Summary The Associate Service Chief of Pharmacy is responsible for assisting the Chief of Pharmacy with providing supervision, professional and administrative leadership, and guidance to multiple, diverse programs within the Northern Arizona VA Healthcare System (NAVAHCS) and its associated CBOCs. The incumbent serves as a consultant SME to the Chief of Pharmacy for all operational inpatient and outpatient pharmacy services.
Duties Help
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The Associate Service Chief of Pharmacy is responsible for providing leadership, direction, organization, planning and implementation of pharmacy programs in the inpatient and outpatient areas of the Northern Arizona VA Healthcare System and its CBOCs. The duties of the Pharmacy Associate Service Chief include but are not limited to:
- Maintains effective interdepartmental relationships demonstrating active problem resolution skills and close cooperation with other programs and services.
- Provides leadership to a complex and growing organization and is responsible for determining resource needs, advising on resource allocation, ensuring proper utilization in productivity, efficiency and cost effectiveness of the operation.
- Develops and maintains a system of internal reviews that ensure service programs operate at a satisfactory level of performance and in compliance with regulatory and accrediting bodies.
- Representative for a variety of internal and external committees and boards.
- Responsible for the operation, leadership, and assists in the strategic planning of all pharmaceutical services at NAVAHCS.
- Manages outpatient pharmacy services and a complex 24/7 acute care inpatient pharmacy.
- Responsible for distributive functions to COBC patients using onsite pharmacies, CMOP, and/or non-VA contracted pharmacies.
- Establishes program goals and develops operational plans and policies to achieve them.
- Supervises pharmacy staff under his/her chain of command.
- Responsible for all operational pharmacy programs in acute and ambulatory care settings, including outpatient drug distribution, pharmacy benefits and formulary management, pharmacy informatics, pharmacoeconomics, procurement and controlled substances.
- Assists the Chief of Pharmacy in preparing, projecting, justifying and managing the pharmacy budget, personnel, equipment and space requirements.
- Responsible for the security and accountability of all controlled substances.
- Ensures pharmacy policies are up to date and compliant with Joint Commission standards, federal laws, DEA, OIG, and VA standards and recommendation.
- Routinely addresses customers' complaints and performs the tasks required to resolve the situation appropriately and in a timely manner.
- Maintains responsibility for pharmacy's active participation in a comprehensive and vigorous research program.
- Performs all other duties as assigned.
Work Schedule : Tours vary depending on the needs of the Service to include rotating days, nights, weekends and holidays.
Telework : Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement # :
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements Help
Conditions of employment - 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.
- You may be required to serve a trial period.
- 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 ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification 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).
Qualifications 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. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.)
- English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
- 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 ; phone: , or through their Web site at: (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.
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 : In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of the candidates.
Associate Service Chief (Pharmacy), GS-14
Experience. At least one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-13) which demonstrates the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) and other characteristics related to the position to be filled. KSAs described at the next lower grade level, GS-13, include the following: ability to negotiate to influence clinical and management decisions; 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 people or programs; skill in utilizing available resources to support the mission and goals of the organization; and ability to plan, organize, and direct the functions of the pharmacy staff.
In addition to the experience mentioned above, the candidate must also demonstrate all of 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 and technical issues.
- Skill in utilizing regulatory and quality standards to develop and implement operation programs.
- Skill in managing multiple people or programs.
- Skill in utilizing available resources to support the mission and goals of the organization.
- Ability to plan, organize and direct the functions of the pharmacy staff.
Preferred Experience: Emphasis on leadership and communication experience/abilities.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14.
Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing/sitting for prolonged periods of time, lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies weighing up to 50 lbs., and bending/stooping. The work may entail repetitive wrist movement while using various size syringes, vial cap removal, and typing. Normal safety precautions and practices are required for working in a healthcare environment. For additional guidance, please refer to VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
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: 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: 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.
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