Ministry of Defence (Defence Medical Services)

Band 6 Pharmacy Instructor

The closing date is 24 September 2025

Job summary

Welcome to Defence Medical Services, we are a dedicated and inclusive organisation working hard to provide excellent care to our entitled personnel.

Are you a Pharmacy Instructor with excellent communication skills and attention to detail? Are you looking for a new role alongside our armed forces? Would you like to be part of training and course delivery to help improve our services?

We're searching for a Band 6 Pharmacy Instructor to join our welcoming team at the Defence Medical Academy in Whittington, Lichfield. If this could be for you, please apply.

This is a full time role consisting of 37.5 hours per week.

Benefits

  • An inclusive working environment
  • An NHS Pension
  • Training and learning opportunities suited to your role
  • On site parking
  • Access to a gym
  • Access to a library
  • Onsite shop

Main duties of the job

The Defence School of Healthcare Education is to deliver agreed individual training to defined standards (including those set by external professional bodies) in order to meet the needs of the Defence Medical Services as a whole, the single Service Front Line Commands and the Joint Medical Commands Mission Directive, in order to contribute to the physical and moral components of fighting power.

The Pharmacy and Medicines Management Training Team delivers Pharmacy and Medicines Management phase 2 and 3 training to the Defence Medical Services. As a Band 6 Pharmacy Instructor you would be a vital part of this delivery.

About us

Our success depends on our people, our Whole Force, regular and reservist military, civil servants and contractors, all working as one, working together seamlessly to deliver for us.

Our civil servants are a central part of this Whole Force, developing strategy, making policy, supporting ministerial decision-making and Parliamentary processes. In fact, with over 2,000 different roles working across 650 sites around the world, now really is an excellent time to join one of the largest, most exciting departments in government.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to attracting and retaining people from across the full range of backgrounds and enabling flexible ways of working as the norm. We offer maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks full pay followed by 13 weeks of statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid, and paternity leave of 2 weeks full pay.

In return, you can expect a department that helps you learn and develop that recognises your expertise and contribution, both as an individual and part of a team.

If you've ever wanted to do more, see more, go further or be better, we have roles in more professions and vocations than ever before. Let's see where your future will take you, together.

Details

Date posted

17 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year (pro rata for part time) *pay award pending

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Job share

Reference number

K0003-25-0418

Job locations

Defence Medical Academy

Defence Medical Services

Whittington Barracks

Lichfield

WS14 9PY


Job description

Job responsibilities

Duties of the role include, but are not limited to:

  • Undertake mentoring of deputy course managers and new instructors, as required by the role.
  • Deliver Pharmacy and Medicines Management training to 10 courses.
  • Act as Course Manager when assigned; oversee the course planning, allocate and organise resources for courses, follow master course documentation, update British National Formulary references, utilise and update Training and Finance Management Information System, meet with other course managers for student briefs and progress, implement continuous improvement as required.
  • Act as the department lead for; the quality improvement action place, 1st and 2nd party audits, governance assurance for the Pharmacy and Medicines Management Training Team.
  • Student supervision; conduct student visits, record and action reports against the training record card, book Military Transport (MT) in accordance with MT policy when required, supervise students during periods for which they are under your charge paying due regard to their safety, discipline and welfare and signpost accordingly.

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details on the duties of this role.

Selection Process

The sift will be completed within 10 working days of the vacancy closing date. Interviews will be held on a date to be confirmed.

At application stage you will be assessed against the following:

CV:

  • Please ensure you demonstrate that you have the required skills, knowledge, experience, qualifications and memberships in the CV section of the application form.
  • Please provide information of how you meet the criteria set out in the Job Description. You may wish to further include examples of how you have tackled similar tasks or demonstrated the skills outlined in the job advert.
  • To be considered for this role, qualifications and memberships detailed must be held in full, prior to submitting your application.

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/artificial-intelligence-and-recruitment/

At interview you will be assessed against the following:

NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework:

  • NHS Core NHSC1 Communication
  • NHS Core NHSC2 Personal & People Development
  • NHS Core NHSC3 Health, Safety & Security
  • NHS Core NHSC4 Service Improvement
  • NHS Core NHSC5 Quality
  • NHS Core NHSC6 Equality and Diversity

There will be no reimbursement for any travel expenses for the interview.

Further Information

All employees joining Ministry of Defence who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a 6-month probation period (unless otherwise advised) effective from the employment start date.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

Requests to work flexibly and/or part time will be considered, taking into account business needs. Please note the salary will be pro-rata where part time hours are undertaken.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact dbscivpers-sgdmsresourcing@mod.gov.uk.

There is no requirement to deploy as this is met by our uniformed personnel, but you will form the continuity of care required by our patients when based at home.

Access to the NHS pension scheme is available to the successful candidate.

This vacancy is part of the A Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

The post does NOT offer relocation expenses (move of home, excess fares or temporary transfer). Non-Standard move applicants will be eligible for the full package, subject to eligibility.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

For details on our complaints procedure, please see attached Important Information document.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Duties of the role include, but are not limited to:

  • Undertake mentoring of deputy course managers and new instructors, as required by the role.
  • Deliver Pharmacy and Medicines Management training to 10 courses.
  • Act as Course Manager when assigned; oversee the course planning, allocate and organise resources for courses, follow master course documentation, update British National Formulary references, utilise and update Training and Finance Management Information System, meet with other course managers for student briefs and progress, implement continuous improvement as required.
  • Act as the department lead for; the quality improvement action place, 1st and 2nd party audits, governance assurance for the Pharmacy and Medicines Management Training Team.
  • Student supervision; conduct student visits, record and action reports against the training record card, book Military Transport (MT) in accordance with MT policy when required, supervise students during periods for which they are under your charge paying due regard to their safety, discipline and welfare and signpost accordingly.

