Job summary
Due to retirement of the current postholder, we have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Pharmacy Technician to take on the technical leadership of our friendly team.
We currently manage a diverse portfolio of ~300 studies, including ATIMPs and other novel therapies. You will use your expertise to ensure our service remains compliant with regulatory frameworks and prepared for expansion, including for the national vaccines and immunotherapies research programme and future opening of the Cambridge Cancer Research and Children's Hospitals.
The role will involve close collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, fostering a culture of cross-functional co-operation and knowledge-sharing. An open and imaginative approach to solving problems, combined with excellent organisational skills and the ability to work at a high level of accuracy, is essential. Additionally you should possess strong computer skills and experience with reporting and analyzing data will be beneficial.
Main duties of the job
- Lead, develop and deliver the technical elements of the pharmacy clinical trials service. Have oversight and management of the department's facilities, equipment and capacity to ensure on going ability to support research activities including CTIMPS, non-CTIMPS and ATIMPs.
- Help set the strategic direction of the pharmacy clinical trial service
- Ensure all standard operating procedures for the pharmacy clinical trials service reflect current practice, are maintained and updated as appropriate in line with local governance requirements, UK regulations and Good Clinical Practice (GCP) requirements, and are implemented
- Provide professional leadership for pharmacy clinical trials technical staff
- Ensure that activities involved in the provision of clinical trial services receive appropriate remuneration
- Develop and maintain IT systems to report monthly and annually on clinical trials activities.
- Co-ordinate governance activities for the clinical trials team.
- Lead training on technical aspects of the clinical trials service.
- Develop and maintain regular communication and action plans with technical staff from different pharmacy teams of relevance to clinical trials; ensure that the patient experience is a primary focus of all technical and support staff.
- Support externally contracted manufacturing services required for CUH-sponsored research.
About us
Our Trust
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 12000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.
CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
This vacancy will close at midnight on 6th March 2024
Interviews are due to be held on 21st March 2024
Benefits to you
We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse, day nurseries and access to a great transport system with easy access to airports and rail travel.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
This vacancy will close at midnight on 6th March 2024
Interviews are due to be held on 21st March 2024
Benefits to you
We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse, day nurseries and access to a great transport system with easy access to airports and rail travel.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ3 Pharmacy Services, BTEC Pharmaceutical Science or CGLI/Apothecaries Hall pre 1985 certificates
- Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
- Post-registration specialist training in clinical trials
- Post graduate/Masters level qualifications in management or a portfolio demonstrating equivalent experience and relevant short courses
- IT or Data Management qualification or equivalent experience
- Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician
- Good Clinical Practice certification, including Investigational Medicinal Products module
Desirable
- Accredited as an Educational Supervisor for the ACPT scheme
- Attendance at Train the Trainer course or equivalent
- Member of Association of Pharmacy Technicians (APTUK) or Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)
- Project management qualification
- Leadership qualification
Experience
Essential
- Recent & significant post-registration experience in hospital pharmacy
- Experience in a team leadership role
- Substantial experience in the management of clinical trials, including dispensing processes, within a hospital environment
- Experience of working with Medicines Governance principles in the hospital setting including Controlled Drug legislation.
- Experience of staff management, training and supervision.
- Experience of planning organisational resources to support project implementation.
- Experience of writing policies and guidelines.
- Experience of managing KPIs and service performance.
- Experience of completing audits, reviewing data and analysing trends in order to inform service improvement.
- Experience in liaising with a range of stakeholders from varied disciplines, e.g., R&D, study teams, specialist pharmacists, finance team.
- Experience of financial management.
- Experience of operationally managing change.
- Experience of risk management.
- Experience of accuracy checking
Desirable
- Experience of directly leading a team and Service.
- Experience of writing professional reports.
- Experience of leading service change.
- Evidence of having conducted and implemented the outcomes of an audit.
- Experience of the management of high-cost and high-risk medicines.
- Experience of drug expenditure analysis and reporting.
- Experience of utilising electronic prescribing.
Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist technical knowledge of clinical trial management
- Up to date knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practice, Good Clinical Practice and its application
- Working knowledge of Good Distribution Practices
- Knowledge of good dispensing practices
- Knowledge of error reduction strategies and experience of error monitoring and reduction schemes
- Thorough knowledge of financial management of clinical trials within the commercial and non-commercial sector
- Knowledge of current UK medicines legislation, including controlled drug regulations, NPSA and MHRA related alerts, especially in relation to clinical trials
- A working understanding of High Cost Drug management processes, PAS schemes and commissioning principles.
- Ability to assimilate detailed information and discriminate important facts and identify pattern or trend.
- Ability to prioritise own workload and initiate and oversee a number of projects/tasks at any one time.
- Ability to work on own initiative and as an effective team member.
- Ability to work with all grades of staff including those from a clinical, medical and technical background.
- Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) to create documents and spread sheets and extract information.
- Demonstrate strong data handling and analysis skills.
