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Job summary

Main area
Group Management
Grade
VSM
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
234-26-GROUP-GCP
Employer
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group
Town
Norwich
Salary
Per Anum
Closing
05/07/2026 23:59
Interview date
16/07/2026

Employer heading

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust logo

Group Chief Pharmacist

VSM

Join us at the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group.
The Group was formed in 2025 to bring the three Acute Trusts in Norfolk and Waveney together into one system with a one purpose – better care for patients. It has unified leadership with one Chair, one Chief Executive and one Board, which includes Executive Managing Directors for all three Trusts.

The Group has clearly defined aims to

  • Provide great care.
  • Nurture a skilled, engaged workforce.
  • Enable service modernisation expanding digital use and services.
  • Plan the right services and environments and support the development of integrated neighbourhood services.
  • Stabilise finances and live within our means.
  • Leverage our network and strengthen collaboration with system partners.
  • Shape future roles of our hospitals and the pattern of Clinical Services necessary to support them- starting with the needs of our population.

It also has an ambition to build, with its partners in health sciences, education and research, a world class University Hospitals System.

Taken together, our three Acute Trusts – The James Paget University Hospital NHS Trust in Gorleston, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in Norwich (including the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital and Cromer Hospital), have a combined workforce of circa 18,000 people.

Job overview

Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group brings together three acute hospitals to deliver high-quality, safe, and compassionate care across the region. We are committed to innovation, research, and continuous improvement, ensuring our services meet the needs of patients now and in the future.


As part of this transformation, we are seeking an exceptional leader to join us as Group Chief Pharmacist—a pivotal role in shaping medicines optimisation and pharmacy services across our hospitals
The Group Chief Pharmacist is the professional lead for pharmacy and medicines optimisation across the hospital group. This executive-level position provides strategic, professional, and operational leadership, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, and financially sustainable pharmacy services across all three sites.


You will act as the senior accountable officer for medicines management, providing expert advice to the Board and senior clinicians, and ensuring compliance with statutory, regulatory, and clinical standards. This role also offers the opportunity to influence policy at regional and national levels, champion digital transformation, and lead research and innovation in pharmacy practice.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a highly experienced and visionary pharmacy leader who can inspire teams and deliver transformation at scale.

Essential Requirements:

  • Registered Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council.
  • Extensive senior-level pharmacy leadership experience within an acute NHS Trust or similar complex organisation.
  • Proven track record in strategic planning, medicines governance, and service transformation.
  • Strong financial and workforce management skills.
  • Ability to influence at system and national level.

Desirable:

  • Leadership or management qualification relevant to the NHS.
  • Experience contributing to national policy development.
  • Evidence of research and innovation in pharmacy practice.

Working for our organisation

The newly formed Norfolk & Waveney University Hospitals Group (NWUHG) is placing people and culture at the heart of its transformation.

By working as one system, the Group is strengthening workforce development, improving staff experience, and creating consistent, supportive leadership across all three hospitals. This unified approach enables better training, enhanced well-being support, and a stronger culture rooted in compassion, flexibility, and continuous learning.

Focusing on people also supports national priorities—ensuring the workforce is skilled, adaptable, and ready for future models of care—and strengthens NWUHG’s overall performance by improving quality, resilience, and sustainability.

 Together, this creates a Groupwide commitment to making NWUHG a great place to work, with clear benefits for staff including:

·       Flexible working hours

·       Fast Track Staff Physiotherapy Service

·       Multi Faith prayer room at NNUH Colney Lane site

·       Discounted gym memberships

·       Generous pension scheme and annual leave entitlement

·       Wagestream - access up to 40% of your pay as you earn it

·       Free Park & Ride service direct to NNUH Colney Lane site

·       Free 24-hours confidential counselling support

·       On-site Nursery at NNUH Colney Lane

·       On-site cafes offering staff discounts at NNUH Colney Lane

·       Support in career development

·       Flexible staff bank

·       Salary Sacrifice schemes 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Group Chief Pharmacist is the most senior pharmacy professional across the hospitals within the Group and reports directly to the Group Chief Medical Officer. The postholder holds corporate responsibility for pharmacy services, medicines optimisation and management, medicines governance and statutory compliance across the hospital group, and provides strategic leadership to ensure delivery of safe, effective and financially sustainable pharmacy services.
The postholder will provide executive-level clinical and professional leadership, ensuring the safe, high-quality and cost-effective delivery of comprehensive pharmacy services across the hospitals within the Group. They will act as the principal subject matter expert for pharmacy and medicines matters, providing professional advice, assurance and reports to the Board and relevant committees through the Group Chief Medical Officer, while supporting workforce development, quality improvement, research and innovation across the hospital group.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Registered as a Pharmacist with the General Pharmaceutical Council.

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Extensive senior level pharmacy leadership and managerial experience within an acute NHS Trust (or comparatively large and complex multi- disciplinary organisation).

Skills abilities and knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Experience of developing and implementing transformation programmes, including the management of service change, operational process improvement and cost reduction
  • Form successful working relationships with pharmacy colleagues in other NHS Trusts and across boundaries Lead and influence others including other healthcare professionals and senior managers

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveInvestors in People: GoldImproving working livesStonewall Health ChampionsMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.We offer Wagestream - A financial wellbeing benefit which lets you access your pay as you earn it.Disability confident employerNHS Pastoral CareStep into healthArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

This post will require a submission for Disclosure to be made to check for any unspent criminal convictions.

Application numbers

Please note due to high volume of applications for some posts, this post may close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role asap.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Dr Rob Sherwin
Job title
Group Chief Medical Officer
Email address
[email protected]
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