Summary
The certified pharmacy technician procurement/inventory at the GS-9 level will serve as lead and is responsible for assisting in the oversight for all prescription and nonprescription medications and supply purchasing and inventory in a highly complex area of Pharmacy Service at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital and Clinics.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
The area of consideration will be considered in the following order: Tampa VA employees, VA employees (nation-wide), federal employees and then the public. Agency and federal employees must provide a CURRENT (non-award) SF50 to have preference.
Duties
VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws
The duties and responsibilities of the lead procurement/Inventory pharmacy technician include but are not limited to the following:
Administrative.
i. Continuously analyzes and reassess priorities to ensure workload demands are accomplished in the most effective, efficient, and economic manner.
ii. Effectively evaluates pharmacy activities to assist pharmacy managers in obtaining short- and long-range goals and objectives.
iii. Assists in quality improvement by participating in service process assessments and action teams and by continually seeking to improve the service.
iv. Knowledgeable in and ensures other procurement staff follow all department, pharmacy service, station level, VISN, National and VHA, DEA, policies, and procedures.
v. Demonstrates efforts to improve patient satisfaction, lower cost, and improve quality and timeliness.
vi. Works constructively as a team member, assisting co-workers in tasks that support staff, visitors, and other customers in achieving service toward facility and network goals.
vii. Maintains continuous oversight on the security of pharmacy inventory and storage areas and reports to management any inconsistencies or concerns.
viii. Attends all procurement and pharmacy meetings as required.
Pharmaceutical Purchasing and Distribution. Not limited to:
- Serves as lead ordering officer for pharmacy service, delegated by the VA National Acquisition Center while maintaining annual training requirements.
- Trains new procurement staff on departments standard operating procedures and provides oversight to ensure competencies are met. Re-trains staff as dictated.
- Initiates ordering requirements and provides guidance to ordering officers for pharmaceuticals, specialty, and supply items through pharmacy prime vendors multi complex accounts or other sources using various methods of payment. Responsible for adherence to federal contracts and compliance with federal regulations regarding open market, ensuring inventory control through perpetual evaluation.
- Provides oversight in determining ordering intervals and stock levels appropriate to meet changes in formulary, brand to AB rated generic drugs, contract changes, conversions, new drug indications including backorders and seasonal changes.
- Provides guidance on all types of pharmaceuticals including controlled and non-controlled drugs within established VA ordering guidelines, policies, and procedures within inventory management specialized area with the understanding of proper budget utilization.
- Incumbent may be required to obtain the necessary certification to order narcotic medications through pharmacy prime vendor.
- Purchases using National contracts (NAT), Federal supply schedules (FSS), Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) and open market etc to ensure compliance with federal acquisition regulations and policy, understands and provides guidance to ordering officers on contracting hierarchy of all purchases.
- Process receipt of inventory for the purpose of drug accountability or other inventory management system.
- Utilizes government issued credit cards for micro purchase limits with understanding of when to use; while maintaining required proper documentation, and reconciliation of receipt of all orders in a timely manner for auditing and accountability purposes, training, etc.
- Uploads and maintains proper documentation for the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) per the FDA requirements.
- Participates in maintaining all records of pharmacy inventory for DSCSA accountability for auditing purposes.
- Possesses advanced technical knowledge of VA and regulatory agency requirements for drug storage and special requirements for procurement, storage, distribution, and handling of various hazardous and non-hazardous drug classes.
- Provides oversight in the removal of expired medications from stock, isolates, and processes them for safe removal according to VHA Directives and standard operating procedures.
- Processes outdated, unusable, and excess inventory for return to respective manufacturers for replacement of usable formulary items or credit. This is accomplished on a regular, scheduled basis in compliance with VHA Directives. Maintains an internal inventory list for accountability for removal and tracking which involves numerous different manufacturers. Requires complex review and follow up to ensure proper handling and transfer of inventory, receipt of merchandise, and reconciliation of proper credits, or determined as waste according to manufacturer policy, etc. Records must be kept for a period of 3 yrs.
