Summary

The Associate Pharmacy Service Chief assists the Chief of Pharmacy in budget management, utilization of resources, planning and directing pharmacy service programs, maintaining compliance with all regulatory and accrediting bodies, and coordinating the overall Pharmacy Service to provide comprehensive, high quality pharmaceutical care services to all Veteran patients served by the VA Central California Health Care System (VACCHCS).

Duties

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The Associate Pharmacy Service Chief, Outpatient Care Service is responsible for all aspects of outpatient pharmacy operations in the VA Central California Health Care System which includes the Outpatient Pharmacy, Consolidated Mail Out Patient Pharmacy (CMOP), Primary Care/PACT specialists, Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC), Home Based Primary Care (HBPC), Emergency Management/Pharmacy Cache, State Veteran's Home, and the Telephone Care services.

Major Duties for the position include but not limited to:

Clinical

• Develops, implements, and maintains high quality, age-specific pharmaceutical care programs which are designed to improve patient outcomes in a cost-effective manner.
• Promotes the rational use of medications by providing unbiased drug information, drug monitoring and usage evaluation services, and drug counseling and consultations.
• Responsible for all clinical pharmacy activities within the outpatient section of pharmacy, including oversight of clinical pharmacy specialists' scopes of practice, adherence to clinical practice guidelines, evidence-based medication utilization and cost-effective care.
• Serves as a consultant and resource for pharmacists, and with other facility healthcare staff in monitoring and evaluating healthcare delivery to patients.
• Assess, plans, and evaluates the scope and quality of pharmacy programs to ensure proper coordination between the delivery of pharmacy services and the overall delivery of healthcare.

Administration/Supervision/Leadership

• Responsible for the management of Outpatient pharmacy operations including prescription processing, consult management and clinic management.
• Plans, organizes, assigns, and reviews work of subordinates; this includes scheduling of priorities and personnel for the effective completion of pharmacy programs objectives.
• Accepts and implements special assignments of the Chief, Pharmacy Service and Chief of Staff consisting of data collection and educational activities directed toward altering the medical staff's prescribing patterns in order to maintain an effective mediation cost containment program.
• Develops policies and procedures defining operational requirements of the section.
• Develops pertinent service and health system policies, procedures and guidelines for the effective, safe, and cost-effective use of medications.
• Provides advise, counsel, or instructions to subordinate employees on both work and administrative matters.
• Counsels employees on performance when necessary and/or recognize high level performance as appropriate.
• Interviews candidates and recommends appointments, advancements, promotions to the Pharmacist and Technician Professional Standards Boards.
• Supervises and evaluates the Outpatient clinical pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and clinical pharmacy specialists.
• Establishes service mission, goals, and objectives consistent with those of national, regional, and local VA leadership.

Research

• Provides oversight of all research related activities within the Outpatient section of the Pharmacy Service.
• Helps coordinate pharmacy staff participation in original and collaborative research as opportunities arise.

Program Management

• Oversees the implementation, use, and maintenance of all outpatient pharmacy VistA and pharmacy automation computer applications.
• Manages the Pharmacy Service portion of e-Pharmacy Claims, third party insurance claims, and non-VA care authorizations and payments (fee basis program).
• Assess, plan, and evaluate the scope and quality of pharmacy programs to ensure proper coordination between the delivery of pharmacy services and the overall delivery of healthcare.

Education

• Directs affiliated training programs for pharmacy students, interns, residents, and pharmacy technician students.
• Assumes the responsibility of expanding the role of clinical pharmacists through extensive staff development program in an environment involving direct patient care, drug therapy monitoring, consultative services, drug utilization review practices of polypharmacy and other clinical pharmacy services.
• Participates in self-development activities to improve professional and administrative proficiency and potential.

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

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 10780-F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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.

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.
• 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. Verification of approved degree programs may be obtained from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois [redacted]; phone: [redacted], or through their Web site at: http://www.acpe-accredit.org/.(NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy.)
• 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. *Must provide copy of licensure in application packet*
• Grandfathering Provision: 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).
• English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

Grade Determinations:

• Experience: In addition to the GS-13 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
• Associate Service Chief: Responsible for coordinating multiple programs in pharmacy service in a medical facility. Serves as the Acting Service Chief in the absence of the Service Chief. Develops and maintains a system of internal reviews that ensure service programs operate at a satisfactory level of performance and in compliance with regulatory and accrediting bodies. Responsible for pharmacy utilization of resources and budget. Makes selections, assigns personnel, and serves as a mentor to help employees develop their full potential. (NOTE: Associate Service Chief/ Associate CMOP Director positions should be graded one grade below the grade of the Chief of Pharmacy Service or CMOP Director.)

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):

• Skill in persuading others and gaining cooperation to accomplish goals.
• Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing regarding complex clinical and technical issues.
• Skill in utilizing regulatory and quality standards to develop and implement operational programs.
• Skill in managing multiple people or programs.
• Skill in utilizing available resources to support the mission and goals of the organization.
• Ability to plan, organize and direct the functions of the pharmacy staff.

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).

Preferred Experience: At least 1 year of VA Outpatient experience preferred.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical of the occupation. May be required to wear personal protective equipment to undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. The incumbent must satisfactorily complete a pre-employment physical to include moderate lifting (15-44 pounds), light carrying 15 lbs or less, straight pulling, reaching above the shoulder with the use of both hands and fingers, ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors, which is required for this position.

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 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.

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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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