Job Summary
We are seeking an experienced and forward-thinking deputy chief pharmacist to join ESNEFT in a strategic leadership role.You will play a pivotal part in leading, developing, and delivering high-quality pharmacy services, ensuring safe, effective, and economically responsible use of medicines across the organisation.

You will deputise for the Chief Pharmacist and provide leadership on medicines optimisation, commissioning, and financial management, working closely with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), NHS England, and internal stakeholders. This role is central to shaping the Trust's medicines strategy, influencing prescribing practices, and supporting innovation in patient care while maintaining strong governance and compliance with national policies.

As a senior member of the pharmacy leadership team, you will drive collaboration across clinical, financial, and operational teams, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred services. This role offers an excellent opportunity for a motivated leader with strong strategic, financial, and clinical expertise to make a significant impact on patient outcomes and service development.

This role requires a proactive, collaborative leader with the ability to balance strategic priorities with operational delivery in a complex healthcare environment.

Main Duties of the Job

• Provide senior leadership across pharmacy services, including deputising for the Chief Pharmacist and leading key strategic programmes.
• Lead on medicines optimisation, commissioning, and financial management to ensure safe, effective, and cost-efficient use of medicines.
• Oversee medicines governance, including formulary management, audit, and implementation of national guidance (e.g. NICE, NHSE policies).
• Work collaboratively with ICBs, NHS England, and internal teams to support commissioning, contracting, and introduction of new medicines.
• Lead and manage pharmacy teams across procurement, medicines information, digital services, and cost improvement programmes.
• Monitor and report on medicines usage and expenditure, identifying opportunities for efficiency and quality improvement.
• Provide expert advice to clinicians, supporting safe prescribing and optimal patient care.
• Contribute to training, development, and research activities, promoting continuous improvement and innovation.

About Us
We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes.

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff.

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients.

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what's widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you.

Details
Date posted: 08 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8d
Salary: £94,356 to £108,814 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 432-HR501-26
Job locations: Colchester and Ipswich

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Masters level degree in Pharmacy
• Post Graduate Pre-registration year
• Membership of the General Pharmaceutical Council
• Membership of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Desirable

• Accredited post-graduate/MSc
• Research degree (MSc,MRes,PhD) or working towards this qualification

Experience
Essential

• Extensive recent post-registration experience of working in hospital pharmacy
• Working at Pharmacy Senior Management level
• Evidence of planning and development successes
• Evidence of involvement in service developments and change management
• Experience of formulary management systems, audit and reporting metrics
• Experience of e-prescribing systems
• Experience of working across the interface with ICB/NHSE and other stakeholders
• Experience of Procurement processes and tendering

Desirable

• Electronic prescribing and medicines administration experience both at a planning and implementation level
• Experience of networking at a regional and or national level
• Research experience
• Experience of strategic Medicines Management both with internal with external stakeholders
• Primary Care experience

Knowledge and Skills
Essential

• Clinical effectiveness reporting
• Knowledge and ability to use information resources and software packages
• Knowledge of regulatory frameworks and governance arrangements for medicines
• Good Distribution Practice -detailed understanding Knowledge of the NHS pharmacy national landscape
• Excellent oral and written skills
• Teaching and mentoring

Desirable

• Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practice and Good Clinical Practice principles
• Knowledge of the NHS digital landscape
• Understanding of the Strategic agenda in the NHS, the Area Team.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer Details
Employer name: East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Colchester and Ipswich, CO4 5JL, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.esneft.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Chief Pharmacist Fran Mitchell, email Fran.Mitchell@esneft.nhs.uk