East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Technical Services Production Leader
The closing date is 15 November 2026
Job summary
Have you got the enthusiasm and confidence to take up the challenge of this exciting post in the Pharmacy Technical Services department working closely with the Head of Pharmacy Production, Deputy and other Production Leaders in the management of the day-to-day and strategic needs of Sterile, Non-Sterile, Aseptic, Over-labelling and Repacking production services?

The base site is Colchester Hospital, but you will be required to work across Pharmacy Technical Services at both Colchester and Ipswich reinforcing harmonised practice.

Details about our pharmacy service - https://esneft.pagetiger.com/csusdpr/1

Working as part of the team within the Main Pharmacy department you will deliver a high quality, flexible and responsive service to internal and external customers, whilst developing efficiency savings and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Main duties of the job

• Supporting the Head of Pharmacy Production and other senior staff in the management of the Pharmaceutical Quality System and be an advocate for quality improvement.
• Lead individual projects for the advancement of Pharmacy Technical Services, and coordinate others to support where required.
• To participate in the manufacture of unlicenced products when required.
• Line management of production staff including performing appraisals, coordinating staff development, and managing absence.
• To support the recruitment, training, and development of production staff, ensuring comprehensive training programmes are available and records are maintained.
• To coordinate, maintain and promote an efficient and economic production service, providing a reactive service in response to changing circumstances.
• Liaise with the team and senior managers to report problems, share information, and improve the working of the team. Discuss changes in practice required by policy and strategy review and the implications this will have on the team and on an individual basis. Share constructive ideas and respond to feedback for improving the service and suggest how these ideas may be taken forward.
• To promote income generation by ensuring the manufacturing service responds in a timely and effective manner to customers both inside and external to the Trust.

About us
We are one of the largest NHS organisation in the region, employing over 12,000 staff. We deliver care from two main hospitals in Colchester & Ipswich, six community hospitals, clinics and patient's homes.

Our scale provides exciting opportunities for development, innovation, research, education and training.

Talk to us about our range of flexible working opportunities, apprenticeships and staff benefits

Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is at the heart of all we do; and it forms part of ESNEFTs core activities. The Trust operates and relies on everyone treating each other with dignity and respect, to receive equitable and fair treatment in the implementation of Policies, procedures and in its practices and to foster positive work relationships. The EDI Agenda reflects the Trust values of Optimistic, Appreciative and Kind. In line with the NHS Long Term Plan and Staff Standards, we consistently strive to improve, to take the learning into Action for a better ESNEFT.

Details
Date posted: 06 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: NDD-000213

Working at ESNEFT
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.

Sponsorship Eligibility
To comply with UK Government regulations on sponsorship we are unable to provide sponsorship to applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria or the salary threshold. Full guidance on sponsorship can be found Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK

Notes
Please note that where response levels are exceptional we may close the post before the specified date, therefore early application is recommended.

In line with AfC Terms and Conditions new entrants to NHS will commence on the entry level of the salary

If you require any information in an alternative format or have any access needs for the application process, please contact us.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• BTEC and/or NVQ level 3 in pharmacy services OR
• BSc or equivalent in a scientific or related subject

Desirable

• Management qualification
• Post-graduate qualification relevant to technical practice or portfolio that demonstrates the acquisition and use of an equivalent level of specialist knowledge.
• Accuracy Checking Pharmacy Qualification
• Professional registration

Experience
Essential

• Previous evaluated experience of work within a pharmaceutical production unit.
• Previous experience of training/coaching/mentoring in a supervisory role.

Desirable

• Previous experience working in a hospital pharmacy
• Previous experience working in a managerial role.

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.

Employer details
Employer name: East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Colchester Hospital, Colchester, Essex, CO4 5JL, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.esneft.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Deputy Head of Pharmacy Production, Behnam Tabrizi, behnam.tabrizi@esneft.nhs.uk

Job locations
Colchester Hospital, Colchester, Essex, CO4 5JL, United Kingdom
East Suffolk & North Essex Nhs Foundation Trust, Ipswich Hospital, Heath Road, Ipswich, IP4 5PD, United Kingdom