Job summary
The Principal Pharmacy Technician for Medicines Management and Supply is a new senior leadership role within the Pharmacy Department, responsible for developing medicines management and supply services across the Trust and for service alignment across Care Delivery Pathways. Reporting to the Chief Pharmacist, the post holder will provide operational, professional, and strategic leadership to the pharmacy technician and pharmacy assistant workforce, ensuring the safe, effective, and efficient delivery of pharmacy services.

The role is responsible for managing day-to-day medicines supply operations, workforce planning, service development, governance, and performance management.

The post holder will promote innovation and continuous improvement, supporting the implementation of digital technologies, service redesign, and new ways of working to enhance pharmacy services across the organisation.

The role provides expert technical leadership in medicines management and supply, ensuring compliance with medicines legislation, GPhC standards, governance requirements, and Trust policies.

The ideal candidate will be a GPhC registered Pharmacy Technician with significant experience in hospital pharmacy. They will demonstrate strong leadership, people management, service development, and communication skills, alongside a commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centred pharmacy services and developing the pharmacy technician profession.

Main duties of the job
The post holder provides operational, professional, and strategic leadership for medicines management and supply services, ensuring high-quality governance, workforce development, service improvement, and safe medicines use across the Trust.

Main Duties

• Lead and manage the Trust's medicines management and supply services, ensuring safe, effective, and efficient operations.
• Leadership and line management to Pharmacy Technicians, and Assistants, including recruitment, appraisal, performance management, and workforce planning.
• Ensure medicines are stored, supplied, and managed safely in compliance with medicines legislation, and Trust policies.
• Develop and improve medicines services through service redesign, quality improvement initiatives, audits, and implementation of best practice.
• Monitor performance, establish operational standards, and use data, audits, and feedback to drive continuous improvement.
• Lead the development and deployment of the pharmacy technical workforce, supporting training, competency assessment, professional development, and succession planning.
• Support the implementation and optimisation of pharmacy systems, digital solutions, and new technologies.
• Manage operational risks, investigate incidents, undertake risk assessments, and contribute to governance, assurance, and audit.
• Contribute to business planning, strategic development, service sustainability, and the ongoing advancement of pharmacy technician practice across the Trust.

About us
NHFT is an NHS Community and Mental Health Foundation Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in hospital settings and in the community. We provide over 200 services across the county - as well as some specialist services in bordering and nearby counties. We work together with our partners to ensure that everyone who comes through our doors receives compassionate, person-centred care, regardless of their background or circumstances.

NHFT promotes a culture of learning, to improve the care and safety of our patients and colleagues. We have achieved our 'outstanding' rating by encouraging opportunity, innovation, development and growth across our workforce.

At NHFT we believe that work should be rewarded in every sense which is why we are proud to an accredited living wage employer.

We aim to support financial wellbeing and create an environment where are people feel valued and able to thrive.

Job responsibilities
For further information, please refer to the job description and person specification located under the Supporting Documents heading.

Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Registered Pharmacy Technician with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
• Educated to postgraduate level or able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge, skills, and experience.
• Significant post-qualification experience within hospital pharmacy services, including medicines management.
• Experience of staff management, including recruitment, appraisal, attendance management, and performance management.
• Experience of workforce planning, rota management, and service delivery.

Desirable

• Formal management, leadership, or supervisory qualification

Behaviours and values
Essential

• Works collaboratively and effectively within multi-disciplinary teams.
• Able to respond positively to change and support new ways of working.
• Demonstrates resilience and works effectively under pressure.
• Professional, approachable, and able to build positive working relationships with staff, patients, and carers.

Skills and abilities
Essential

• Ability to lead, organise and prioritise the work of self and others.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate complex information effectively to a range of audiences.
• Ability to support service improvement and continuous development.
• Competent in the use of digital systems, databases and Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to analyse information, solve problems and make informed decisions.

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.

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).

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