Job vacancy: Pharmacy Purchasing Officer, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester

Job summary

Main area: Pharmacy Purchasing
Grade: NHS AfC: Band 4
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref: 358-8352695-CSI

Employer: University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Leicester General Hospital
Town: Leicester
Salary: £28,392 - £31,157 Per annum
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 26/10/2026 23:59

Pharmacy Purchasing Officer

NHS AfC: Band 4

AI tools like chatbots and virtual assistants can support you as you complete your application. For example, they can check for spelling or grammar errors, or help you to decide what to include.

But they shouldn’t replace your own responses or be used to write the application for you.

Relying too much on AI can negatively impact your chances of success, because automatically generated answers:

might not be specific or relevant enough to address the criteria in the recruitment profile
often seem generic and not personalised enough – an AI response won’t show your unique voice and perspective
could misrepresent information about you, such as your qualifications, skills and experience

We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Purchases pharmaceuticals for each of the pharmacy departments in accordance with local procedures and contracts, ensuring timely delivery and optimum order quantities.

Manages accounts for patient supplies of home delivered medicines and therapies.

Assists local pharmacy stores managers in ensuring effective stock control and maintaining appropriate stock levels to meet patients’ needs.

Expedites orders for pharmaceuticals and obtains acceptable alternatives to unavailable items, keeping pharmacy departments informed, to maintain the clinical service.

Assists in sourcing any new, unusual or alternative pharmaceutical products that may be required.

Advises pharmacy staff on the availability of requested items and responds to urgent requests to ensure that patient therapy is not compromised and continuity of supply is maintained.

Manages own workload and sets priorities, to ensure clinical service is not compromised.

Measures procurement workload and assists in analysing performance indicators to improve efficiency.

Responsible for maintaining proper financial control by ensuring prices paid and goods received are correct before authorising payment of invoices.

Manages financial accounts with pharmaceutical companies, to minimise the trust’s liabilities and to ensure all income is received.

Responsible for ensuring UHL and TMP obtain maximum value for money on medicines purchases by keeping costs to a minimum, ensuring correct products are purchased, contracts adhered to and all due compensation is claimed.

Responsible for keeping computer stock, supplier and financial records up to date and accurate, to maximise the efficiency of the purchasing service.

Assists in the training of other staff groups in purchasing procedures.

Ensures drug alerts and hazard recalls are implemented promptly to minimise risk to patients and staff.

Assumes responsibility when necessary for the security of the district pharmacy building.

To undertake such other reasonable duties as may be required from time to time.

To participate in evening, weekend, bank holiday and on-call work in accordance with departmental rotas.

Please see attached job description for more information.

Person specification

Communication

Essential criteria

Inter-personal communication skills and ability to deal with people at all levels

Trust Values

Essential criteria

Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust’s Values and Behaviours

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Minimum of four GCSE passes including English and Maths
as above
as above

Desirable criteria

European Computer Driving Licence or other computing qualification
NVQ Level 3 Purchasing or Business Administration or equivalent, or Chartered Institute of Purchasin
Knowledge of contract law, negotiation skills and contract management eg through NHS PaSA short cour

Experience

Essential criteria

Minimum of 5 years experience of the following: Customer services - particularly dealing with a variety of people using the telephone Using computer systems Office organisation, team working Purchasing and Invoicing procedures
Minimum of 1 years experience working in a Pharmacy environment, using medical terminology and drug names
Word processing Use of simple spreadsheets

Desirable criteria

Minimum of 5 years working in an NHS hospital

Planning and Organization

Essential criteria

Organisational skills including the ability to prioritise effectively, especially one’s own work
Ability to think clearly and logically under pressure. Flair for problem analysis and solution

EDI

Essential criteria

Able to demonstrate a commitment to and understanding of the importance of treating all individuals with dignity and respect appropriate to their individual needs. All staff are expected to engage in compassionate and inclusive leadership in the provision of high quality care and interactions with others

Others

Essential criteria

Drug nomenclature Purchasing and Invoicing procedures Stock control systems

Desirable criteria

Trust Standing Financial Instructions Contract Law Medicines Act – in respect of purchase of medicin

Additional Information

Please submit your application form without delay to avoid disappointment; we will close vacancies prior to the publishing closing date if we receive a sufficient number of completed application forms.

Please check the email account (including your junk mail) that you supplied as part of your application on a regular basis following the closing date and throughout the recruitment process, as this is how we will communicate with you.

UHL is an equal opportunities employer. We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds who match our job criteria.

Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be interviewed if you indicate you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible.

UHL is committed to helping colleagues balance the demands of both their work and personal needs through flexible working arrangements wherever reasonably practicable and subject to service needs.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

Please note if you are successful in obtaining this position and the post involves regulated activity you will be required to undertake a Disclosure & Barring Service check.

The Trust will pay for the check initially and the money will then be deducted from your salary over a three month period commencing on your first month's payment.

The current price of a check is £38 for an enhanced and £18 for a standard check.

COVID 19 Risk Assessment

Due to the current Covid pandemic we have introduced a staff risk assessment into our pre-employment process. This now forms part of the mandatory pre-employment checks that will be carried out if you receive a conditional offer.

The risk assessment is intended to ensure you are able to safely perform your duties in any of our work areas, and if you have been identified as being particularly vulnerable to coronavirus. Our main aim is to reduce risk and to ensure the safety of all new starters to the Trust as well as current staff, patients and visitors.

If it is identified that you are within a vulnerable category, we will endeavor to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate this through discussions with both Occupational Health and your recruiting manager.

Covid Vaccination Status

Covid-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, family, colleagues and our patients/service users from the Covid-19 virus. We therefore continue to encourage our current and potential colleagues to get vaccinated.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust holds the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything it does and all that it stands for. We are committed to developing a workforce that is representative of the community we serve. We welcome applications from the diverse community of Leicester, Leicester and Rutland, to help deliver healthcare services that meets the needs of our diverse communities.