This Pharmacy Technician (Procurement/Inventory) position is part of the Pharmacy Service located at the Manchester, NH VAMC. Pharmacy technicians maintain patient profiles, prepare insurance claim forms, stock, and take inventory of medications. Pharmacy technicians prepare medications for inpatients in various settings, including sterile product preparation.

Duties

Procurement and Inventory Pharmacy technicians at this level require independent technical judgement and expertise. They serve as the lead ordering officer for pharmacy service, providing guidance to lower-level procurement ordering officers. The Pharmacy Technician Inventory Procurement duties include but not limited to: The incumbent will independently initiate orders for pharmaceutical and supply items through the Prime Vendor or other mandatory sources; assure adherence to federal purchase contracts and compliance with federal regulations regarding open market purchases, assure inventory control through perpetual evaluation and analysis, fund control, receive shipments of goods, assure compliance with storage requirements for pharmaceutical items, liaison with company representatives and managerial staff. The incumbent will also review or prepare documents and reports regarding financial status, procurement issues, or inventory; verify or abstract information contained in various documents and reports; maintain various procurement flies; and resolve discrepancies in shipments, payments, or other documentation. The incumbent's work is complex not only in execution as it relates to providing services to the patient and the professional staff but also in problem solving and in providing timely, accurate budget projections based on the incumbent's experience, interpretation of available data, and judgement. The position requires the ability to function independently and requires exceptional skill in oral and written modes of communication. In addition to the GS-08 level, the incumbent functions in the capacity of a GS-07 Pharmacy Technician in any area of competency as staffing requirements dictate. The Pharmacy Procurement Technician position requires basic Knowledge of computer keyboarding and familiarity with the use of the medical center center computer systems, as well as knowledge of VA policies regarding data security and patient confidentiality. The employee assists the Pharmacist in providing optimal pharmaceutical care and timely customer services in accordance with the mission, vision, and goals of the VAMHCS. Has operational responsibility for ongoing inventories of drug products and pharmaceutical supplies and their procurement. Cost-effective turnover must be consistently identified and maintained. Must possess a through knowledge and understanding of procurement sources, VA manual and associate circular procedures, and hospital procurement, policies and procedures. Displaying a through understanding of policies, procedures, basic accounting and budgetary skills, the incumbent assures that pharmaceuticals and supplies are procured and maintained in the most cost-effective manner. Maintains accountability of daily purchases and coordinates receipt, control budget ledger, assures consistent delivery schedules are employed and handled, and appropriately disperses stock into designated storage areas. Keeps current on contracts, product availability, and prices to identify appropriate sources and ensures most cost-effective products are purchased through the Federal Supply Schedule. Utilizes the prime vendor to order FSS items, involving direct contact with the prime vendor and placement and receipt of drug orders after an assessment of the various contacts available and selection of the most cost-effective item. Works closely with appropriate staff to ensure seamless operation of the Drug Accountability Program. Resolves issues relating to drug accountability; identifies problems and corrects or elevates them to appropriate level. Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday - Friday various day tours covering 7am - 6pm Telework: Available Ad Hoc only Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: F06762 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants must be fully qualified by the closing date of this announcement. 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: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 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: Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). OR National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT). Grade Determinations: Pharmacy Technician (Procurement/Inventory) GS-9 Experience: Must have one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-8). Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition, applicants must be able to demonstrate the following 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. Additionally, applicants should be able to demonstrate the following additional KSAs specific to Procurement/Inventory: Knowledge of pharmaceutical and supply inventory requirements to ensure compliance with regulations and national/audit/inspections (e.g., financial regulations, The Joint Commission, Inspector General, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, DEA, SSP 797/800, FICA (503A/B) Knowledge of clinical specifications, characteristics, and ordering processes of a wide variety of soft prosthetics and supply items (e.g., catheters, colostomy, ileostomy and urostomy supply and associated products) that technicians procure to dispense to Veterans in the outpatient pharmacy setting. Skill in managing specialized programs related to inventory including, but not limited to, specialty medications and supplies, All Hazards Emergency Cache Program, recalls reverse distribution and pharmaceutical waste. Procurement and Inventory Pharmacy technicians at this level require independent technical judgement and expertise. They serve as the lead ordering officer for pharmacy service, providing guidance to lower-level procurement ordering officers. These individuals have extensive knowledge of VA policy concerning drug procurement, security and compliance with ordering officer requirements and regulatory areas (including, but not limited to, Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) per FDA regulations, recalls, return goods, open market, drug accountability, etc.). Pharmacy technicians maintain all records of pharmacy inventory for drug accountability, DSCSA per VHA policy and all other Federal regulations. Pharmacy technicians (procurement/inventory) perform a wide range of duties providing oversight on all pharmacy inventory to ensure standard operating procedures are followed and appropriate ordering and stock levels are maintained so patient care is not impaired. They stay within budgetary requirements, comply with contracts while maintaining inventory to meet or exceed the national average performance. They are accountable for pharmacy inventory management in areas such as regulatory and VHA formulary requirements, quality standards and official VA policies/procedures within the inventory management specialized area, conforming to pharmacy legal and professional requirements. 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-9. Physical Requirements: Principal duties of this position require repetitive use of hands and fingers (e.g., preparing prescriptions, use of a computer keyboard, etc.). May require lifting and carrying light loads (up to 44lbs.), including boxes, equipment, medical supplies, stock boxes etc.; stooping or kneeling (e.g., to pick up items from the floor, remove and replace items on lower shelves, and to file documents in lower file drawers, etc.); sitting, walking, or standing for long periods of time (4-8 hours). Ability to operate automation. Normal ranges of hearing and vision are required to perform work and communicate effectively. An ability to perform tasks.

Education

IMPORTANT: 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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Manchester VA Medical Center 718 Smyth Road Manchester, NH 03104 US
• Name: Marianne Coutinho
• Phone: 774-826-4812
• Email: [email protected]