Summary This position is located in the Pharmacy Service of the Corporal Michael J Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA (CMCVAMC). This position provides support to the Pharmacy Service. The Pharmacy Service Administrative Officer (AO) works with a high degree of independence and authority to assist the Pharmacy Service Chief and Associate Chiefs of Pharmacy with administrative and management duties and responsibilities that do not require professional pharmacist knowledge or licensure. Responsibilities This is a complex and multi-faceted position that involves the coordination of Pharmacy administrative activities both within the service as well as with key personnel in other services. Major duties and responsibilities include and not limited to the following: Office Operations (25%) Communicates verbally and in writing with other services, agencies and private industry to produce prompt and accurate dissemination of information according to VHA guidelines. Monitors and completes all special and recurring administrative reports and correspondence according to VA requirements in a timely manner as assigned by the Chief of Pharmacy. Tracks and trends the data in various budget and workload reports and analyzes to identify areas for improvement. He/she exercises fiscal management responsibility in preparing and developing the budgets. Serves as Key Coordinator in ordering, receiving, maintaining and delegating door keys and electronic entry cards to staff, maintaining records. Responsible for the development and implementation of policies and procedures which may be directed locally or from Central Office as they relate to patient care. Must provide current information to the Chief of Pharmacy Service concerning the many various regulations and guidelines, which affect the operation of the assigned clinical service. Service Level Operations (50%) Directs and coordinates all personnel management matters for the Service. Receives employment applications for candidates, coordinates interviews, and performs follow up with human resources on completion of requirements for hiring. Coordinates required training for the Pharmacy staff including those sections of training for new employees as assigned by the Chief of Pharmacy. Develops and maintains organizational and functional charts. Maintains FTEE for Service and man hours for sections reports. Monitors procedures to determine unauthorized absences and use of sick leave to assure compliance with VA policy. Monitors sick leave usage and refers, when appropriate, to Supervisor for action. Represents the Chief and Associate Chiefs, Pharmacy Service, in their absence or conflict in schedule, in all matters not of a clinical nature and acts on various committees not requiring their personal attention to assure timely and orderly flow of pharmacy activities. Assists in developing the annual budget plan, budget review and budget forecast. Monitors the use of funds and investigates ways of optimizing expenditures of funds allocated to Pharmacy Service based on service priorities, committee recommendations, coordinating the equitable distribution and efficient use of funds with the Chief, Pharmacy Service. Assists in conducting surveys of existing and proposed utilization of space, finances, supplies, equipment and personnel in Pharmacy Service to identify problems; analyzes data and makes recommendations to top management based on survey findings. Personnel Management (25%) Assists in all personnel management matters for the Service. Helps screens employment applications for candidates to determine most qualified applicants by reviewing personnel records and applications. Assists in interviewing and selecting staff and providing training, orientation and guidance for the assigned employees Assists in recommending and initiating personnel actions such as promotions and awards, provides procedures for disciplinary actions and separation of employees based on interpretation of VA guidelines. Assists supervisory pharmacy personnel in the logistics of personnel management practices including counseling, withholding of within-grade increases, and disciplinary or adverse actions based on VA policy. Acts as a liaison between Pharmacy, Human Resources Management Service, and Fiscal Services to ensure accountability, accuracy and timeliness in staffing management. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Position Description/PD#: Administrative Officer (Pharmacy)/PD022070 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. 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 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period 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 probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/20/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: independently analyzing and evaluating administrative programs, policies, and procedures to identify problems and implement solutions; developing, interpreting, and providing recommendations on administrative policies and guidance to management; coordinating and managing program operations across functional areas; overseeing and monitoring budget formulation, execution, and financial management activities; managing or advising on human resources actions, including recruitment, disciplinary actions, and awards; and utilizing automated systems to analyze data, generate reports, and support decision-making. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for the GS-09 grade level, you must have a Master's or equivalent grad. To qualify based on education for the GS-09 grade level you must have a Master's or equivalent graduate degree OR, 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify for the grade levels listed above. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify for positions of GS-9. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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 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. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
