Pharmacy Technician (Procurement/Inventory)

Summary

The certified pharmacy technician procurement & contracting at the GS-10 level will serve as lead for contracting, procurement, and budgetary activities in a highly complex area of Pharmacy Service at the Clement J. Zablocki VAMC in Milwaukee, WI.

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Duties

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The major duties and responsibilities of the lead procurement & contracting pharmacy technician include but are not limited to the following:

Contracting & Budgetary Expertise

• Serves as pharmacy's dedicated COR on all contracting activities
• Accurately tracks all contracts and completes new contracts, exercises option years, completes contract renewals, and facilitates contract modifications as required to ensure all contracts serve the intent of allowing the Milwaukee VA Pharmacy to provide uninterrupted, high-quality care.
• Develops acquisition packages conducting market research and independent government cost estimates, statement of work and completing all other requirements prior to submission to contracting.
• Serves as a key point of contact for pharmacy service budget preparation and fund control point(s) management.
• Monitors pharmacy's budgetary position throughout the fiscal year to ensure funds are available and to avoid deficit spending. Communicates budgetary position to pharmacy leadership regularly along with recommendations to improve financial position whenever possible.
• Provides expertise and assists in annual budget projections for Pharmacy Service.
• Communicates collaboratively with Finance and Supply Chain Management Services to resolve any budgetary discrepancies that arise due to changes in the procurement, obligations, or delivery process.

Administrative

• Continuously analyzes and reassess priorities to ensure workload demands are accomplished in the most effective, efficient, and economic manner.
• Trains new procurement staff in department standard operating procedures
• Participates in the training/educating of new non-procurement pharmacy staff as directed
• Assists with the All-Hazards Emergency Cache oversight responsibilities
• Effectively evaluates pharmacy activities to assist pharmacy managers
• Assists pharmacy manager in identifying areas of effort duplication and developing solutions
• Coordinates the review, reconciliation, and reporting requirements for the pharmaceutical reverse-distribution program to ensure expected credits are received in a timely manner.
• Compiles recurring reports on credits received and reconciliation summaries and presents them to leadership.
• Serves as a lead point of contact for procurement and inventory-related pharmacy automation questions
• Reports potential and/or actual medication errors.
• Maintains continuous oversight on the security of pharmacy inventory and storage areas and reports to management any inconsistencies or concerns.
• Attends and actively participates in all procurement and pharmacy meetings as required.

Pharmaceutical Purchasing and Distribution

• Serves as lead ordering officer for pharmacy service
• Initiates ordering requirements and provides guidance to ordering officers
• Provides oversight in determining ordering intervals and stock levels appropriate
• Provides guidance on all types of pharmaceuticals including controlled and non-controlled drugs within established VA ordering guidelines, policies, and procedures within inventory management specialized area with the understanding of proper budget utilization.
• Incumbent may be required to obtain the necessary certification to order narcotic medications through pharmacy prime vendor.
• Process receipt of inventory for the purpose of drug accountability or other inventory management system.
• Utilizes government issued credit cards for micro purchase limits
• Uploads and maintains proper documentation for the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) per the FDA requirements.
• Participates in maintaining all records of pharmacy inventory for DSCSA accountability for auditing purposes.
• Provides oversight in the removal of expired medications from stock, isolates, and processes them for safe removal
• Processes outdated, unusable, and excess inventory for return to respective manufacturers for replacement of usable formulary items or credit.
• Contracting & Budgetary Expertise Contracting & Budgetary Expertise Develops the loan and borrow book standard operating procedures for within and outside of VA.
• Participates in the drug recall program and reports to management their findings.
• Answers questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel regarding drug distribution and supply issues.
• Coordinates with providers and patients on specialty medications and/or supply items to ensure timely delivery to patients
• Performs other duties as assigned

Work Schedule : Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 09601F

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 ( 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.

GS 10 Pharmacy Technician Basic Requirements :

• Citizenship - You must be a citizen of the United States
• English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
• Certification: For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
  1. Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) , Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
  2. National Healthcareer Association (NHA) , Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).

Grandfather Provision :

A Pharmacy Technician employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (11/7/2023) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

Pharmacy Technician (Procurement/Inventory), GS-10:

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-10 you must possess at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-09) Federal or Non Federal.

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).
• National Healthcareer Association ( NHA ), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) .

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs:

• Ability to analyze data for performance improvement projects, workload analysis and statistical reports.
• Ability to prepare for and maintain special accreditations, inspections and reviews (e.g., The Joint Commission, Office of Inspector General, American Society of Health System Pharmacists, controlled substances inspections).
• Ability to solve problems and implement corrective actions to maximize outcomes in their program area.
• Expert knowledge of budgetary and pharmacy procurement operating procedures such as, but not limited to, budget reconciliation, annual wall to wall inventory, sterile compounding and service contracts.
• Skill in managing supply problems such as back orders, interchangeability of products during shortages or finding suitable replacement products.
• Skill in monitoring the quality of input and output of automated/perpetual medication inventory management systems.
• Ability to write policies and procedures for pharmaceutical procurement, inventory management and contracting processes.
• Ability to develop contracting acquisition packages with all necessary required documents including, but not limited to, market research, independent Government cost estimate, statement of work/performance work statement, quotes, proof of funding, etc.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-10.

Physical Requirements: Work is performed primarily in the pharmacy service, where there is a potential for exposure to communicable diseases. Such areas are adequately heated and ventilated, and safety precautions are required. In some cases, dealing with anti-neoplastic drugs may expose the incumbent to hazardous and toxic agents. The incumbent works with drugs/chemicals and must exercise precautions to avoid accidental contact to the skin, eyes, and lungs.

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.

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.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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.

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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 are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal 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.