Supervisory Pharmacy Technician

Full Job Description

This position is located within the Veterans Affairs John D Dingell VA Medical Center.

The certified GS-9 Pharmacy Technician Supervisor is responsible for the supervision of all Pharmacy non-pharmacist technical staff and volunteers.

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.

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

English Language Proficiency: Pharmacy Technician candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

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).

Grandfathering Provision.

Pharmacy technicians employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard 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 GS-09: In addition to meeting the basic requirements you must possess at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-08).

This experience may include but is not limited to: perform duties independently, which consist of significant scope and complexity and will assist with technician oversight.

Lead pharmacy technicians lead three GS-07 or more pharmacy technicians/employees/staff members, provide direction for daily operations and assume responsibility for integrating and monitoring standard pharmacy policies to maintain continuous workflow and quality within the service.

Lead pharmacy technicians must do a combination of at least three of the following duties: prepare work schedules and assign tasks to ensure timely completion of duties; ensure pharmacy resources are in optimal working condition and address workflow needs; provide guidance and support of the work unit in supervisory absence; train personnel (including students) in methods, procedures and use of equipment and instruments specific to the assigned area; provide input to supervisor on performance and training needs of employees; adjust work assignments due to absences, emergencies or changes in priorities; resolve simple informal complaints of employees and patients, refer more difficult problems to the supervisor; or recommend approval and/or disapproval of leave requests.

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: Expert knowledge serving as a key resource advising others in their particular specialty area or section of the pharmacy (such as procurement, sterile compounding (USP compounding standards), controlled substances DEA, automation, clinical pharmacy, lead tech, contact center, etc.).

Skill in analyzing data for self-driven (independent) performance improvement projects, workload analysis and statistical reports.

Skill in solving problems and implementing corrective actions to maximize outcomes in their program area.

Ability to maintain special accreditations and prepare for national reviews/inspections (e.g., The Joint Commission, Inspector General, American Society of Health System Pharmacists, controlled substance inspections).

Ability to develop training programs and material for orientation, competency development and educational needs for regulatory requirements within the specialized pharmacy program area.

Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders and managers.

Ability to utilize staffing methodology principles to determine adequate staffing to coordinate and manage workflow and work activities within pharmacy.

Preferred Experience: Two years of leadership experience, sterile compounding certified, and experience with chemotherapy and preparation.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-09.

Physical Requirements: Light to heavy lifting (under 15 pounds to 45 pounds and over), as needed light to heavy carrying (under 15 pounds to 45 pounds and over), straight pulling (1 hour), pushing (2 hours), reaching over shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking (5 hours), standing (7 hours),sitting (2 hours), repeated bending (2 hours), both legs required, near vision correctable at 13 to 16 to Jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, ability to distinguish basic colors, ability to distinguish shades of colors, working alone, protracted or irregular hours of work.

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. Major Duties:

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws The incumbent operates independently with broad authority, overseeing all technical aspects of pharmacy operations, including medication management, ward inspections, inventory, and dispensing.

They supervise personnel and manage work assignments, ensuring the completion of tasks like scheduling, quality assurance, and technician training, while assisting pharmacy management with administrative duties.

Develop the work schedule, plan and grant leave and rotate duties of the pharmacy technician staff.

Assures that personnel are scheduled in such a way as to provide consistency of coverage and to accommodate planned leave and promote employee morale, is responsible for tracking and submitting pharmacy technicians time biweekly.

Effectively manages technical staff to assure workflow is optimized within assigned service area.

Continuously analyzes and reassesses priorities, redirecting staff to assure that workload demands are accomplished in the most effective, efficient, and economic manner possible.

Coordinate day-to-day maintenance and operation of pharmacy area equipment and automation. Oversee the narcotic vault(s) and other specialty areas as required and assigned.

Support with infusion services staffing, ancillary needs, as required and assigned.

Assist with the development of performance standards that are realistic, challenging, and supporting the organizational mission, vision, and goals.

Responsible for ensuring all employees meet performance standards and competencies. Identify areas for improvement as needed.

Assists the Associate Chief of Pharmacy and/or Pharmacy Supervisor in interviewing and selecting new employees and candidates for promotion and/or reassignment.

Make recommendations of employees for performance awards and other forms of recognition. Review on annual basis each subordinate's competencies and complete performance evaluations for subordinates.

Ensure any deficiencies are properly noted and training/re-training is scheduled in a timely manner.

Recommend counseling and disciplinary action based upon conduct under the supervision of the Associate Chief of Pharmacy and/or Pharmacy Supervisor with guidance from Employee Labor Relations.

Conduct technician meetings to assure proper updates of departmental and hospital communications.

Assist in the development of policies and procedures and participate in departmental goal planning and quality improvement activities.

Prepare various management reports as delegated to include, but not limited to: High-cost drug inventory, ward stock, automation, competency, controlled substance reports, and Omnicell reports.

Assists pharmacy supervisors and staff to identify areas of duplication of efforts and develops solutions to streamline processes, reduce waste, save costs, improve workflow, and improve patient care.

Develop and implement necessary administrative audits such as wait time audits and workflow analysis. Assists in preparation of national, local, and special accreditations of pharmacy service.

(Joint Commission, Inspector General, Controlled Substance Inspections, Drug Enforcement Agency) This includes documentation record updates, development of specific training and preparation of staff and compliance of policy and procedures.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.

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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 94376-0 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized