Summary This pharmacist functions as a Pharmacy Supervisor for a specific section of VAPAHCS Pharmacy Service. The Pharmacy Supervisor performs administrative functions independently and is responsible for all dispensing and clinical work performed within the section. Responsibilities Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 10718-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact Susan.Bringel@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws The VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) has an immediate opening for a GS-13 Pharmacy Supervisor of Clinical Pharmacy Specialists. This supervisor performs the full complement of supervisory functions for 13.0 FTEE GS-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialists in the areas of Psychiatry, Pain Management, Substance Use Disorder, Harm Reduction, Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC), Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) and TeleHealth. Along with the Pharmacy Supervisor for the Anticoagulation and Patient-Aligned Care Team (PACT) clinics, this position reports directly to the Pharmacy Associate Chief of Primary Care and Specialists. The VAPAHCS pharmacy provides comprehensive clinical pharmacy services to our 300-bed Acute Care hospital division, the Menlo Park CLC, and Ambulatory Care clinics in Palo Alto Division and San Jose, Monterey, Livermore, and Fremont CBOCs within VAPAHCS. Duties and responsibilities include, but not limited to: Supervisory performance elements include; Leading Change (leading section strategic plan of priority goals, DMS huddles, Standard Operating Procedures, and Gemba walks), Leading People (leading section All Employee Survey action plan, professional development plans, and human resource management), Business Acumen (leading section resource review, medication error review/follow-up, survey readiness), Building Coalitions (leading section DMS problem solving with stakeholders, local/VISN committee participation, customer service action plans), Results Driven (section Key Performance Indicators tracked on bowling charts), and Whistleblower Protections (ensuring completion of required trainings). Works collaboratively with interdisciplinary specialty teams in Behavioral Health, Pain Management and HBPC to provide clinical pharmacy support and promote interdisciplinary programs. Works collaboratively with the Pharmacy Supervisor of PACT/Anticoagulation in providing consistency in clinical practice, coverage of overlapping clinical responsibilities, meeting administrative bookability and productivity requirements and promoting clinical pharmacy services. Effectively manages operational and programmatic issues in a timely manner and assures compliance with all applicable laws, VHA regulations, Joint Commission standards, as well as VAPAHCS and Pharmacy Service policies and procedures. Ensures accountability among staff in meeting performance standards by establishing and monitoring results-oriented performance measures and addressing deficits in a timely manner. Provides staff development through coaching, mentoring and supporting opportunities for learning. Promotes staff involvement in precepting pharmacy students and residents. Fosters strong working relationships within the pharmacy sections and promotes collaborative working relationships with services outside of pharmacy. 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 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. English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). 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. (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy). TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION. 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). YOU MUST SUBMIT COPY OF FPGEC CERTIFICATION WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGE. 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. YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF CURRENT LICENSE WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGE. Creditable Experience 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. 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). 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. 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: Pharmacy Supervisor, GS-13 Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Experience at the next lower level include but 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; taking 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. 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. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's): In addition to the GS-13 basic requirements for employment stated above, you must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12) and must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (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. 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. Preferred Experience: Work experience as a Pharmacy Supervisor of Clinical Pharmacy Specialists with scopes of practice, completion of a PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency and ideally a PGY-2 Health System Administration Residency. The candidate should have strong pharmacy knowledge in the areas of psychiatry and pain management and be familiar with pharmacy operations/clinical services and processes as well as have proven experience in developing, implementing, and assessing programs and/or projects for pharmacy. 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: Must pass physical examination and occupational health requirements. Work requires sitting, walking, standing, bending and lifting/carrying of light items. Extended Periods of working on a computer and being on the telephone. Education 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 (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. 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 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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. 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.
