Pharmacist (VISN Program Manager)

Summary

The Program Manager independently executes a wide array of analytical, administrative, technical, andclinical informatics responsibilities. The incumbent oversees pharmacy-related EHR activities includingmaintenance, configuration, workflow optimization, readiness activities, ticket triaging, mitigation strategies,performance monitoring, and quality assurance activities.

Duties

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Major duties include, but are not limited to: Program Management: Serves as the VISN lead and SME for all pharmacy-related components of the Federal EHR, including maintenance, sustainment, workflow evaluation, and issue resolution. Defines VISN-level goals, timelines, priorities, and requirements for pharmacy EHR modernization efforts. Identifies risks, barriers, and patient safety issues; develops and coordinates mitigation plans with facility, VISN, and national stakeholders. Works collaboratively with EHR vendor representatives, national program offices, and VISN facility informatics teams to monitor issues, track progress, and validate technical resolutions. Investigates, triages, manages, and tracks pharmacy domain tickets, including medication ordering, medication safety, controlled substance workflows, automation interfaces, and formulary-related issues. Ensures consistent communication of system changes, issue status, and implementation plans to VISN pharmacy leadership and facility points of contact. Provides VISN-level consultation to Integrated Clinical Communities (ICCs), facility pharmacy leadership, and interdisciplinary teams on pharmacy informatics and EHR modernization concerns. Supports formulary management efforts by collaborating with national and VISN stakeholders to optimize EHR tools, ensure compliance, and promote safe and cost-effective medication use. Clinical Informatics / Data & Analytics: Leads VISN-wide efforts to standardize pharmacy informatics workflows and procedures within the Federal EHR, aligning with national guidance and VISN priorities. Designs and evaluates EHR tools, configuration changes, order sentences, and workflows that support patient safety, clinical efficiency, and pharmacoeconomic outcomes. Utilizes data analysis techniques to evaluate workload, issue trends, ticket metrics, performance measures, and system functionality. Coordinates with VISN data analysts to support reporting needs, monitor quality indicators, and develop strategies for improvement based on data-driven insights. Serves as expert resource for VISN pharmacy informatics education, training, and development, mentoring facility-based informatics pharmacists and technicians. Quality Assurance / Process Improvement: Develops, tracks, and evaluates performance monitors for pharmacy EHR program areas. Leads VISN-wide pharmacy EHR process improvement initiatives. Assesses productivity, effectiveness, and efficiency of VISN pharmacy EHR operations. Ensures compliance with national policy, VISN directives, accreditation standards, and regulatory guidance. Administrative Oversight and Leadership: Provides administrative oversight for assigned VISN pharmacy EHR staff. Plans, assigns, and oversees the work of subordinate staff. Coordinates workload distribution and resource needs. Represents Legacy VISN 23 pharmacy service on committees and project teams. Ensures VISN-wide staff orientation and training. Education and Training: Works with change management teams, training groups, and solution experts to develop educational materials related to the Federal EHR. Develops supplemental training documents and programs. Maintains expert knowledge of pharmacy informatics systems and therapeutics. Work Schedule: 08:00 to 16:30; Monday through Friday Telework: Telework, if approved, will be on an Ad-Hoc basis only. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements

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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. 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

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: Graduate of an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) and/or a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Verification of approved degree programs may be obtained from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois 60602-5109; phone: (312) 664-3575, or through their Web site at: http://www.acpe-accredit.org/. (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy.) Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the graduate is able to provide proof of achieving the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Commission (FPGEC) Certification, which includes passing the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT). Licensure. Full, current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia. The pharmacist must maintain current registration if this is a requirement for maintaining full, current, and unrestricted licensure. A pharmacist who has, or has ever had, any license(s) revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16. NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetence or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the State for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C. § 7402(f)). Effective November 30, 1999, this is a requirement for employment. This requirement does not apply to licensed pharmacists on VA rolls as of that date, provided they maintain continuous appointment and are not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license, registration or certification. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Grade Determinations:GS-14, VISN Program Manager: Experience. In addition to the GS-13 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. AND Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs: Skill in persuading others and gaining cooperation to accomplish goals. Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing regarding complex clinical and technical issues. Skill in utilizing regulatory and quality standards to develop and implement operational programs. Skill in managing multiple and diverse people or programs. Skill in utilizing available resources to support the mission and goals of the organization. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

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/. How You Will Be Evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. Other 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.