Inventory Management Specialist (OR)

at Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration in Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Job Description

Summary This position serves as an Operating Room Inventory Management Specialist in the Commodity Management Division with specialized focus on the Medical/Surgical Supplies of the Logistics Service in a Veteran Affairs Health Care System (VA HCS) and supported catchment area, with responsibility for the inventory management of all expendable supplies and durable medical equipment (DME) and with oversight of implant inventory in the assigned area(s). Responsibilities Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Conducts short, mid and long-term advanced planning for operating room (OR) expendable items and durable medical equipment (DME), utilizing enterprise-wide computerized planning tools. Analyzes data and computes requirements for supplies and DME. Performs analytical work to manage, regulate, coordinate, or otherwise exercise control over OR expendable (EX) supplies. Forecasts short and long-range inventory needs considering changes in medical and surgical technologies, clinical scheduling changes and program requirements. Develops acquisition strategies to acquire and purchase DME, displaying familiarity with contracting laws and regulations with industry practices. Exercises Ordering Officer Authority in determining best value and contract sourcing. Assists customers in the creation of Performance Work Statements for procurement; and determines the best purchasing and payment method to utilize, i.e. purchase card order, contract document, etc. Conducts market research on product pricing and performance. Reviews the OR schedules and anticipates the supply needs of the OR in advance. Works independently and is responsible for receiving and ordering initial stock requests for surgical implantable devices. Manages inventory, independently sets initial stock and par levels and reorder points and resolves issues for surgical services. Utilizes best practices, principles and tools, concepts and methodologies to determine and evaluate supply system performance. Coordinates rotation of emergency caches to prevent expirations and economy of supply while maintaining National Emergency Management stock levels. Conducts wall-to-wall and periodic inventories on own initiative to identify potential shrinkage issues or other supply chain discrepancies. Utilizes automated inventory management system, such as General Inventory Package (GIP) or other equivalent system, to maintain current inventory data. Analyzes a range of inventory management reports. Coordinates with stakeholders to ensure new or replacement item requests are submitted to the Clinical Product Review Committee (CPRC). Supports other elements of the organization and performs other duties as assigned. Physical Requirements The work requires moderate standing, walking, bending, lifting, pushing and carrying of assorted items. There is a certain mobility factor associated with this position in physically visiting clinic, operative and administrative areas for picking up and delivery of medical/surgical supplies. Due to the nature of the position and duties, the employee may be called upon to assist in the receipt, storage and distribution of various supplies, primarily consisting of lifting light boxes generally less than 40 pounds, utilizing appropriate material handing devices, and placing items on shelves or carrying them elsewhere on station. Must maintain applicable training and licensing to operate assigned equipment. The position must be able to deal with emergency situations and function calmly under stress in both public and private settings. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday – Friday, Rotating Schedule Telework: Not Authorized Position Description/PD#: Inventory Management Specialist (OR)/PD99809S Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver’s licenses or state-issued identification 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) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 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 probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/08/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: I have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service that has equipped me 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 Inventory Management Specialist position. 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 programs for the return and reutilization of medical supplies; utilizing best practices, principles and tools 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. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (Transcript Required) – Applicants must possess master’s or equivalent graduate degree, or successfully completed 2 full years of progressively higher le