Programme Manager - Pharmacy


Location
Salary
£66274.00 to £73496.00
Profession
Programme manager
Grade
Band 8
Deadline
25 Oct 2026
Contract Type
Fixed-Term
Posted Date
12 Oct 2026
Medical Protection — the side of locally employed doctors from £83

Job requirements

Essential

21 listed

Requirements the employer expects applicants to meet.

  • Experience

    Significant previous experience in a senior management role including either programme or project management, preferably both

  • Experience

    Proven track record in managing programmes and projects on time and to successful conclusions with at least three years full project life cycle experience having delivered at least two large projects to completion

  • Experience

    Experienced in using a PC, monitor and keyboard and MS Office applications, particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Microsoft Project

  • Experience

    Experience of line management of professional staff

  • Knowledge and Skills

    Ability to analyse and make judgements in relation to:

  • Knowledge and Skills

    o Quantitative and qualitative data to identify and understand underlying patterns/messages from complicated, multi-stranded information, drawing out conclusions to inform decision making

  • Knowledge and Skills

    o Information where data is often incomplete and/or conflicting where trade-offs may have to be made between competing interests, requirements and options e.g. national and local imperatives, financial and nonfinancial costs/benefits, differing stakeholder interests

  • Knowledge and Skills

    o Development of a range of options and recommendations in relation to programme development, planning and management in order to provide expert advice to the Pharmacy team in highly complex, unique and/or ambiguous situations. Conflicting advice from project and business change managers e.g. scheduling of projects within programmes to take account of inter- dependencies and conflicting priorities

  • Knowledge and Skills

    o Material requiring strong numerical and verbal critical reasoning, thinking strategically, logically and clearly and taking rational decisions and decisive action under pressure, analysing problems, generating solutions and influencing others to secure agreement.

  • Knowledge and Skills

    Demonstrably strong written, oral communication and presentation skills can present highly complex concepts, ideas and data concisely and effectively to a variety of audiences in a variety of ways including to the Executive and Senior Management Teams and other large groups internal and external to the LAS

  • Knowledge and Skills

    Ability to exercise excellent planning and organisational skills in order to:

  • Knowledge and Skills

    o Develop and organise Pharmacy programme management processes and plans creating the operational framework and focusing activity and resource to achieve the corporate, programme and project Vision,

  • Knowledge and Skills

    o Stakeholder Goals and Trust objectives

  • Knowledge and Skills

    o Plan, organise and run multi-disciplinary workshops and meetings Trust wide including director level participation to resolve uncertainties impacting across the Trust

  • Knowledge and Skills

    o Plan and organise programme inputs to Senior Management Group meetings and Programme Board as well as external stakeholders Operate on both strategic and tactical levels, translating concepts into tangible results: plan own workload; work without supervision and achieve all deadlines under pressure; work on a number of projects within the programme portfolio simultaneously and maintain a quality of output; develop action plans for portfolio projects and manage their implementation and influence others in achieving these; and assist the with planning future portfolio projects.

  • Knowledge and Skills

    Ability to influence senior people to get buy-in, anticipate and empathise with their needs as primary customers of the job, maintaining key relationships with Directors, Senior Management Teams, other Project and Programme Managers, external stakeholders, management and accounting staff

  • Knowledge and Skills

    Ability to listen and negotiate with directors and senior managers controlling resources for release of staff to work on programmes/projects and with staff working on other programmes to ensure linkage with other initiatives

  • Qualifications, Accreditations, Education

    Educated to post-graduate degree level or equivalent relevant experience

  • Qualifications, Accreditations, Education

    Willing to study for relevant professional qualifications equivalent to Masters degree level

  • Qualifications, Accreditations, Education

    Received training in programme/project management process

  • Qualifications, Accreditations, Education

    methodology (ideally including, or with a good working knowledge of, PRINCE 2 and MSP Managing Successful Programmes)

Desirable

7 listed

Additional qualities the employer would prefer.

  • Personal Abilities

    Adhere to the Trust values and behaviours

  • Personal Abilities

    Actively participate in programme board meetings and programme workshops with members of the Executive and Senior Management Team for up to a day long, possibly combined with taking minutes. Switch thought processes between various pieces of work, activities and projects due to the frequent daily personnel, phone or email interruptions and where an immediate change of focus and priorities are required. Work on pieces of work, activities and projects simultaneously and maintain quality output

  • Personal Abilities

    Have the stability and skills to emotionally cope when:

  • Personal Abilities

    Managing conflicting interests of programme and project staff and virtual/cross-functional team members especially with issues comprising unwelcome news or organisational change.