- Knowledge of electronic prescribing IT systems.
Desirable
- Experienced in the use of EPIC or alternative.
- Experienced in use of EPIC or alternative electronic prescribing and administration system.
- Familiar with the use of a range of visual aids for teaching & able to give oral presentations appropriate to the level of the audience including students.
- Knowledge of current NHS policies/processes - Knowledge of NICE, Health Education England (HEE), NPSA guidance and their local implementation.
- Working knowledge and experience of medicines procurement, NHS purchasing and supply contracts.
Skills
Essential
- Ability to monitor, validate and report on the activity & financial data
- Ability to create and maintain effective relationships with all relevant stakeholders
- Ability to communicate complex information effectively and overcome barriers to understanding
- Ability to work as part of a team and to lead a team
- Ability to organise project work and work unsupervised and to work to deadlines/targets
- Ability to lead change
- Proven ability to have successfully dealt with complex technical and managerial issues within the pharmacy department
Desirable
- Ability to influence and negotiate.
- Ability to review and adapt plans as circumstances dictate.
- Ability to train different staff groups.
Additional Requirements
Essential
- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NVQ3 Pharmacy Services, BTEC Pharmaceutical Science or CGLI/Apothecaries Hall pre 1985 certificates
- Registration with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
- Post-registration specialist training in clinical trials
- Post graduate/Masters level qualifications in management or a portfolio demonstrating equivalent experience and relevant short courses
- IT or Data Management qualification or equivalent experience
- Accredited Checking Pharmacy Technician
- Good Clinical Practice certification, including Investigational Medicinal Products module
Desirable
- Accredited as an Educational Supervisor for the ACPT scheme
- Attendance at Train the Trainer course or equivalent
- Member of Association of Pharmacy Technicians (APTUK) or Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)
- Project management qualification
- Leadership qualification
Experience
Essential
- Recent & significant post-registration experience in hospital pharmacy
- Experience in a team leadership role
- Substantial experience in the management of clinical trials, including dispensing processes, within a hospital environment
- Experience of working with Medicines Governance principles in the hospital setting including Controlled Drug legislation.
- Experience of staff management, training and supervision.
- Experience of planning organisational resources to support project implementation.
- Experience of writing policies and guidelines.
- Experience of managing KPIs and service performance.
- Experience of completing audits, reviewing data and analysing trends in order to inform service improvement.
- Experience in liaising with a range of stakeholders from varied disciplines, e.g., R&D, study teams, specialist pharmacists, finance team.
- Experience of financial management.
- Experience of operationally managing change.
- Experience of risk management.
- Experience of accuracy checking
Desirable
- Experience of directly leading a team and Service.
- Experience of writing professional reports.
- Experience of leading service change.
- Evidence of having conducted and implemented the outcomes of an audit.
- Experience of the management of high-cost and high-risk medicines.
- Experience of drug expenditure analysis and reporting.
- Experience of utilising electronic prescribing.
Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist technical knowledge of clinical trial management
- Up to date knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practice, Good Clinical Practice and its application
- Working knowledge of Good Distribution Practices
- Knowledge of good dispensing practices
- Knowledge of error reduction strategies and experience of error monitoring and reduction schemes
- Thorough knowledge of financial management of clinical trials within the commercial and non-commercial sector
- Knowledge of current UK medicines legislation, including controlled drug regulations, NPSA and MHRA related alerts, especially in relation to clinical trials
- A working understanding of High Cost Drug management processes, PAS schemes and commissioning principles.
- Ability to assimilate detailed information and discriminate important facts and identify pattern or trend.
- Ability to prioritise own workload and initiate and oversee a number of projects/tasks at any one time.
- Ability to work on own initiative and as an effective team member.
- Ability to work with all grades of staff including those from a clinical, medical and technical background.
- Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) to create documents and spread sheets and extract information.
- Demonstrate strong data handling and analysis skills.
- Knowledge of electronic prescribing IT systems.
Desirable
- Experienced in the use of EPIC or alternative.
- Experienced in use of EPIC or alternative electronic prescribing and administration system.
- Familiar with the use of a range of visual aids for teaching & able to give oral presentations appropriate to the level of the audience including students.
- Knowledge of current NHS policies/processes - Knowledge of NICE, Health Education England (HEE), NPSA guidance and their local implementation.
- Working knowledge and experience of medicines procurement, NHS purchasing and supply contracts.
Skills
Essential
- Ability to monitor, validate and report on the activity & financial data
- Ability to create and maintain effective relationships with all relevant stakeholders
- Ability to communicate complex information effectively and overcome barriers to understanding
- Ability to work as part of a team and to lead a team
- Ability to organise project work and work unsupervised and to work to deadlines/targets
- Ability to lead change
- Proven ability to have successfully dealt with complex technical and managerial issues within the pharmacy department
Desirable
- Ability to influence and negotiate.
- Ability to review and adapt plans as circumstances dictate.
- Ability to train different staff groups.
Additional Requirements
Essential
- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).