Summary

The Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center is recruiting for one Pharmacist (Associate Chief of Operations). The incumbent provides administrative, clinical, and programmatic leadership for the Pharmacy Service to ensure achievement of the clinical, research, and education goals and applicable performance measures. The incumbent is accountable for the delivery of all health care by the staff of the Pharmacy Service.

Duties

Overview: The incumbent establishes organizational structures and guidelines, performance standards, work review and reporting requirements, and defines the lines of authority and supervisory controls essential to carrying out the mission of the Pharmacy Service. Incumbent maintains a close working relationship with the Chief of Pharmacy and other healthcare providers. The incumbent is responsible for planning, directing, staffing, coordinating, and controlling a full range of pharmaceutical services.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Healthcare and program management principles
• Personnel management, administration, supervision, training and development
• Labor/management requirements and processes
• EEO requirements and processes
• Oral and written communication techniques
• Budget processes and management
• Effective resource utilization management
• Continuous quality improvement techniques and processes
• Staff training, development, and empowering
• Statistical data collection and evaluation
• Short and long-term planning processes
• Effective decision-making
• Working with and leading multidisciplinary teams or groups
• Job/function/process evaluation and redesign principles
• Conflict management and problem solving/resolution
• Promoting and ensuring customer satisfaction standards
• Performing other related duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8am to 430pm

Compressed/Flexible: Not Available

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position

Functional Statement #:

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.
• You must provide an annual financial disclosure.
• 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

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.
• Language: Applicants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.
• Licensure: You must possess a 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.
• Education: You must meet one of the following conditions:
  
  
  • Graduate of an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accreditedCollege 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 60602-5109; phone: (312) 664-3575, 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.)
  • OR
  • 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).

Grandfathering provision is not applicable to this position because it is above the full performance level.

Grade Determinations GS-14:

• Specialized Experience: In addition to the GS-13 requirements, you must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. Examples of specialized experience at the GS-13 includes, but is not limited to: Being responsible for coordinating multiple programs in pharmacy service in a medical facility. Serving as the Acting Service Chief in the absence of the Service Chief. Developing and maintaining a system of internal reviews that ensure service programs operate at a satisfactory level of performance and in compliance with regulatory and accrediting bodies. Having extensive responsibility for pharmacy utilization of resources and budget. Making selections, assigning personnel, and serving as a mentor to help employees develop their full potential.
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the licensure and experience for the GS-14 level, you must also possess the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities.
  
  
  • Skill in persuading others and gaining cooperation to accomplish goals
  • Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing regarding complex clinical andtechnical 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

Preferred Experience: Supervisory experience inpatient / outpatient pharmacy

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

Physical Requirements: 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

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.

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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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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.