# Associate Director of Pharmacy - Clinical Services > NHS job listing from Job Clerk for Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. ## Canonical URLs - **HTML:** https://www.jobclerk.com/job/associate-director-of-pharmacy-clinical-services/c80a5805-a4fc-4428-ae7b-39dba8772fb3 - **Markdown:** https://www.jobclerk.com/job/associate-director-of-pharmacy-clinical-services/c80a5805-a4fc-4428-ae7b-39dba8772fb3.md ## Summary - **Status:** Live - **Employer:** Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust - **Town:** Aylesbury - **Region:** South East - **Country:** England - **Profession:** Manager and corporate - **Grade:** Band 8 - **Salary:** £79,504 - £91,609 per annum (pro rata for part time) - **Contract type:** Permanent - **Employment type:** Full time, Part time, Job share, Flexible working, 37.5 hours per week (Weekends and bank holiday working on rota with other pharmacists) - **Closing date:** 2026-06-29T23:59:00.000Z - **Posted:** 2026-06-01T15:27:52.933Z - **Source information URL:** https://www.healthjobsuk.com/job/UK/Buckinghamshire/Aylesbury/Buckinghamshire_Healthcare_NHS_Trust/Pharmacy/Pharmacy-v8016488 - **Application URL:** https://apps.trac.jobs/job-advert/8016488?ShowJobAdvert=&feedid=9002 - **Employer website:** https://www.buckshealthcare.nhs.uk ## Job Content ### Job overview Job summary An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Associate Director of Pharmacy – Clinical Services at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. This is a key senior leadership role for an ambitious, innovative, and experienced pharmacist with strong strategic vision, advanced clinical expertise, and exceptional leadership skills. The postholder will provide professional and operational leadership for Clinical Pharmacy Services across the Trust, driving medicines optimisation, patient safety, workforce development, education, and service transformation. Applicants will demonstrate outstanding communication and relationship-building skills, experience of leading complex clinical services, and the ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and external organisations to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care. ### Main duties of the job The Associate Director of Pharmacy – Clinical Services will provide strategic and professional leadership for clinical pharmacy services across the Trust, acting as a key advisor to the Chief Pharmacist and deputising when required. The postholder will lead the planning, delivery, and continuous development of clinical pharmacy services, education, and workforce training to support Trust objectives, medicines optimisation, and patient safety priorities. Working closely with senior clinical leaders and system partners, the role will drive service improvement, innovation, governance, and financial sustainability while ensuring delivery against key performance indicators and regulatory standards. The postholder will also lead the development of the clinical pharmacy workforce, support rotational training programmes, and promote a culture of continuous learning, quality improvement, and excellence in patient care ### Detailed job description and main responsibilities For a comprehensive list of responsibilities and duties, please kindly refer to the Job Description and Person Specification by downloading the JD and PS attachment in the advert. If you have a disability that makes submitting this online application difficult and would like assistance, please contact us on \[email protected\] quoting the vacancy reference number. ## Job Details Job summary An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Associate Director of Pharmacy – Clinical Services at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. This is a key senior leadership role for an ambitious, innovative, and experienced pharmacist with strong strategic vision, advanced clinical expertise, and exceptional leadership skills. The postholder will provide professional and operational leadership for Clinical Pharmacy Services across the Trust, driving medicines optimisation, patient safety, workforce development, education, and service transformation. Applicants will demonstrate outstanding communication and relationship-building skills, experience of leading complex clinical services, and the ability to work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and external organisations to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care. ## Job Description The Associate Director of Pharmacy – Clinical Services will provide strategic and professional leadership for clinical pharmacy services across the Trust, acting as a key advisor to the Chief Pharmacist and deputising when required. The postholder will lead the planning, delivery, and continuous development of clinical pharmacy services, education, and workforce training to support Trust objectives, medicines optimisation, and patient safety priorities. Working closely with senior clinical leaders and system partners, the role will drive service improvement, innovation, governance, and financial sustainability while ensuring delivery against key performance indicators and regulatory standards. The postholder will also lead the development of the clinical pharmacy workforce, support rotational training programmes, and promote a culture of continuous learning, quality improvement, and excellence in patient care ## Responsibilities For a comprehensive list of responsibilities and duties, please kindly refer to the Job Description and Person Specification by downloading the JD and PS attachment in the advert. If you have a disability that makes submitting this online application difficult and would like assistance, please contact us on \[email protected\] quoting the vacancy reference number. ## Person Specification ### Values **Essential** - Communicates openly, honestly and professionally, and actively promotes team working and building strong working relationships. - Patients are always first. Drives service improvements. Strong self-awareness with a desire to grow. - Treats all with compassion and kindness. Ensures everyone feels valued. - Consults others and listens to their views/opinions. Enables others to take the initiative. ### Experience **Essential** - Extensive post-registration experience within a hospital or secondary care setting, demonstrating advanced clinical and professional competence. - Experience