Pharmacist (Facility Program Manager) Job in Buffalo, NY

Vacancy No. CBTE-12754633-25-CM Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $110,200.00 to $143,261.00 Grade 13 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/25/2025 Close Date 6/30/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Buffalo, NY


Summary

Summary: The incumbent is the Facility Program Manager for the VISTA Clinical Information system (CIS) and all applications that interface with the Computerized Patient Record System and Clinical Procedures. He/she coordinates the management of these packages with the Chief of Pharmacy, BCMA Manager, Chief Information Officer (CIO), the Chief of Staff and managers/chiefs of the various clinical services at the Western NY VAMC located in Buffalo, NY.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

CURRENT AND PERMANENT VISN2 EMPLOYEES ONLY

Duties

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws

The incumbent serves as a liaison between the CHIO, Chief of Staff, Pharmacy, the direct patient care service chiefs, ancillary and administrative service chiefs, Biomed, and OI&T; regarding the electronic patient record and all clinical information system programs at this Medical Center and its outpatient clinics. The incumbent coordinates Order Entry and Results Reporting/Computerized Patient Record Systems (CPRS) programs, Clinical Procedures, Bar Code Medication Administration, and the related software packages that comprise those programs.

The primary function of this position is to implement, coordinate, evaluate and manage the CPRS and Clinical Procedures programs as it relates to all interfacing clinical packages. The evaluation of the CPRS programs includes extensive testing of software upgrades in a mirrored test account to decrease impact on the end user and patient care. This requires extensive clinical working knowledge of clinical packages in the VISTA system. The incumbent develops, implements, validates, and maintains clinical protocols and data files used in these programs.

The incumbent possesses the knowledge and experience to be able to sit on at least one Expert Panel for CPRS, Clinical Procedures, BCMA or any Clinical related packages. As an identified subject matter expert, the incumbent may serve as a program preceptor to other VISTA clinical information systems coordinators responsible for CPRS programs, and provides education and training on systems applications, file management and program development as required.

The incumbent is a resource person to the clinical staff concerning VISTA clinical programs. These may be confined to a single service and/or extend across organizational lines. Problem solving involves consulting with service line managers/service chiefs, clinical users, vendors, and/or national program developers, to determine individual needs and develop a plan of action to correct/implement any required changes. The incumbent works with all medical center clinicians to analyze their problems and provide solutions or suggestions concerning the VISTA/GUI clinical programs. He/she implements modifications to address their concerns or issues as allowed within the framework of the VISTA information system. The incumbent also initiates regular reviews of the programs and consults with the administrative users to identify problems before they become deterrents to the use of the system.

Extensive knowledge of the VISTA clinical information system programs to implement new applications and to maintain desired functions is required. Extensive knowledge and applications ability for all aspects of the CPRS, Clinical Procedures, BCMA, and Pharmacy programs is required. The incumbent has a high level of expertise in understanding and implementing integral aspects of the VISTA clinical programs. This knowledge base uniquely qualifies the incumbent to coordinate the integration and implementation of all clinical databases within the medical center environment. He/she also demonstrates the ability to analyze clinical information systems user sites to determine problems, note deficiencies and take appropriate corrective action.

He/she trains physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, and other clinical and administrative staff in the use of the CPRS programs and advises the clinical staff of those features of the CIS programs, which may help them, manage patients more efficiently. He/she is expected to organize and present educational sessions designed to help clinicians learn to use CPRS programs and any other VISTA clinical programs pertinent to their patient care functions. Training sessions are scheduled to accommodate the clinicians. Mechanisms are designed to accommodate the frequent rotational schedules of the house staff and the medical students and may require that training occurs on off tours. The incumbent may also assist in the training of clinical applications package coordinators (ADPAC) and other clinical coordinators.


Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: PD12593F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period.
  • 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).

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. 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.
  • 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).

GS 13 : Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements listed above, candidates must meet the following requirements.

Experience. In addition to the GS-13 requirements, you must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level which includes, but are not limited to: reviewing, interpreting, and verifying medication orders for appropriateness; identify and solve medication-related problem; providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution processing and filling medication orders; interacting with and making recommendations to other clinical staff regarding medication therapy to ensure safe and effective care; documenting recommendations and interventions.

Preferred Experience:
Extensive Data Analysis Expertise.
Proficient in data extraction, cleaning, manipulation, and analysis using tools such as SQL, R, Python, or similar.
Experience in interpreting complex data sets to provide actionable insights that enhance clinical and operational decision-making.
Proven track record of developing and implementing data-drive strategies to streamline pharmacy operations and improve patient outcomes.
Clinical Application Coordinator (CAC) Experience.
Demonstrated expertise in managing and supporting clinical applications within a healthcare setting.
Experience coordinating with multidisciplinary teams to design, test and implement electronic health record (EHR) systems and other clinical software.
Ability to serve as a liaison between pharmacy and staff and IT Departments to ensure seamless integration and optimal performance of clinical applications.
Skilled in providing training, support, and troubleshooting for end-users to maximize the effective use of clinical applications
In-depth knowledge of pharmacy automation systems, electronic prescribing and medication management technologies.
Hands-on experience in optimizing pharmacy informatics workflows to enhance medication safety, accuracy and efficiency.
Familiarity with regulatory standards and best practices in healthcare informatics, such as HL7, FHIR, and HIPAA.
Demonstrated ability to lead initiatives from conception through implementation, ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget.
Strong organizational skills with experience managing multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, to collaborate with stakeholders at all levels and present findings clearly and concisely.

Facility Program Manager. Manages all aspects of a distinct program to include policy development, quality resources and specialty functions unique to the program to optimize cost effectiveness (budget) and patient outcomes. Coordinates a single program area of a complex pharmacy operation, or multiple program areas within a facility to develop, organize, manage, and control complex clinical applications and programs. Develops, organizes, coordinates and manages single or multiple program areas within the medical facility; this may include a single program area at multiple facilities. The Program Manager title is reserved for those individuals who have one or more of the following: supervisory responsibilities for various sections within Pharmacy Service; a complex program requiring coordination of multiple locations such as medical center care facilities, Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), rural health, telemedicine, etc; specialized areas of a complex nature such as nuclear pharmacy, quality assurance, pharmacy informatics, clinical applications coordinator, Home Based Primary Care, pharmacoeconomist or liaison pharmacist duties requiring the coordination of processes with other medical facilities or VISNs.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs below:

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAS).
  • Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
  • Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
  • Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
  • Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
  • Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: The work is mainly sedentary but may require walking, bending, standing, and/or carry of light items such as paper, files, and manuals. 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

Receiving Service Credit or 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.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  • Resume


The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

  • Cover Letter
  • DD-214/ Statement of Service
  • Disability Letter (Schedule A)
  • Disability Letter (VA)
  • License
  • Other (1)
  • PCS Orders
  • Professional Certification
  • Resume
  • Separation Notice (RIF)
  • SF-15
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript


Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 06/30/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12754633.

  1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
  2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Agency contact information

Christina Morel
Address
VA Western New York Healthcare System
3495 Bailey Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14215
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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