Supervisory Pharmacy Technician

Veterans Health Administration; Chelmsford (MA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Veterans Health Administration is seeking a Supervisory Pharmacy Technician within the Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP). The role oversees non-pharmacist technical staff and volunteers, ensuring effective workload management, scheduling, attendance, and quality assurance processes.

Qualified candidates must have English proficiency and may qualify through Grandfathering provisions or national certification (PTCB/CPhT/ExCPT) for higher grade levels.

Qualifications

• Requires English language proficiency (spoken and written).
• May qualify via Grandfathering Provision for current VHA employees in this occupation.
• Certification required at higher level: PTCB, CPhT, or ExCPT for advancement to GS-9 and beyond.

Responsibilities

• Supervise non-pharmacist technical staff and volunteers.
• Provide oversight for personnel scheduling, time-and-attendance, and quality assurance activities.

Skills

Interpersonal relationships

Staffing/workflow management

Job description

This position is located within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP). The Supervisor Pharmacy Technician is responsible for the supervision of all Pharmacy non-pharmacist technical staff and volunteers. This position supervises and provides oversight to manage personnel and work assignments which assures completion of pharmacy workload such as personnel scheduling, time-and-attendance, and oversight for quality assurance activities.

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. Pharmacy Technician candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Education or Experience

• 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). 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 (GS-8 and above)

• 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 Health Career Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).
• 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).

Grandfathering Provision

• A Pharmacy Technician employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (11/7/2023) 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.

Grade Determinations (GS-09)

• Experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-09 you must possess at least one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, (GS-08).
• 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 Health Career Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs and meet any additional KSAs for the assignment, if indicated: 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. Knowledge of pharmaceutical and su