Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (1 to 5 years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. Responsibilities This position is responsible for the daily supervision, the professional and administrative management of Inpatient Pharmacy Services within Overton Brooks Veterans Administration Medical Center (OBVAMC). Duties include but are not limited to: Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff. Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Responsible for the professional and administrative management of the Inpatient Pharmacy to include the oversight of budgetary execution. Develops performance standards, performance plans and evaluations; assures that the Inpatient Pharmacy and programs that fall under that umbrella are compliant with all regulatory and accrediting body requirements. Designs and implements orientation and training programs for staff, makes sure they fully comply with all processes and policies and develops/maintains systems to monitor the performance of staff activities. Uses systems thinking to participate in the development of and/or develops policies and procedures related to the Inpatient Pharmacy. Responsible for planning, organizing and reviewing work, administering personnel matters and dealing effectively with employees and union representatives in accordance with the Master Agreements; responsible for developing a schedule, planning and granting leave and rotating duties of staff; projects overtime requirements based on work load and staffing; reviews staff performance for possible award nominations; initiates counseling, disciplinary actions and separations based upon performance. Responsible to the Medical Center and the principal investigator for seeing that established procedures for the proper handling, storage, record keeping and dispensing of investigational drugs is properly implemented. Responsible for providing the staff pharmacists with information on the investigational drug as well as the dispensing procedures. Encourages staff pharmacists to increase their involvement in pharmaceutical, clinical, or institutional pharmacy research activities. Ensure patients are receiving adequate education and counseling about the safe and appropriate use of medications dispensed when appropriate for self-care patients in the homes. Identify pharmacy staff educational and training needs and, in consult with pharmacy management, implement an in service training program to enhance employee performance and professional competence. Maintain and improve his/her professional competency by keeping up with information on new drugs, new drug therapies, and innovations in pharmacy practice. Must continually apply current drug information and program techniques in his/her daily pharmacy practice. Responsible for operational effectiveness of all pharmacy services that include pharmacy dosing, Inpatient prescription processing, Inpatient clinics, and controlled substance distribution. Keep the Chief of Pharmacy and other pharmacy staff members informed of administrative issues or information of clinical pertinence, which may impact pharmacy program effectiveness or enhance staff performance. Develops, maintains, and implements a quality assurance program to monitor the quality of Pharmacy services being provided, and to make improvements as indicated. Ensures that adequate resources are identified and are available to meet the needs of all Pharmacy programs. Provides input to pharmacy management relative to assessing the need for future plans for new programs or recommending changes or enhancements to existing programs in order to better meet the patient and/or medical center needs for Pharmacy service. Serves as a consultant within Pharmacy Service and with other medical center staff in evaluating health care delivery to veteran patients. Assesses, plans, and evaluates Pharmacy programs to ensure the proper coordination between the delivery of Pharmacy services and the overall delivery of health care to medical center patients. Ensures service programs operate at a satisfactory level of performance and in compliance with regulatory and accrediting bodies. Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday; weekends, holidays and hours outside of tour of duty- subject to change based upon the needs of the facility. Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 01016F Relocation Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact Robert Knudsen Robert.Knudsen@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Requirements 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: 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/. (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. (1) Exception. Non-licensed pharmacists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment at the entry level as a Graduate Pharmacist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 2 years for a pharmacist that provides care under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. For grade levels above the GS-11, the candidate must be licensed. 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 Determinations: GS-13 Pharmacist (Pharmacy Supervisor) Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. 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: 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: Inpatient pharmacy experience, including prior supervisory 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 GS13. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. Education 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.