- Develops the loan and borrow book standard operating procedures for within and outside of VA. Maintains proper documentation per the DSCSA requirements.
- Maintains a clean working environment and determines when shelf labels need to be updated for contract compliance.
Work Schedule: 730-4PM M-F May include weekends/ holidays per the needs of the pharmacy dept.
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.
- 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).
- Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
- Certification. The employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
- Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). OR
- National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).
Proof of this certification must be provided with this application.
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.
- Certification. The employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
- Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).OR
- National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).
Proof of this certification must be provided with this application.
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). Grandfather Provision. A Pharmacy Technician employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (11/7/2023) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
- Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (This position is above the full performance level)
- Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/ registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/ certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.
- Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
- Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.
- Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
Grade Determinations:Pharmacy Technician (Procurement/Inventory) - Experience Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must possess at least one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-08).
-AND-
In addition to meeting the experience for the GS-09 level, do you possess the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities?
- Expert knowledge serving as a key resource advising others in their particular specialty area or section of the pharmacy (such as procurement, sterile compounding (USP compounding standards), controlled substances DEA, automation, clinical pharmacy, lead tech, contact center, etc.).
- Skill in analyzing data for self-driven (independent) performance improvement projects, workload analysis and statistical reports.
- Skill in solving problems and implementing corrective actions to maximize outcomes in their program area.
- Ability to maintain special accreditations and prepare for national reviews/inspections (e.g., The Joint Commission, Inspector General, American Society of Health System Pharmacists, controlled substance inspections).
- Ability to develop training programs and material for orientation, competency development and educational needs for regulatory requirements within the specialized pharmacy program area.
- Knowledge of pharmaceutical and supply inventory requirements to ensure compliance with regulations and national/audit/inspections (e.g., financial regulations, The Joint Commission, Inspector General, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, DEA, USP 797/800, FDA 503A/B).
- Knowledge of clinical specifications, characteristics and ordering processes of a wide variety of soft prosthetics and supply items (e.g., catheters, colostomy, ileostomy and urostomy supply and associated products) that technicians procure to dispense to Veterans in the outpatient pharmacy setting.
- Skill in managing specialized programs related to inventory including, but not limited to, specialty medications and supplies, All Hazards Emergency Cache Program, recalls, reverse distribution and pharmaceutical waste.
Preferred Experience: Pharmacy Technician Certification with experience in procurement and inventory.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
This announcement is for a position that is above the full performance level.
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.
Education
IMPORTANT: 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/.
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.
RESUME REMINDER-
PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE A PHOTO IN YOUR RESUME
Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:
**Job title Duties: be as detailed as possible
**Month & year start/end dates: (e.g. June 2017 to April 2021)
**Full-time or part-time status: (include hours worked per week)
**Series and Grade: for all Federal positions you have held.
Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.
Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy.
***We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.***
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:
- Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). OR National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT)
- Resume
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to 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 (VA)
- Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). OR National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT)
- Current, unrestricted, state license as a Pharmacy Technician
- Resume
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
SF-50 Reminder for Federal Employee Applicants- If your most recent SF-50 has an effective date (shown in box 4) within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess the 1 full year of specialized experience in your present grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50, prior to your most recent one. The yearly Cost of Living Adjustment SF-50, issued in January, does not prove a full year of specialized experience. Monetary or time off award SF-50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted.
Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
- Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
- Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
- SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old
Vet Pref Waiver notice
Although hybrid title 38 occupations follow title 5 Veterans' preference rules, as required by the Merit Systems Protection Board (Graves v. VA, 117 M.S.P.R. 697 (2012)), 38 U.S.C. ยง 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference to external applicants for appointments made during the fiscal year to hybrid title 38 occupations among those reported to have the largest staffing shortages.
This occupational series currently falls under this waiver. While veterans will still have first opportunity for public announcements, this waiver does not guarantee a veteran being selected if qualified.
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 09/26/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12551804.
- 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.
- 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.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
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.
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