Supervisory Pharmacy Technician

Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program.

You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment.

Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Responsibilities This position serves as the Inpatient Supervisory Pharmacy Technician with the Orlando VA Medical Center Pharmacy service. They will be responsible for the supervision of inpatient pharmacy technicians. VA Careers - Pharmacy: Operate on a broad delegation of authority with independence of judgment and action.

Evaluate, coordinate, and provide supervisory oversight for all technical aspects of pharmacy operations involved with workflow, pharmacy automation including floor stocking, medication delivery, ward inspections, narcotic vault oversight, inventory procurement and maintenance, compounding clean room support, medication dispensing.

Supervise and provide technical oversight to manage personnel scheduling, time-and-attendance oversight, and oversight for quality assurance activities, as applicable within the assigned section of the Pharmacy Service.

Assure drugs and supplies are appropriately stored and secured according to USP and VA guidelines, including the storage of high-risk, look a-like sound a-like, hazardous, controlled substances, corrosive chemical, flammable liquids, and refrigerated items.

Receive, check, rotate, and place in stock all items received from pharmacy procurement section and identify and reconcile any discrepancies to assure correct items have been received.

Perform monthly inspections to assigned areas to ensure proper storage of medications and soon to expired drugs are removed. Compound and/or reconstitute oral or external medications (non-sterile). Proficiently operate equipment including but not limited to balances and mixing machines in the routing of manufacturing pharmaceutical products. Demonstrate the ability to work under a variety of circumstances to maximize group productivity and quality. Complete all National, VISN, local, and Pharmacy mandatory training in a timely manner.

May be assigned to work in other areas of pharmacy service as deemed necessary by the Chief, Pharmacy Service or Supervisor.

Develop the work schedule, plan and grant leave and rotate duties of the pharmacy technician staff.

Analyze and reassess priorities, redirecting staff to assure the workload demands are accomplished in the most effective, efficient, and economic manner possible.

Conduct regular technician meetings to assure proper updates of departmental and hospital communications. Assist in the development of policy and procedure and participate in departmental goal planning and quality improvement activities.

Assure all pharmacy technicians receive on the job training of technician functions, policies, and procedures that are required for their specific position.

This includes providing continual evaluation and feedback and additional training to those exhibiting deficiencies. Will perform any duties of any lower grade pharmacy technician when the needs of the service require.

Work Schedule:

Employees will be required to work day, evening, night, weekend , holiday and or compressed, tours on a rotating schedule.

The hours may vary per the needs of the service and will rotate, on a fair and equitable basis, to include weekends and holidays.

Compressed/Flexible:

Available Telework:
Not Available Functional Statement #: 82062F Relocation/

Recruitment Incentives:
Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS):

Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report:
Not required 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.

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:
a

United States Citizenship:

Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

b. Education or Experience. (1) None required.

(2) 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.

c. Certification.

For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:

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).

(1) Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). OR (2) National Health career Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).

Grade Determinations:
Pharmacy Technician, GS Experience. One year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the lower grade level. (2) Certification.

For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
(a) PTCB as a CPhT. OR (b) NHA as a ExCPT. (3) 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:
(a) 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.). (b) Skill in analyzing data for self-driven (independent) performance improvement projects, workload analysis and statistical reports. (c) Skill in solving problems and implementing corrective actions to maximize outcomes in their program area. (d) 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). (e) Ability to develop training programs and material for orientation, competency development and educational needs for regulatory requirements within the specialized pharmacy program area. (4) 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. (b) Supervisory Pharmacy Technician. 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. i Additional Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). (A) Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders and managers. (B) Ability to utilize staffing methodology principles to determine adequate staffing to coordinate and manage workflow and work activities within pharmacy.

References:
VA HANDBOOK 5005/159 November 07, 2023 PART II APPENDIX G28 G28-1 APPENDIX G28. PHARMACY TECHNICIAN QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-0661 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-09.

Preferred Experience:
Inpatient experience including sterile compound and inpatient automation

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:
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:
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. Pursuant to VHA Directive , VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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.

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