Pharmacy Technician (Procurement)

This position is responsible for coordinating and overseeing all operational aspects of pharmacy procurement and inventory management in the outpatient and inpatient areas of the pharmacy, including ordering medications, supplies, and equipment from required sources and meeting contract compliance while maintaining multiple complex accounts with the Pharmaceutical Prime Vendor (PPV).

The job functions or the scope of practice of this Pharmacy Technician-Procurement, GS-0661-09, position are listed below but not limited to

Inventory Management:

• Receives and stocks pharmacy inventory. Rotates pharmacy stock to minimize expiration and under/overstock. Performs necessary destruction of items in the pharmacy inventory as needed.
• Ensures all purchased products are received and accounted for in appropriate pharmacy VISTA software packages.
• Receives controlled substance pharmaceutical drug orders. Complies with Drug Enforcement Administration regulations and VHA controlled substance handbooks, directives, and policies. Ensures security of controlled substances per established policies.
• Ensures pharmacy inventory is stored in an organized and appropriate manner with accurate shelf-life labeling and in accordance with storage requirements based on VHA, OSHA, FDA, USP, and Joint Commission Standards.
• Ensures that shelf bins are properly labelled with contents and prime vendor supplied shelf labels applied to bin.
• Processes and documents outdated, unusable, recalled, and excess inventory for return for replacement or credit.
• Investigates and resolves shipping and receiving errors and delays from vendors and suppliers in compliance with fiscal policies.

Procurement:

• Processes pharmacy procurement orders utilizing the government issued credit card, following all applicable rules and regulations.
• 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 (FSS).
• Utilizes the prime vendor to order FSS items, involving direct contact with the prime vendor via computer modem and placement and receipt of drug order after an assessment of the various contracts available and selection of the most cost-effective item.
• Reviews drug orders on computer screen/printed copy, verifying amount to be ordered and transmitting the order to the prime vendor.
• Using the prime vendor database, determines the cost differential to purchase from a different manufacturer, as well as the expected due-in date of the unavailable product at the prime vendor.
• Utilizes knowledge of available contract information and patent right limitations to switch to alternate generic products when available and has working knowledge of drug products.
• Reviews FDA reports, Recall Alerts and Notifications to determine if any medications or pharmacy-stocked supplies are in use that require removal.
• Develops and/or executes of procedures to procure "special order" products available only through manufacturer-created specialty programs.

Program Management

• Incumbent is responsible for relevant procurement programs as assigned by their supervisor including but not limited to medication recall management, oversight of hazardous pharmaceutical waste program throughout the health care system, all hazards cache management, reverse distribution, and budget management forecasting.
• In conjunction with other procurement staff and the Chief, Pharmacy Services, or designee, conducts audits on high alert medication storage and conducts audits for non-controlled substance distribution by analyzing, evaluating, and developing proposed changes in mission, operating procedures, and delegations of authority. Provides all investigative reports to the Central Office to determine appropriate changes or if corrective action is required.
• Conducts reviews of all open market purchases to ensure appropriateness and safety of drug product selection.
• Assists with non-controlled substance tracking and reporting for pharmacy and other drug storage areas.
• Assists with pharmacy equipment inventory and scheduled maintenance, annual wall-to-wall inventory for Pharmacy Service and resolution of out-of- stock situations in an effective and timely manner.
• Assists with generating patient specific labels awaiting backordered medication(including new prescriptions, local fills and CMOP rejects) and B09 reconciliation process.
• Compiles information and updates budgetary spreadsheet of all Pharmacy Service's control point expenditures along with future expenditure needs on a weekly basis provided to the Chief of Pharmacy or designee.
• Is an active member of the Pharmacy Drug Product Management Team and provides leadership, oversight, and sets agenda to include but not limited to; tracking, reporting and recordkeeping of recall action planning, medication utilization, cost of storage, CMOP rejections, medication conversions, as well as working closely with our informatics pharmacist to ensure drug file entries are entered correctly and timely.

Duty Location: 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94121
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 08:00am to 04:30pm, or determine by the hiring Manager
Functional Statement #: 10407F
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Relocation / Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.
• Grandfathering Provision: May qualify based on being covered in the VA Title 38 Hybrid Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation series, 0661, with permanent appointment and meet the criteria).

GS-09 Grade Determination as Pharmacy Technician-Procurement/Inventory, GS-0661-09:

Specialized Experience. One year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the lower 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:
(a) PTCB (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board) as a CPhT (Certified Pharmacy Technician)
OR
(b) NHA (National Healthcareer Association) as a ExCPT (Certified Pharmacy Technician).

Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Pharmacy technicians (procurement/inventory) 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.

i. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs and meet any additional KSAs for the assignment, if indicated:
(a) 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.).
(b) Skill in analyzing data for self-driven (independent) performance improvement projects, workload analysis and statistical reports.
(c) Skill in solving problems and implementing corrective actions to maximize outcomes in their program area.
(d) 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).
(e) Ability to develop training programs and material for orientation, competency development and educational needs for regulatory requirements within the specialized pharmacy program area.

ii. Additional Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs).
(f) 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, USP 797/800, FDA 503A/B).
(g) 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.
(h) 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.

References: See Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) website for VA specific qualification standards: VA Qualifications Standards - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO)

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

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/.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you might be required to serve a 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.

• 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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).