Pharmacy Technician

Full Job Description

The certified GS-8 Pharmacy Technician Procurement/Inventory is responsible for all prescription and nonprescription medications and supply purchasing and inventory in a highly complex area of Pharmacy Service.

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: Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).

English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). Education or Experience: None required.

For all grade levels and positions that accept both education and experience to qualify, equivalent combinations of qualifying education and experience that total at least 100% are qualifying.

The combined percentage is determined by adding total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level to the education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level.

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) OR 2.

National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician(ExCPT). Grandfathering 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 licensure/certification/registration 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: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Grade Determinations: Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level and demonstrate the KSAs below.

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). OR 2. 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 KSAs for all GS-08 assignments and meet any additional KSAs for the assignment, if indicated: Comprehensive knowledge of concepts, principles, methodology and policies in a specialized area or section of pharmacy (such as sterile compounding, controlled substances, automation, clinical pharmacy, contact center, etc.) Note: See Specialized Area.in the Definitions Section.

Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures.

Ability to evaluate, analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy. Assignments.

For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

Pharmacy technicians at this level have a higher level of responsibility for specialized areas of pharmacy and are expected to independently carry out assigned tasks of considerable difficulty.

Pharmacy technicians at this grade level may be appointed to one of the following assignments: Pharmacy Technician (Procurement/Inventory).

For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

Pharmacy technicians at this level serve as an ordering officer delegated by the national acquisition center contracting officer for the purpose of ordering against the national pharmacy prime vendor (PPV) contract and national blanket purchase agreements (BPA) for pharmacy.

They are responsible for ordering medications and supplies from required sources and meeting contract compliance while maintaining multiple complex accounts with the PPV.

They utilize the Government purchase card program for direct orders up to the micro purchase threshold per VA financial policy.

Pharmacy technicians at this level are responsible for regulatory and formulary requirements to meet patient needs within budgetary limits. Additional Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs).

Comprehensive knowledge of concepts, principles, methodology and policies in a specialized area or section of pharmacy (such as sterile compounding, controlled substances, automation, clinical pharmacy, contact center, etc.).

Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures.

Ability to evaluate, analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy.

Basic knowledge of pharmacy procurement, distribution and storage requirements to maintain a safe working environment.

This includes not limited to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and DEA requirements and regulations.

Ability to assist in determining and modifying as necessary: ordering intervals, inventory levels and cost-effective ordering quantities from required sources based on current financial conditions in pharmacy, seasonal variations in drug usage, changing patterns in medical practice, delivery time requirements and urgency of medical need.

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8.

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-8.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position.

May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing.

May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

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

Ensure inventory levels of medications and medical supplies are managed so that patient care is not impaired due to insufficient stock or the unavailability of a therapeutic alternative.

Determines, establishes, and modifies, as necessary, appropriate ordering intervals, inventory levels, most efficient ordering quantities, sources of supply, etc.

Ensures when selecting an ordering source, appropriate justification and documentation is furnished to Logistics Management Service and/or Purchasing & Contracting so procurement activities can be in conformance with existing Federal Acquisition Regulations.

Serve as ordering officer for pharmacy service, delegated by the VA National Acquisition Center (NAC) while maintaining annual training requirements.

Removes expired, unusable and excess inventory from stock and processes them for safe removal, according to VHA Directives and standard operating procedures.

Accomplished monthly involving several different manufactures and requires follow-up review to assure receipt of merchandise, etc., requested.

Maintains pharmacy fund control records, verifies information, and reconciles all problems, questions, or discrepancies with appropriate personnel in Purchasing Services.

Uses information to monitor cash flow and adjusts inventory levels and procurement activities to the extent possible to stay within allocated financial resources while maintaining medication inventories sufficient to sustain all areas of patient care.

Prepares budget reports to assess current and past spending patterns, opens and closes annual and quarterly fiscal accounting for Pharmacy Service, and provides financial status reports for review to assure adherence to budgetary goals and objectives.

Provides current and accurate drug budget information to the Director, Pharmacy Service. Provides information to the supervisor on matters that will require supplemental funding.

Prepares cost information to be presented at the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee meeting. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm, subject to change based on the needs of the facility.

Compressed/Flexible: Available at the needs of the service. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized.

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Telework available based on the needs of the service.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement # 02174F: Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.