that data is gathered and reports are submitted in a timely fashion.

Work Schedule: Variable
Telework: Ad-hoc telework may be available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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.
  • 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:

United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

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. ยง 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.


English Language Proficiency
Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

Creditable Experience:

(1) Knowledge of Professional Pharmacy Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with professional pharmacy practice. Professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional or unlicensed graduate pharmacist as defined by the appropriate licensing board.

(2) Residency and Fellowship Training. Residency and fellowship training programs in a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for-year basis. The pharmacy residency program must be accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). A fellowship program that is not accredited by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) will need to have comparable standards for experience to be creditable (Professional Standards Board refers to the Deputy Chief Consultant for Professional Practice for the determination).

(3) Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to pharmacy experience at the next lower level. Experience as a Graduate Pharmacist is creditable provided the candidate was used as a professional pharmacist (under supervision) and subsequently passed the appropriate licensure examination.

(4) Part-time Experience. Part-time experience as a professional pharmacist is credited according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a pharmacist employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service.


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-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

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 be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

Pharmacy Supervisor. 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.

Preferred Experience: VA supervisory and VA inpatient and outpatient experience preferred

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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

Veterans Health Administration

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

Agency contact information

Victoria Anthony
Phone
(908)992-1602
Email
victoria.anthony@va.gov
Address
VA New Jersey Health Care System
385 Tremont Avenue
East Orange, NJ 7018
US

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