Operational Manager - Pharmacy Distribution - Deputy RP & Site Manager

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

The use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it, then they are required to declare this in their supporting statement.

Job overview

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Pharmacy technician or Pharmacist to lead our Pharmacy Distribution Service. The ideal candidate will be forward-thinking, with a strong commitment to delivering exceptional service to our customers and, ultimately, our patients. This newly created role comes as part of a restructuring initiative within Pharmacy Distribution Centre at University College London Hospitals (UCLH).

UCLH operates an offsite pharmacy warehouse, which holds a wholesaler license with the MHRA and is licensed by the Home Office to supply controlled drugs. The unit manages an annual expenditure of over £210 million. The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing the efficient distribution of medicines and managing the Brewery Road site. They will also serve as the Deputy Responsible Person (RP) for the MHRA Wholesaler License.

In addition to providing medicines to all areas of UCLH, the service extends to multiple external customers, including other local NHS trusts. The post-holder will also assist the Director of Pharmacy Operations in maintaining and developing pharmacy services across the Trust as part of a strategic working group.

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities:
• Lead the strategic development of pharmacy medicines distribution services to UCLH and external customers, aligning with local, regional, and national requirements and priorities.
• Develop and implement a distribution strategy to ensure efficient, cost-effective delivery of medicines that meet quality standards, are available when needed, and provide the best value for money.
• Deliver an effective, high-quality medicines distribution service in compliance with all professional and regulatory standards, supporting UCLH NHS Foundation Trust and relevant external clients.
• Communicate complex information both internally within the pharmacy and externally with regulators (MHRA, Home Office). Strong communication and negotiation skills will be essential to influence decision-making.
• Take responsibility for site management, including oversight of all on-site equipment and facilities.
• Build and maintain proactive strategic relationships with stakeholders, including suppliers, NHS partners, commissioners, and NHS bodies such as NHS Improvement.
• Train and develop the team to provide an expert, high-quality, stakeholder-focused service.
• Oversee Pharmacy Distribution services, which involve managing orders and approving invoices worth approximately £210 million annually

Working for our organisation

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. We provide academically led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research.

We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:

• University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)

• National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery

• Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals

• University College Hospital Grafton Way Building

• Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine

• University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre

• The Hospital for Tropical Diseases

• University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street

We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women's health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.

We are committed to sustainability and have pledged to become a carbon net zero health service, embedding sustainable practice throughout UCLH. We have set an ambitious target of net zero for our direct emissions by 2031 and indirect emissions by 2040.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.

Come and be a part of the best NHS trust in England to work for, according to our staff*

UCLH top trust to work at in England - for the second year running! : University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

*In the most recent NHS staff survey UCLH had the highest percentage of staff who said they would recommend us as a place to work, out of all general acute or acute/community NHS trusts in England - for the second year in a row.

UCLH top trust to work at in England - for the second year running! University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Once again, UCLH has received the highest score of all general acute and acute/community NHS trusts in England for staff that would recommend us as a place to work.

To discover more about what makes UCLH a great place to work, visit: Why Choose UCLH?

Person specification

Knowledge and Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Registered Technician or Pharmacist with GHPC
• Relevant management underpinning knowledge/ post graduate studies or equivalent (or working towards)
• Demonstrable post qualification experience in the NHS sector - preferably in a Pharmacy Distribution role Knowledge of finance systems and budget control processes
• Demonstratable significant post qualification work in an operational management capacity

Desirable criteria

• MHRA Gold standard qualification

Experience

Essential criteria

• Implementation of strategies aimed at meeting Trust and pharmacy priorities
• Ability to reconcile national priorities with local realities.
• Evaluates service provision.
• Demonstrates awareness of and commitment to the principles of clinical governance

Personal and People Development

Essential criteria

• Demonstrates ability to work and lead a multi-disciplinary team.
• Previous experience in delivering education and training at a postgraduate level.

Skills and Abilities

Essential criteria

• Identifies novel ways of working to enhance services.
• Ability to analyse and critically appraise operational data.
• Ability to utilise database and other software packages to enhance work efficiency and to generate solutions to complex problems.
• Actively seeks to improve the services provided.
• Ability to develop and implement risk management procedures at a directorate level.
• Demonstrates a whole-system patient-focussed approach.

Ensure the risk of infection to self, colleagues, patients, relatives and visitors is minimised by:

Essential criteria

• Being familiar with, and adhering to Trust policies and guidance on infection prevention and control.
• Completing all required training and education (both via e-learning and face to face) on infection prevention and control.
• Including infection prevention and control as an integral part of your continuous personal/professional development and included in your annual appraisal
• Taking personal responsibility so far as is reasonably practicable, in embedding the effective prevention and control of health care associated infections into everyday practice and applied consistently.

Specific Requirements

Essential criteria

• Participation in multidisciplinary health services research
• Integrates research evidence into practice.

Desirable criteria

• Undertakes own research

Values

Essential criteria

• Demonstrate ability to meet Trust Values of safety, kindness, teamwork and improving

Responsibilities towards promoting Equality Diversity and Inclusion

Essential criteria

• Demonstratable understanding of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion and/or Knowledge of NHS obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duties

At UCLH, we have a real 'One Team' ethos, and our values - safety, kindness, teamwork and improving, are central to the way we work. This is supported by our staff, who voted us as the #1 NHS Acute Trust to work for in the whole of England.

At UCLH we take equality of opportunity seriously and are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer, with a culture that creates a real sense of belonging and trust. It is our fundamental aim, to recruit, retain and promote a diverse mix of people who are representative of our local communities. Applications are encouraged from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives to support our world class research, innovation and creativity.

UCLH recognises the benefits of flexible working for staff and has a dedicated policy which allows staff to apply for flexible working right from the beginning of employment. For more information please go to: https://www.uclh.nhs.uk/work-with-us/why-choose-uclh/flexible-working.

We offer our permanent staff an interest free season ticket loan for travel, all our staff have access to free independent and confidential support, large retail discounts, a staff discount platform, cycle to work scheme and on-site accommodation to name a few.

Additionally, UCLH Arts and Heritage's staff wellbeing programme, Creative Comfort, offers a variety of ways to engage with the arts as a member of UCLH staff. You can try out the weekly choir, weekly art club and join the Culture Club for exclusive access to free and discounted tickets for opera, exhibitions, theatre and more.

We recognise, reward and thank colleagues by nominating them for our annual Celebrating Excellence Awards, which are funded by UCLH Charity.

We are also members of www.mytrustbenefits.co.uk/ which offers discounts on high street retail stores, offers on travel deals, and also to take advantage of cash back schemes.

This vacancy may close before the current listed closing date. You are advised not to delay submitting your completed application.

Please note that all correspondence regarding your application will be via email. The emails will be sent to you via TRAC.jobs and not via NHS Jobs, we encourage you to check your inbox regularly.

Please note that if you are at present in a training position on the 2016 new junior doctor's contract and are applying for a Trust doctor role your salary will not be pay protected.

You will be placed on the appropriate point of the Trust Doctor pay scale based on your previous experience.

Please note that if you have not heard from us within 3 weeks of the closing date of the advert to assume that you have not been shortlisted on this occasion.

The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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

• Job description (PDF, 768.3KB)
• Functional requirement (PDF, 262.3KB)
• UCLH Values (PDF, 860.9KB)