Job summary
- Main area
- Pharmacy Management
- Grade
- Band 9
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 413-102382-SNR-JC
- Employer
- The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Pharmacy Management - E00042
- Town
- Manchester
- Salary
- £109,179 - £125,637 per annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 03/02/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Director of Pharmacy
Band 9
Job overview
The Director of Pharmacy is a member of the Networked Services Divisional Management Team and is responsible for managing all aspects of Pharmacy services including pharmacy and medicines budgets.
The role includes Executive Director responsibilities for the Board of our outsourced wholly-owned subsidiary which provides medicines procurement and dispensing services, as well as being the organisation’s Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer.
You will lead the safe, efficient, and compliant delivery of pharmacy services at The Christie and across our comprehensive and growing network of outreach and peripheral satellites. You’ll work collaboratively with clinical, research and pharmacy leadership teams to ensure seamless delivery of pharmacy services and drive continuous service improvement.
Why join The Christie?
• Be part of the country’s busiest and one of Europe’s leading cancer centres in a world-class research environment supporting over 600 experimental medicine studies
• Work alongside multidisciplinary teams and contribute to cutting-edge oncology and haematology services based in impressive modern facilities
• You’ll be leading a highly-motivated team of pharmacy staff delivering high-performance outcomes
• The Trust is making further investments in our Digital infrastructure, including a new Enterprise EPR system, new research and aseptic production software and an exciting new clinical decision support and AI project to support SACT delivery
Main duties of the job
The main duties for this role are described fully within the job description, highlighting the main aspects of the role; you will be responsible for managing all operational and strategic aspects of the Pharmacy department, reporting to the Divisional Medical Director and liaising with the Divisional Operational Management team. You will work collaboratively as a member of the NWS Management Team to achieve Trust and divisional objectives and ensure the provision of a high quality, cost-effective pharmacy service.
Working for our organisation
The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.
We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years.
We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.
Network services is a large clinical division comprising of Haematology services, SACT services, Radiotherapy, Physics department, Medical Oncology, Clinical Oncology and Pharmacy. We have a large network of services throughout Greater Manchester and Cheshire delivering SACT, Radiotherapy, haematology and Pharmacy Services.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Main responsibilities will be:
• To develop and maintain high quality clinical pharmacy services in line with best practice in order to ensure optimal use of medicines within the Trust.
• Co-ordination, manage and monitor performance in relation to all outsourced and satellite services providing SACT and associated services to Christie Trust patients, including (but not limited to) Christie Trust satellite services across the Cancer Network (Christie@ locations and those provided under Service Level Agreement by neighbouring NHS Trusts)
• Work with divisional operations manager to understand prescribing practice. Monitors monthly drug expenditure across the Trust. Evaluates financial, contracting and infra-structure implications of these changes. Produces ad hoc papers, reports for Director of Finance/ commissioners as requested.
• Assess Research & Development implications of all clinical trials on the Trust medicines budget plus their impact on pharmacy and other services.
• Ensuring the Trust maintains a high oncology pharmacy profile commensurate with its standing as one of the leading cancer centres in UK and Western Europe by submission of posters, articles for publication, attendance at national meetings/committees
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Vocational Masters Degree in Pharmacy
- 1 year pre-registration training
- Membership of General Pharmaceutical Council
- Postgraduate clinical qualification or relevant experience
- Postgraduate oncology qualification or relevant experience
- Postgraduate management qualification or relevant experience
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Experience
Essential criteria
- Post registration hospital experience, including several years as team leader for a pharmacy service
- Evidence of working closely with clinicians and senior managers
- Evidence of successful change management in a complex organisation
- Proven ability to manage financial and human resources effectively
- Performance management and development of staff.
Skills
Essential criteria
- Well developed leadership and motivational skills
- Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
- Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team
- Self motivating with lots of drive for service development
- Well developed negotiating and influencing skills
- Evidence of sound judgement and insight
- Ability to work under pressure, highly organised and developed time management skills
- Computer literate
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Medicines Act, Controlled Drug Regulations, National Cancer Standards, NICE
- Medicines management
- Aseptic services
- National intrathecal guidance
- Clinical trials legislation, IMPs
- New drug developments and practices in oncology
Desirable criteria
- R&D; Service modernisation
Other
Essential criteria
- Required to work unsocial hours (on a rota basis with other team members), including evenings, weekends, Bank Holidays and on-call
- Required to work at any site that treats Christie patients across the local cancer network
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Damian Child
- Job title
- Director of pharmacy
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
Rob Metcalf, Divisional Medical Director
[email protected]
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