  • Personal Abilities

    Managing the appraisal and disciplinary processes as necessary for any line-managed staff

  • Personal Abilities

    Having to counsel and empathise with staff having personal problems which affect their working environment even if in some cases due to the nature of the problem, they behave in an emotive or hostile way. Having to report programme/project slippage to the Director level Senior Responsible Owner (if different) of the programme and the programme board

  • Personal Abilities

    Negotiate with other Programme/Business Change managers to assist with managing conflicting interests of different directorates that affect the running of processes, programmes and projects within the Pharmacy Department

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Pharmacy Team at London Ambulance Service NHS Trust and play a leading role in delivering a portfolio of strategic pharmacy programmes and transformation initiatives that support safe, effective and high-quality patient care.

The Programme Manager will be responsible for leading the planning, coordination, implementation and evaluation of complex pharmacy programmes and projects, ensuring successful delivery against agreed objectives, timescales, budgets and quality standards. The post holder will work closely with the Chief Pharmacist, pharmacy leadership team, operational colleagues, clinical services, corporate departments, NHS partners and external suppliers to deliver transformation and continuous improvement across medicines management services.

The role will focus on delivering programmes that enhance patient safety, strengthen medicines governance, improve operational efficiency and support innovation across the Trust. This may include digital transformation initiatives, controlled drugs governance developments, medicines supply chain improvements, service redesign and implementation of national and local strategic priorities.

The successful candidate will provide expert programme management support across a diverse portfolio of work and ensure alignment with the Trust's strategic objectives, pharmacy strategy and wider NHS priorities.

Main duties of the job

This is an excellent opportunity to utilise programme and project management expertise to deliver transformational change. Working closely with the Chief Pharmacist and senior pharmacy leadership team, you will lead the delivery of a portfolio of pharmacy programmes and projects from initiation through to implementation, embedding robust governance, risk management and benefits realisation throughout the programme lifecycle.

You will be responsible for:

  • Leading complex pharmacy transformation programmes and projects.
  • Developing and maintaining programme plans, milestones, risks, issues and benefits realisation frameworks.
  • Providing programme management expertise and support to senior responsible officers and project leads.
  • Coordinating multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders to ensure successful programme delivery.
  • Monitoring programme performance and reporting progress through appropriate governance structures.
  • Managing programme risks, dependencies and resource requirements.
  • Supporting the development and implementation of business cases and service improvement initiatives.
  • Ensuring programmes are delivered in accordance with Trust policies, regulatory requirements and best practice programme management methodologies.

About us

The Pharmacy Team plays a critical role in supporting frontline patient care through medicines governance, medicines supply, controlled drugs management, clinical assurance, digital transformation and service improvement.

We are an ambitious, forward-thinking team committed to delivering safe, effective and innovative pharmacy services. Our programmes range from digital medicines systems and medicines governance improvements to large-scale transformation initiatives that directly support patient safety and operational delivery. We work collaboratively with operational, clinical and corporate colleagues, as well as external partners, suppliers and NHS organisations across London and nationally.

We are proud of our inclusive, supportive and professional culture, where teamwork, respect and continuous improvement are at the heart of everything we do. This role offers the opportunity to lead high-profile programmes that make a real difference to patients, staff and the wider organisation.

This is a site-based role requiring regular attendance across London Ambulance Service locations and travel between Trust sites to support programme delivery, stakeholder engagement, implementation activities and governance meetings.

Details

  • Date posted: 09 October 2026
  • Pay scheme: Agenda for change
  • Band: Band 8a
  • Salary: £66,274 to £73,496 a year
  • Contract: Fixed term
  • Duration: 2 years
  • Working pattern: Full-time
  • Reference number: 308-OL-CORP-117
  • Job locations: Trust HQ, 220 Waterloo Road, LONDON, Greater London, SE1 8SD, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details of the role, key responsibilities and essential criteria. This is a site-based role requiring regular attendance across London Ambulance Service locations and travel between Trust sites to support programme delivery and stakeholder engagement.

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Applying for this NHS job

This advert is for Programme Manager - Pharmacy with London Ambulance Service NHS Trust in London, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Programme manager role. The advertised salary is £66274.00 to £73496.00. The contract type is Fixed-Term. The application deadline is 25 Oct 2026.

Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (12 Oct 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHSjob search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.

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