Deputy Head of QA

This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.

Fulfil your potential in hospitals that make history:

Charing Cross, Hammersmith, St Mary's, Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea and Western Eye.

With five world-renowned hospitals, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is full of opportunity if you are looking to develop your healthcare career.

We are an NHS Trust of approximately 14,000 people, providing care for over a million and a half patients from north west London and beyond every year.

We have a rich heritage and an ambitious vision for the future of our patients and local communities.

With our partners, Imperial College London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, we form Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre, one of 6 academic health science centres in the UK, working to ensure the rapid translation of research for better patient care and excellence in education.

We are proud of our heritage in innovation and we are early adopters of new insights in technologies, techniques and treatments for improving health.

Job overview

We are seeking a dynamic Deputy Head of QA to join our Pharmacy team at Hammersmith and Charing Cross Hospitals. This is a unique opportunity to lead and shape the future of pharmaceutical manufacturing, ensuring the highest standards of quality, safety and compliance.

In this role, you will oversee the QA and Quality Control teams, ensuring all drug manufacturing processes meet MHRA regulations, EU GMP guidelines and national standards. You will be the go to expert for pharmaceutical QA, managing external contracts, advising on policy and ensuring compliance at every level. Your leadership will inspire a culture of excellence, training staff and driving continuous improvement in the production of high-quality medicines.

We are looking for a highly motivated professional with a BSc in Life Sciences or Pharmaceutical Science and extensive experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing or Quality Management Systems. You must have expert knowledge of GMP, regulatory compliance and quality assurance within a hospital or industry setting. Strong leadership, communication and problem-solving skills are essential.

If you are ready to take on a high impact role where you can make a real difference to patient safety and pharmaceutical excellence, we want to hear from you. Apply today and be part of something exceptional!

Main duties of the job

• This role has the overall responsibility for the management of the pharmaceutical aspects of the Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) in drug manufacturing for the pharmacy department. This includes provision of specialist Pharmaceutical QA services to the Trust to fulfil the requirements of the Medicines Act, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the guidelines of the Guide to Good Manufacturing Practice of Medicinal Products (EU GMP), Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and other national and international guidelines as may be applicable.
• Provision of specialist pharmaceutical advice to the pharmacy on resources, (including facilities, equipment and staff), policies and procedures required for the provision of an appropriate level of pharmaceutical service, conforming to all appropriate legal requirements and professional guidelines.
• To lead the QA and Quality Control team
• To deliver and/or oversee the training of all relevant pharmacy staff in aspects of Quality Assurance and Pharmaceutical practice.
• To manage the external contracts and income of the Quality Assurance Service.

Working for our organisation

At Imperial College Healthcare you can achieve extraordinary things with extraordinary people, working with leading clinicians pushing boundaries in patient care.

Become part of a vibrant team living our values - expert, kind, collaborative and aspirational. You'll get an experience like no other and will fast forward your career.

Benefits include career development, flexible working and wellbeing, staff recognition scheme. Make use of optional benefits including Cycle to Work, car lease schemes, season ticket loan or membership options for onsite leisure facilities.

We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and will consider applications to work flexibly, part time or job share. Please talk to us at interview.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required.

For both overviews please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.

Person specification

Education/ Qualifications

Essential criteria

• BSc degree in Life Sciences subject or Pharmaceutical Science
• Extensive post-graduate studies and or experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing and or Quality Management Systems

Desirable criteria

• Other postgraduate qualification relevant to pharmaceutical science e.g. PTQA
• Masters degree or doctorate in Life Sciences Subject

Experience /Skills/Knowledge/

Essential criteria

• Extensive knowledge of GMP
• Excellent Quality Management Systems knowledge
• Excellent IT skills
• Good knowledge of clean rooms
• Effective time management
• Expected to deal with health care workers in a professional manner
• Relevant pharmaceutical manufacturing experience in hospital or industry

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of GCP
• People and departmental management

Please ensure you check your emails regularly as this is how we will communicate with you throughout the recruitment process. If you are shortlisted you will be contacted by email and text message (if you provide a mobile contact number).

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

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

• Job description (PDF, 792.5KB)
• Functional Requirement Form (PDF, 240.6KB)
• Our Strategy 2023-25 (PDF, 230.4KB)