Pharmacy Facility Program Manager - Pharmacy Benefits Manager

Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. 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 English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d) 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) (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program; Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy) TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION 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) YOU MUST SUBMIT COPY OF FPGEC CERTIFICATION WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGE 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 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 YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF CURRENT LICENSE WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGE Creditable Experience: Knowledge of Professional Pharmacy Practices – To be creditable the experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with professional pharmacy practice. Professional practice means paid/non‑paid employment as a professional or unlicensed graduate pharmacist as defined by the appropriate licensing board. Residency and Fellowship Training: Residency and fellowship training programs in a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice may be substituted for creditable experience on a year‑for‑year basis. The pharmacy residency program must be accredited by the American Society of Health‑System Pharmacists (ASHP). A fellowship program that is not accredited by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) will need to have comparable standards for experience to be creditable. Quality of Experience: Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to pharmacy experience at the next lower level. Experience as a Graduate Pharmacist is creditable provided the candidate was used as a professional pharmacist (under supervision) and subsequently passed the appropriate licensure examination. Part‑time Experience: Part‑time experience as a professional pharmacist is credited according to its relationship to the full‑time workweek. For example—a pharmacist employed 20 hours a week or on a 1/2‑time basis would receive 1 full‑time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service. 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). Grade Determinations: Pharmacist (Facility Program Manager) – GS‑13 Experience: In addition to the GS‑13 basic requirements for employment stated above you must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS‑12) and must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities: 1) Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions; 2) Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area; 3) Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise; 4) Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy; 5) Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies – including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Preferred Experience: ???????Previous VA work experience in formulary management – Pharmacoeconomics – drug file management. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard – please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS‑13. Physical Requirements: ???????Must pass physical examination and occupational health requirements. Work requires sitting, walking, standing, bending and lifting/carrying of light items. Extended periods of working on a computer and being on the telephone. Duties The VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) has an immediate opening for a Pharmacist Program Manager – Pharmacy Benefits Manager to work at the Palo Alto Division. The Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM) position is a unique leadership position within Pharmacy Service that manages programs – not people. This position is unique to VA formulary and fiscal management – thus is only being announced for Internal candidates who have similar experience and knowledge. Duties and Responsibilities include – but are not limited to: Leadership duties: Serves as a resource throughout the pharmacy service and other clinical services. Facilitates and conducts process improvement activities within pharmacy service. Uses effective interpersonal skills – systems thinking approach – flexibility and adaptability – organizational stewardship – technical – leadership and strong communication skills. Pharmacoeconomic Program Management duties: Leads the group of three Pharmacoeconomic Pharmacists in the design, coordination, implementation and management of pharmacy‑based programs aimed at optimizing the cost efficiency of selected medications/pharmacotherapy throughout the organization. Leads monthly Pharmacoeconomic team meetings. Tracks all cost‑savings initiatives through to completion and one‑year post‑implementation outcomes (clinical and financial). Tracks all prior authorization drug consults – decision support order sets (DSOS) – and medication use criteria for annual review and updates. Conducts medication use evaluations including pulling data utilizing SQL. Precepts pharmacy residents (PGY1 and PGY2). Pharmacy Benefits Management duties: Tracks/trends/reports pharmacy budget expenditures monthly. Projects and submits next annual pharmacy budget proposal. Coordinates/tracks/trends attainment of National and VISN performance measures and metrics with the performance measure champions and provides guidance and mentoring to ensure meeting the metrics. Leads the monthly Pharmacy Performance Measure Council (PPMC) meetings. Serves as the Executive Secretary of the health care system Medication Management Committee (MMC – also known as the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee) by preparing the agenda, minutes and summary, coordinating presentations – providing input/guidance to ensure thorough proposals and follow up to requestors. Leads the Pharmacy Leadership pre‑MMC meetings to ensure alignment and operations input before the meeting. Collaborates with the Pharmacy Informatic Pharmacists and Clinical Applications Coordinators to ensure maintenance of the drug file – medication order sets – progress note templates – pulling data from SQL or Fileman – and developing new dashboards where applicable. Work Schedule: Monday – Friday – 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. #J-18808-Ljbffr