Inventory Management Specialist

Summary

This position serves as an Inventory Manager in the Commodity Management Division of the Logistics Service in the Hudson Valley VA Healthcare System at the Montrose VA Medical Center, and supported catchment area, with responsibility for the inventory management of all expendable supplies and durable medical equipment (DME) in the assigned areas.

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Duties

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Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Inventory Management and Control:
  • Manages and controls an assigned class of expendable material.
  • Recognized as an authority on expendable commodity management and services as a subject matter expert to all services and service lines.
  • Acts as a central point of contact for the coordination of community support and the resolution of logistics problems across organizational lines.
  • Acts as a focal point for new EX supply procedures.
  • Makes decisions and commitments for the medical center on medical/surgical supplies that materially after the VA HCS' ability to provide medical care to Veterans.
  • Researches opportunities for and conducts analysis of potential cost savings, efficiencies, and process improvements using quantitative analysis and historical usage patterns.
  • Utilizes performance measures to conduct forecasting and quantitative analysis
  • Develops Standard Operating Procedures.
  • Conducts short, mid, and long term advanced planning for expendable items and DME, utilizing enterprise-wide computerized planning tools.
  • Uses a range of well-established and commonly applied inventory principles, standard and non-standard methodologies, and concepts to determine need to intervene in the supply system in response to fluctuations in rates of usage, cost, availability for established suppliers, alternative source of supply and other similar conditions.
  • Performs analytical work to manage, regulate, coordinate, or otherwise exercise control over expendable supplies.
  • Forecasts short and long range inventory needs considering changes in medical and surgical technologies, clinical scheduling changes and program requirements.
  • Participates in VISN and facility strategic planning to support major and monitor projects and initiatives
  • Other duties as assigned
• Returns, Recalls, and Reutilization:
  • Implements federal and agency programs for the return and reutilization of medical supplies.
  • Uses well established and commonly applied supply methods to maintain activity formulary inventory.
  • Coordinates with the property managers for disposal of surplus or excess supplies in accordance with specific agency directives and procedures.
  • Services as the primary responder to the VA National Center for Patient Safety Recall Office for their area of responsibility.
  • Makes emergent procurement decisions in coordination with stakeholders based on back order issues created by national recalls. Participates in Root Cause Analysis process to assist in determining how the supply chain is impacted upon a near miss or Veteran care mishap.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: 0730-1600 (M-F)

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Inventory Management Specialist/ PD99823S

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

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
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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
• Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• 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)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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 probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/01/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement : Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05.For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position at the GS-07 grade level, you must meet one of the following:

One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal service that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. Specialized experience includes: conducting research and maintaining perpetual inventory accounts for non-expendable equipment in a data base system; determining required sources of equipment, purchase card program and simplified acquisition procedures; using bar code scanning equipment and appropriate tagging equipment to implement property accounting systems; researching and analyzing information to resolve questions and issues, and improve operations; and advising on the management, control, and accountability of equipment in use.

NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

~OR~

Have successfully completed 1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

~OR~

Possess equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (in excess of the first year or 18 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required.

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must meet one of the following:

One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. Specialized experience includes: maintaining inventory control records in an automated system; managing a property management program and determining the means and methods to resolve issues and improve operations; determining required sources of equipment, purchase card program and simplified acquisition procedures; researching and analyzing information to include tracing sequences of inventory management transactions; and advising on the management, control and accountability of equipment in use.

NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

~OR~

Have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. of J.D., if related that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.

NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

~OR~

Possess equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (in excess of the first year or 18 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Note : A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Education

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

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

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.