Inventory Management Specialist

Summary This position serves as an Inventory Manager in the Commodity Management Division of the Logistics Service at the Des Moines VA Medical Center in Des Moines, IA, with responsibility for the inventory management of all expendable supplies and durable medical equipment (DME) in the assigned area(s). Responsibilities NOTE: This is a TEMPORARY appointment (not-to-exceed 9/30/25). Temporary positions offer health insurance (if the employee is expected to work at least 130 hours per month for at least 90 days) but do not offer life insurance or retirement benefits and may be terminated at any time before the expiration date. The appointment to a Temporary position does not confer eligibility for promotion or reassignment to other positions or the ability to be non-competitively converted to permanent employment. Major duties and responsibilities: Manages and controls an assigned class of expendable material for a Veteran Affairs Health Care System (VA HCS) and supported catchment area. Recognized as an authority on expendable (EX) material commodity management and serves as a subject matter expert to all services and service lines. Inventories managed include a wide variety of expendable items and durable medical equipment (DME) which may or may not be available through the Medical/Surgical Prime Vendor (MSPV) program or other negotiated or Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contracts. Conducts short, mid and long-term advanced planning for expendable items and durable medical equipment (DME), utilizing enterprise-wide computerized planning tools. Analyzes data to include demand history, program requirements, Veteran Affairs Health Care System (VA HCS) operations, procurement lead-time, current stock levels and other factors which impact procurement decisions. Advanced planning requires significant interaction and coordination with service lines, biomedical engineering, and other stakeholders to balance competing priorities including clinical requirements and budget constraints. Computes requirements for supplies and durable medical equipment (DME). Develops acquisition strategies to acquire and purchase durable medical equipment (DME), displaying familiarity with contracting laws and regulations with industry practices. Supports customers and acquisition personnel in developing requirements, utilizing mandatory sources and standardization of sources. Exercises Ordering Officer Authority in determining best value and contract sourcing. Analyzes inventory management reports including due-in reports, pending backorder reports, outdated inventory reports, inventory balance reports and 90-day inactive reports. Assures that replenishment orders are approved and released in a timely manner by reviewing requisitions, documents, and other related reference material. Expedites delivery of urgent requirements through correspondence and telephone calls to vendors, manufacturers or other organizations. Verifies receipt documents for accuracy. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:00am to 3:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for ad hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Requirements 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 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position at the GS-9 level, you must meet one of the following: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level in the Federal service that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. Qualifying specialized experience includes: managing a variety of expendable items and durable medical equipment; developing and supporting the creation of acquisition strategies to acquire and purchase durable medical equipment; implementing federal and agency programs for the return and reutilization of medical supplies; utilizing best practices, principles and tools, concepts and methodologies to determine and evaluate supply system performance; and serving as a point of contact for the coordination of material support and the resolution of logistics problems. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. ~OR~ GRADUATE EDUCATION: Successful completion of a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ COMBINATION: Possess equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the position as outlined above that meets the requirements of the position. Only education in excess of the first year (18 semester hours) may be used to qualify at this level. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Communication Contracting/Procurement Planning and Evaluating Problem Solving Technical Competence Technology Application IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Physical Requirements: Work is normally accomplished in an office setting; however, due to the nature of the position and duties, may be called upon to assist in the receipt, storage and distribution of various supplies, primarily consisting of lifting light boxes generally less than forty (40) pounds, utilizing appropriate material handing devices, and placing items on shelves or carrying them elsewhere on station or within the catchment area. Must maintain applicable training and licensing to operate assigned equipment. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. 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: 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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.