of operating at consultant or equivalent level within multidisciplinary teams, influencing clinical decision-making across professions. - Recent and sustained experience in a strategic or senior leadership role within pharmacy, with accountability for service performance, governance, and workforce development. - Proven experience of working collaboratively with senior healthcare leaders (e.g., divisional directors, consultants, operational managers) to deliver Trust-wide service developments or transformation programmes. - Substantial experience of managing large or complex teams, including responsibility for line management, performance appraisal, and professional development. - Experience of strategic business planning, financial management, and project delivery. - Demonstrable competence in human resource management, including workforce planning, recruitment, and managing complex performance issues. - Proven track record in service improvement and change management, including the use of recognised quality improvement (QI) or Lean methodologies. - Significant experience of conducting and supervising audit and service evaluation, and translating findings into measurable improvements in care quality, safety, or efficiency. **Desirable** - Experience across a broad range of pharmacy services, demonstrating depth of expertise and ability to provide clinical assurance across multiple specialities. ### Special Circumstances **Essential** - Able to travel between hospital sites. **Desirable** - Able to participate in the Weekend and Bank Holiday Service. ### Skills, Abilities & Knowledge **Essential** - Comprehensive knowledge of all relevant pharmacy legislation and regulations, including the Medicines Act, Human Medicines Regulations, and Controlled Drugs Regulations. - Detailed understanding of GPhC Standards for Pharmacy Professionals and NHS clinical governance frameworks - In-depth knowledge of national organisations and guidance influencing clinical pharmacy services (e.g. NHS England, NICE, CQC, MHRA, UKCPA, RPS). - Demonstrable understanding of clinical governance, risk management, and quality improvement frameworks, including the use of audit, benchmarking, and incident learning to ensure safe and effective medicines use. - Knowledge of Trust-wide and national policies relevant to pharmacy operations, including workforce, medicines safety, and information governance. - Understanding of budgetary management, financial reporting, and cost improvement methodologies applicable to pharmacy services. - Knowledge of pharmacy IT systems, including ePMA, electronic health records, and other digital tools supporting medicines optimisation. - Understanding of medicines supply chain management, business continuity planning, and processes for managing national and local medicines shortages. - Awareness of Integrated Care Systems (ICS) priorities, and the contribution of pharmacy leadership to system transformation, population health, and service integration - Able to communicate highly complex and sensitive information on pharmacy operational, clinical, and financial matters clearly and persuasively to a range of audiences, including senior consultants, executive directors, and external partners. - Demonstrates advanced negotiation and influencing skills to achieve consensus and drive change across multidisciplinary teams. - Can provide expert advice on medicines optimisation and governance at Trust level. - Produces high-quality written reports, business cases, and policy documents suitable for Board or Executive presentation. - Delivers clear, engaging presentations using a range of digital and visual communication tools. - Builds and maintains effective professional relationships across departments, local systems, and external agencies. - Analyses and interprets highly complex clinical and financial data relating to medicines use, prescribing trends, and service performance to inform strategic decisions. - Demonstrates advanced critical appraisal skills and the ability to translate evidence into practice at system level - Provides authoritative expert advice on complex or contentious clinical and governance matters - Leads service redesign and quality improvement initiatives that deliver measurable benefits in patient outcomes and system efficiency. - Demonstrates advanced IT literacy, including proficiency in Microsoft Office, data analytics platforms, and digital prescribing systems. - Maintains composure and effective decision-making under pressure and during organisational change. - Formulates and implements long-term strategic plans for the development and transformation of pharmacy clinical services across the Trust **Desirable** - Detailed understanding of GPhC Standards for Pharmacy Professionals and NHS clinical governance frameworks. - Knowledge and understanding of the management of medical gases. - Provides authoritative expert advice on complex or contentious clinical and governance matters. - Embraces digital innovation and supports the implementation of emerging technologies within pharmacy practice. - Adopts a reflective approach to leadership and personal development, contributing to a culture of continuous learning. ### Education, Qualifications & Training **Essential** - MPharm (Master’s degree) or equivalent bachelor’s degree. - Member of the General Pharmaceutical Council (as registered Pharmacist) - Postgraduate degree (Masters) in Pharmacy Practice or a related area or a portfolio demonstrating equivalent through experience at senior management level and relevant short courses taught at postgraduate level - Completion of a formal leadership or management qualification (e.g., NHS Leadership Academy Programme, MBA, or equivalent). - Commitment to continuous personal and professional development. **Desirable** - Independent Prescriber. ## Documents - [job description (pdf, 336.6kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?vdoc=10338110) - [person specification (pdf, 360.4kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?vdoc=10302565) - [functional requirements (pdf, 192.6kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?vdoc=10338111) ## Agent Notes - This Markdown page is generated from the same Job Clerk job record as the HTML job detail page. - Use the canonical HTML URL for user-facing references. - Use the application URL when the user wants to apply on the source NHS site.