Facility Program Manager Controlled Substances

The incumbent maintains communications with all pharmacy staff pharmacy management and collaborates with other healthcare system service lines to ensure quality of care for the Veteran patients and compliance with regulatory standards and laws.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Assists in assuring a high-quality survey readiness program by serving as the pharmacist controlled substance representative for survey readiness committees.
• Ensures a high-quality controlled substance program performs quality assurance on areas reviews tracks and trends usage develops policies/SOP related to controlled substance enters all DEA forms and reviews all balance adjustment reports.
• Develops conducts and reports quality improvement monitors for pharmacy service. iv. Assists with developing and maintaining accurate policies and procedures for pharmacy.
• Acts as a liaison between the Quality Department Controlled Substance Coordinator Police and the Pharmacy Service to solve problems clarify orders provide additional information needed and to improve communications.
• Ensure compliance with all VHA Directives and all accrediting bodies (such as Joint Commission/01G/FDA/DEA) and perform survey readiness. Reviews historical data of findings and presents survey readiness.
• Knowledgeable in operational areas of Pharmacy Services and involvement in and can speak to processes and procedures.
• Responsible for the coordination of training operation and maintenance regarding use of automated dispensing equipment (i.e. Pyxis) for controlled substance distribution.
• Inpatient/outpatient electronic order assessment to verify patient information correct medication dose route and frequency of administration. Orders are checked for patient allergies drug interactions incompatibilities duplication and priority.
• Participates in the development and implementation of formal and informal drug education/clinical consultation to medical surgical nursing and pharmacy staff in the form of in-services and continuing education programs.
• Works with health care providers to develop programs for improvement of medication use.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM OR 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. Schedule may be subject to change based on the needs of the Agency.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 91910-0
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

• 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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers 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 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.

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.
• 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:
  1. 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: 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.)
  2. Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the 2 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.

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level)
Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements candidates must meet one of the following:

• 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level or
• Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.

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:GS-13:

• Experience. In addition to the basic requirements and GS-12 requirements listed above candidates must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. This may include but is not limited to: reviewing interpreting and verifying medication orders for appropriateness; processing and filling medication orders; interacting with and making recommendations to other clinical staff regarding medication therapy ordered to ensure safe and effective care; reviewing the patients medications allergies labs and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems; contacting providers as appropriate; documenting recommendations and interventions; providing refill extensions and partial medication supplies; taking health and medication histories; performing medication reconciliation; providing drug information; assisting in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions nonformulary reviews and medication usage evaluations; documenting and assessing adverse drug events (ADEs); assisting in medical emergencies; providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the KSAs identified:

• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
• Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
• Ability to solve problems coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
• Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
• Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: Must be able to distinguish basic colors with the ability to distinguish shades of color. This position may require heavy lifting and carrying 45 pounds or more routine standing bending stooping or squatting. It may also require pushing walking standing reaching over shoulder use of fingers walking and standing up to four hours per tour. Near vision correctable at 13 to 16 far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other hearing (aid permitted). The work environment is primarily inside a pharmacy or other office space as designated. There may be extremes of temperature distractions noise from equipment or patient care activities. The need to handle frozen or refrigerated products may occur. Exposure to negative and positive air pressure rooms is possible. Repeated twisting shaking and grasping of bottles and vials or syringes may be required. Must be able to don and work with protective garments and equipment as necessary. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.