Job vacancy: Senior Production Operative, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary

Job summary

Main area

317 Pharmacy Manufacturing Unit

Grade

PPU Range 3

Contract

Permanent

Hours

Full time
Part time

Job ref

317-2025-21-056

Employer: The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Royal Victoria Infirmary
Town: 317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary
Salary: £24,087 - £25,742 pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 09/07/2025 23:59
Interview date: 28/07/2025

Senior Production Operative

PPU Range 3

Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 15,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.6 billion.

We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.

We’re in the top five providers of specialised health services in the country, supporting people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.

Our staff oversee around 6,500 patient contacts each day, delivering high standards of healthcare.

We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.

Newcastle Hospitals are proud to be one of the exemplar organisations across the NHS on sustainability, with a long history of delivering Sustainable Healthcare in Newcastle (Shine) and the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. Our strategy includes commitments to being Net Zero by 2030, for our direct carbon footprint, and Net Zero by 2040 for our footprint plus. Delivering these ambitions will not be possible without the help, support and action of every single member of our team.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To carry out the full range of Senior Production Operative duties including the preparation and / or manufacture of products from raw materials, having successfully completed the in-house competency based training programme that encompasses the concepts of Quality Assurance, GMP and Quality Control.
Provides technical support to production services including carrying out routine procedures in the ordering, packing, distribution and storage of pharmaceutical stock.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

Person specification

QUALIFICATIONS

Essential criteria

GCSE (Min. Grade 4 or equivalent) in Mathematics and English Language or previous hospital pharmacy production experience
GPhC approved level 2 qualification specific to the role, or must commence study within 6 months of appointment
Production induction period of four weeks and initial training period of six months to gain practical experience of work activities (routine duties) and a working knowledge of standard operating procedures

Desirable criteria

GCSE Chemistry and Biology or Dual Award Science
Completion of in-house competency based training
Completion of in-house validation for label production
Completion of in-house validation for visual checking

KNOWLEDGE

Essential criteria

Must meet General Pharmaceutical Council guidelines which states pharmacy support staff must be able to demonstrate a range of work procedures and practices with base level of theoretical knowledge and understanding of the duties carried out within the role
Knowledge of environmental monitoring
Knowledge of pharmaceutical preparation, manufacturing or aseptic processing
Awareness of the importance of Health and Safety in the workplace

Desirable criteria

Theoretical knowledge and practical experience of Good Manufacturing Practice
Practical knowledge of isolator or laminar flow technology
Awareness of COSHH in the workplace

EXPERIENCE

Essential criteria

Experience of working in a clean room environment
Experience of working in a busy environment

Desirable criteria

Experience in a pharmaceutical production environment

SKILLS

Essential criteria

An ability to follow written standard operating procedures
General keyboard skills
Basic training skills
Effective organisational skills
Good written and oral communication skills
Good customer care skills
Able to manage own workload and use own initiative
Ability to work accurately

Important note on completion of reference section of Application Form

All references from current and previous employers will be sought and must cover a minimum of 3 years employment. Therefore, when completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number and work email address of each of your current/previous line managers that cover 3 years employment. Failure to complete this section may result in your application not being processed.

Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first month’s pay.

Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail. You should check your SPAM folders as well as your inbox. If you have not been contacted within 4 weeks of the closing date you should assume your application has been unsuccessful.