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details on the duties of this role.

Selection Process

The sift will be completed within 10 working days of the vacancy closing date. Interviews will be held on a date to be confirmed.

At application stage you will be assessed against the following:

CV:

  • Please ensure you demonstrate that you have the required skills, knowledge, experience, qualifications and memberships in the CV section of the application form.
  • Please provide information of how you meet the criteria set out in the Job Description. You may wish to further include examples of how you have tackled similar tasks or demonstrated the skills outlined in the job advert.
  • To be considered for this role, qualifications and memberships detailed must be held in full, prior to submitting your application.

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/artificial-intelligence-and-recruitment/

At interview you will be assessed against the following:

NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework:

  • NHS Core NHSC1 Communication
  • NHS Core NHSC2 Personal & People Development
  • NHS Core NHSC3 Health, Safety & Security
  • NHS Core NHSC4 Service Improvement
  • NHS Core NHSC5 Quality
  • NHS Core NHSC6 Equality and Diversity

There will be no reimbursement for any travel expenses for the interview.

Further Information

All employees joining Ministry of Defence who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a 6-month probation period (unless otherwise advised) effective from the employment start date.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

Requests to work flexibly and/or part time will be considered, taking into account business needs. Please note the salary will be pro-rata where part time hours are undertaken.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact dbscivpers-sgdmsresourcing@mod.gov.uk.

There is no requirement to deploy as this is met by our uniformed personnel, but you will form the continuity of care required by our patients when based at home.

Access to the NHS pension scheme is available to the successful candidate.

This vacancy is part of the A Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

The post does NOT offer relocation expenses (move of home, excess fares or temporary transfer). Non-Standard move applicants will be eligible for the full package, subject to eligibility.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

For details on our complaints procedure, please see attached Important Information document.

Person Specification

Provide a CV

Essential

  • Please copy and paste your full CV as your response to this question; you will not be able to upload your CV as an attachment.
  • Please ensure to refer to the essential criteria where applicable as your application may be rejected should insufficient information to shortlist be included.
  • Please use double spacing where possible.

Registrations and Memberships

Essential

  • Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
  • Please provide your membership registration number.
  • You are required to be registered with the relevant professional body, as detailed in the advert, prior to submitting your application.
  • Your application will not progress should you fail to provide a valid membership registration number.

Qualifications

Essential

  • NVQ Level 3 or BTEC Pharmaceutical science qualification (or hold grand-parenting registration with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC))

Desirable

  • Additional training and qualification to deliver Pharmacy Technician training in a formal setting e.g. Certificate to Teach in the Life Long Learning Sector (CTTLS), Defence Train the Trainers Course.

Behaviour Statement

Essential

  • Have you been dismissed for gross misconduct relating to bullying, harassment, discrimination or victimisation from any role in the past five years, or resigned or otherwise left a role but would have been dismissed for such gross misconduct because of an adverse decision, had you continued in that employment?
  • Please respond with Yes or No as appropriate.
Person Specification

Provide a CV

Essential

  • Please copy and paste your full CV as your response to this question; you will not be able to upload your CV as an attachment.
  • Please ensure to refer to the essential criteria where applicable as your application may be rejected should insufficient information to shortlist be included.
  • Please use double spacing where possible.

Registrations and Memberships

Essential

  • Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
  • Please provide your membership registration number.
  • You are required to be registered with the relevant professional body, as detailed in the advert, prior to submitting your application.
  • Your application will not progress should you fail to provide a valid membership registration number.

Qualifications

Essential

  • NVQ Level 3 or BTEC Pharmaceutical science qualification (or hold grand-parenting registration with General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC))

Desirable

  • Additional training and qualification to deliver Pharmacy Technician training in a formal setting e.g. Certificate to Teach in the Life Long Learning Sector (CTTLS), Defence Train the Trainers Course.

Behaviour Statement

Essential

  • Have you been dismissed for gross misconduct relating to bullying, harassment, discrimination or victimisation from any role in the past five years, or resigned or otherwise left a role but would have been dismissed for such gross misconduct because of an adverse decision, had you continued in that employment?
  • Please respond with Yes or No as appropriate.

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.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Ministry of Defence (Defence Medical Services)

Address

Defence Medical Academy

Defence Medical Services

Whittington Barracks

Lichfield

WS14 9PY


Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Ministry of Defence (Defence Medical Services)

Address

Defence Medical Academy

Defence Medical Services

Whittington Barracks

Lichfield

WS14 9PY


Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Details

Date posted

17 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£37,338 to £44,962 a year (pro rata for part time) *pay award pending

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Job share

Reference number

K0003-25-0418

Job locations

Defence Medical Academy

Defence Medical Services

Whittington Barracks

Lichfield

WS14 9PY


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Ministry of Defence (Defence Medical Services)'s privacy notice (opens in a new tab)