Supervisory Pharmacy Technician - Outpatient

Clarification from the agency

This is an INTERNAL ANNOUNCEMENT and is limited to current permanent employees of the Iowa City VA Health Care System and current permanent VA Nationwide employees. If you are not in any of these categories, you should apply under the external announcement number CBSY-13078746-26-MI NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The Technician Supervisor must have an extensive knowledge of facility's pharmacy policies and procedures and the use of specialized equipment. The Technician Supervisor will communicate with VISN and facility leadership and staff when deemed appropriate and necessary.

FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES:Duties include but are not limited to:

• Customer Service
  • Treat patients, team members, other facility employees and visitors with dignity and respect.
  • Respond to the needs of the Veteran and staff in a courteous and timely manner.
  • Demonstrate appropriate and proactive interpersonal skills to achieve the goals of the service.
  • Act as a team member and support the team's efforts at all times.
  • Demonstrate an ability to work under a variety of circumstances to maximize group productivity and quality of services provided.
• Pharmacy Operations
  • Maintain competence in all operational aspects of pharmacy service including specialty equipment and materials, automation, distribution, labeling, packaging, documentation, controlled substance accountability, procurement, and inventory management.
  • Operates and maintains complicated pharmacy equipment including robotic automation (ScriptPro). Ability to troubleshoot in the event of equipment or associated software malfunction, including the ability to request service assistance from VA entities or the equipment vendor.
  • Reads and interprets prescriptions for technical accuracy, completes prescription filling process including labeling and batching prescriptions utilizing robotic automation (ScriptPro) when applicable. For those medications and/or supplies unavailable for fill by robotic automation (ScriptPro), technician manually obtains correct medication or material in the proper strength and dosage form, manually counts, pours, and/or measures correct amount of medication, and manually affixes proper label; records required data in robotic automation (ScriptPro) database or on Pharmacy's copy of prescription/order hardcopy when required. Presents completed prescriptions to pharmacist for final verification prior to dispensing.
• Administrative Functions
  • Supervises the efforts of the technical staff including technicians and students.
    • Evaluates, analyzes, and prioritizes workflow in real time and coordinates technical staff work activities based on the departmental needs.
    • Administers training and orientation for new technical staff as well as delivering staff development on updated or new policies and procedures.
  • Possesses knowledge of human resources policies and procedures.
    • Prepares and writes the work schedule covering all assignments.
    • Coordinates schedules and approves leave requests.
    • Hears and resolves complaints from technical staff.
    • Assesses and performs all progress reviews, annual performance appraisals, and competencies for technical staff.
    • Supports the health care system's EEO Program and supports and practices effective labor/management relationships.
  • Works closely with the Outpatient Supervisor and the Pharmacy Management team in overall planning and implementation of policies and procedures for the Pharmacy Service.
    • Effectively communicates the pharmacy vision and strategic plan to the technical staff both verbally and through written material.
    • Demonstrates multidirectional communication strategies relating to planned and unanticipated interruptions of daily pharmacy operations.
    • Leads technical staff meetings when appropriate.
  • Submits recommendations on space, manpower, and equipment based on extensive working knowledge of the pharmacy operation.

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.
• 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.

• 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.

Qualifications

All requirements must be met at the time of the announcement closing.

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 or Experience.
  • None required.
  • For all grade levels and positions that accept both education and experience to qualify, equivalent combinations of qualifying education and experience that total at least 100% are qualifying. The combined percentage is determined by adding total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level to the education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level.
• Certification. For positions above the full performance level, 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).
• Grandfathering Provision. Pharmacy technicians employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration 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.
  • 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.
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.
• English Language Proficiency. Pharmacy Technician candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

• Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-08) and demonstrate the KSAs below.
• Certification. For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
  • PTCB as a CPhT. OR
  • NHA as a ExCPT.

• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs and meet any additional KSAs for the assignment, if indicated:
  • 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.
  • Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders and managers.
  • Ability to utilize staffing methodology principles to determine adequate staffing to coordinate and manage workflow and work activities within pharmacy.
• Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Pharmacy technicians at this grade level may be appointed to one of the following assignments. Supervisory pharmacy technicians are responsible for management and supervision of at least three GS-08 pharmacy technicians. These positions require significant independent technical judgement and expertise in complex areas of pharmacy practice, regulatory requirements and quality standards. They organize, coordinate and manage programs for the pharmacy service at the facility level. These pharmacy technicians will be responsible for communicating with VISN or national pharmacy leadership as well as individual facility leadership and staff.

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.

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

• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Professional Certification
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

• Cover Letter
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• **Highly Recommended** Write to the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) on a separate document - KSAs are found under qualification/grade requirements in the announcement.
• Professional Certification
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

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