The Supervisory Pharmacy Technician is responsible for oversight of Inpatient Pharmacy technical operations, delivering excellent customer service, and providing the full Inpatient Pharmacy technician team support and guidance in accordance with the mission, vision, and goals of the Minneapolis VA Health Care System (MVAHCS).
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). 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. Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacy Technician candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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). Grade Determinations Pharmacy Technician, GS-09: Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-08) 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: PTCB as a CPhT. OR NHA as a ExCPT. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs for ALL GS-09 assignments and meet any additional KSAs for the assignment, if indicated: 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. Supervisory Pharmacy Technician. Supervisory pharmacy technicians are responsible for management and supervision of at least three GS-08 pharmacy technicians. These positions require significant independent technical judgement and expertise in complex areas of pharmacy practice, regulatory requirements and quality standards. They organize, coordinate and manage programs for the pharmacy service at the facility level. These pharmacy technicians will be responsible for communicating with VISN or national pharmacy leadership as well as individual facility leadership and staff. Additional Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). 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. 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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. 1. Principle duties require lifting, pushing, pulling, and carrying up to 50 pounds, sitting, walking, or standing for long periods of time (up to 8 hours), repetitive use of hands and fingers, reaching, bending stooping, and kneeling. Normal ranges of hearing and vision required to perform work and communicate effectively; must have visual ability to distinguish small numbers, basic colors and shades of color. The incumbent must be physically capable to operate various type of equipment used for the job. 2. The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical in a clinical pharmaceutical setting. Employees may be required to use protective gear such as masks, gowns, gloves, goggles, or shields to minimize risks.
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The incumbent serves as a subject matter expert for areas of Inpatient Pharmacy including, but not limited to dispensing workflows, integration of automation into dispensing, and the roles and responsibilities of all inpatient pharmacy technicians, leads, and supervisors. This includes providing guidance, support, and oversight to the IV and unit dose (UD) focused pharmacy technician supervisors and their work areas. Responsibilities also include leading change through innovation and adaption, leading people effectively, promoting quality improvement initiatives, and collaboration with other stakeholders within the Pharmacy Department and throughout the Medical Center. The incumbent must have and maintain Pharmacy Technician Certification Board credentials and at least one year of experience equivalent to a GS-8. The incumbent must also meet the characteristics as outlined in VA Handbook 5005/55, Part II, Appendix G28, Pharmacy Technician Qualification Standard, GS-661. The duties and responsibilities of the Inpatient Pharmacy Technician Supervisor include but are not limited to the following: A. Program Management 1. Provides coordination of day-to-day activities of pharmacy supervisors and lead technicians and any other learners or volunteers assigned in Inpatient Pharmacy. Oversees the daily operations of Inpatient Pharmacy services as it related to pharmacy technician work. 2. Assumes responsibility for the overall planning, operation and evaluation of Inpatient dispensing delivered to the care teams and veterans. Collaborates with the inpatient pharmacist supervisors to establish program goals and develop the operational plans and policies to achieve them. 3. Assesses, plans, and evaluates Inpatient Pharmacy technician staff roles and workflow to ensure positive impact on patient care. 4. Works with other services to develop and sustain systems that promote the highest quality, most cost-effective and efficient patient care. 5. Reviews, analyzes, and acts upon Inpatient Pharmacy workload statistics, quality assurance data, and productivity and workflow reports. 6. Actively participates in the Medical Center or VISN committees as assigned and represents the Inpatient Pharmacy service to all levels of management. This includes the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. 7. Assists the Chief of Pharmacy and the pharmacy management team in establishing and accomplishing the Pharmacy Department's mission and goals. B. Administration/Supervisory 1. Directly supervises activities of the Inpatient dispensing and replenishment processes and dispensing areas. 2. Responsible for overall oversight of the inpatient IV and UD pharmacy technician supervisors and leads as they maintain smooth workflow of day-to-day activities and assume responsibility of workflow performed under their supervision. 3. Assures quality control of the work of those under supervision through spot inspection of completed work. This includes ensuring any gaps in compliance within programs monitored by leads or focused inpatient supervisors are reported to the supervisor team including the associate chief, remediation actions are taken, and processes are developed to prevent similar issues from reoccurring. Examples include, but not limited to, programs related to ward stock inspection processes, hazardous drug identification, and cleaning documentation of compounding areas. 4. Acts as a pharmacy patient representative to resolve Inpatient Pharmacy dispensing or customer service concerns. 5. Prepares and maintains the master Inpatient Pharmacy technician schedule and the Inpatient Pharmacy technician leave calendar. This also includes evaluating and approving Inpatient Pharmacy technicians' leave requests, and developing coverage plans for annual and emergent leave situations for Inpatient Pharmacy staff. 6. Approves/disapproves leave requests, develops performance standards, trains or retrains, counsels, disciplines, evaluates and recommends employees for awards. 7. Responsible for performance reviews for staff as assigned. 8. Shares responsibility for the establishment, revision of, and adherence to the policies and procedures necessary to provide the smooth and effective services in all technical or operational focused areas of the Pharmacy Department. C. Other Significant Responsibilities: May perform other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Administrative days (Monday - Friday) Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Telework: Telework, if approved, will be on an Ad-Hoc basis only Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized