Chief Pharmacy Technician, Operations and Governance

Job overview

• Provide senior technical support to dispensary services in the absence of dispensary lead, including on a “when required basis”.
• Ensure safe and effective dispensing processes are maintained.
• Support the effective implementation and embedding of new systems, technologies, and service developments within the dispensary.
• Provide guidance and support to Dispensary Lead, in managing their team effectively.
• Deputise for the Senior Operations Manager.
• Prepare for and actively contribute to relevant meetings with Homecare Providers, supporting the delivery and development of homecare provision.
• Lead and contribute to workforce planning for the dispensary and Homecare service through development and succession planning.
• Participate in the recruitment, selection and retention of staff within these sections including chairing or serving on interview panels and supporting the induction process.
• The role will include participation in operational rotas including bank holidays and weekend.

Main duties of the job

Leadership and Managerial

• Provide direct line management to Dispensary Lead and Homecare team, including conducting regular 1:1s, performance review and appraisal, and addressing concerns in line with Trust policies.
• Provide strategic leadership as an active member of the Pharmacy SLT, contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of departmental objectives, workforce planning, quality improvement initiatives and service transformation in line with Trust priorities. Develop and review Personal Development Plans for those you line manage.
• Supervise the activity of direct reports where required, taking responsibility for their training and development.
• Work collaboratively with pharmacy section leads, to drive innovation, manage departmental change, and support the delivery of high-quality, safe and cost-effective pharmacy services across the Trust. Lead on the development and implementation of pharmacy policies, governance frameworks and service improvement programmes, influencing decision-making across the department and ensuring compliance with national standards, legislation and best practice. Undertake relevant training and continuous professional development in accordance with General Pharmaceutical Council requirements, organisational needs and service priorities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Business, Homecare and Service Coordination

• Support the operation delivery and ongoing development of homecare services, ensuring effective coordination of processes and continuity of service.
• Manage invoicing and homecare administrative processes, ensuring workloads are prioritised appropriately and queries are managed in a timely and effective manner.
• Provide oversight of the Invoicing/Homecare team in relation to day-to-day operation issues, service queries and workload coordination.
• Provide cover for distribution activity where required, maintaining effective working relationships with Procurement, Invoicing, Dispensary and other key teams to support safe and effective service delivery.
• Act as a key link between operational pharmacy services and the Business Team, supporting reporting requirements, service monitoring and financial governance processes.
• Support the preparation, validation and submission of reports relating to tariff excluded and other high-cost medicines to commissioners, in accordance with local and national requirements.
• Act as senior signatory for signing off homecare schemes with homecare providers following clinical approval.
• Assist in responding to commissioner queries and challenges relating to reimbursement and reporting, ensuring information provided is accurate and timely.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of effective processes linking homecare, invoicing, distribution, procurement and business functions to support safe and efficient service delivery.

Communication

• Demonstrate highly developed communication skills to convey complex pharmacy operational information whilst deputising for the senior pharmacy operations manager, clearly and professionally to multidisciplinary teams, senior managers, clinicians, and external stakeholders, adapting the communication style to suit the audience and ensuring safe and effective service delivery.
• Lead and facilitate regular operational meetings, departmental briefings, and service improvement discussions, ensuring clear dissemination of information, encouraging staff engagement, and promoting collaborative decision-making across pharmacy services.
• Manage difficult and sensitive conversations with professionalism and empathy, including handling complaints, resolving service issues, addressing staff performance concerns, and negotiating solutions while maintaining positive working relationships.
• Produce and present high-quality reports, business cases, standard operating procedures (SOPs), policies, and performance data, translating complex operational and financial information into clear, evidence-based recommendations for senior management.
• Develop effective working relationships across clinical, operational, procurement, finance, and digital teams to support the delivery of safe, efficient, and patient-centred pharmacy services, acting as a key communication link between frontline staff and senior leadership.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and constructive feedback to pharmacy staff, fostering an open culture of communication, continuous learning, and quality improvement while supporting organisational change and service transformation initiatives.

General responsibilities

• Maintain a high standard of work and promote the professional image of Pharmacy within and outside the department.
• Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff.
• Ensure that safe working systems are in operation in accordance with Trust and departmental procedures.
• Ensure that all legal requirements relating to the dispensing and storage of pharmaceutical products in the dispensary are met and are in accordance with criteria set out under COSHH regulations.
• Participate in weekend, bank holiday rotas.
• Support the provision of weekend in accordance with local procedures
• Represent the pharmacy department at relevant meetings both on and off site.
• Participate in dispensing services including the final accuracy checking of prescriptions / orders for inpatients, outpatients, patients being discharged in accordance with local standards, policies, and safe systems of work.
• Supervise work carried out by other pharmaceutical staff within remit as required, ensuring compliance with agreed standards.
• Participate in statutory and mandatory training
• Provide counselling to outpatients to ensure that they gain maximum benefit from their medicines.
• It is the responsibility of every employee to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and the health and safety of anyone else who may be affected by what they do.
• This job description is not an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of the trust and in consultation with the post holder.

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.