Pharmacy Operations Manager

Job summary
Are you an experienced pharmacy leader with a passion for operational excellence, service improvement and developing high-performing teams?

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an outstanding Pharmacy Operations Manager to join the senior pharmacy leadership team at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. This is a key leadership role responsible for leading ward-based and dispensary technical services, ensuring safe, effective and responsive pharmacy operations across one of the largest acute teaching hospitals in the region.

Working closely with senior pharmacy and clinical leaders, you will provide strategic and operational leadership to a large technical workforce, drive service transformation, oversee performance and quality standards, and ensure pharmacy services support the delivery of excellent patient care.

We are looking for a GPhC registered Pharmacy Technician with substantial experience in hospital pharmacy operations, service development, leadership and change management. You will be a confident communicator, visible leader and skilled problem solver who thrives in a fast paced acute care environment.

This is an excellent opportunity to influence the future direction of pharmacy services, lead large-scale operational improvements and make a meaningful difference to patient care across the Royal Liverpool site.

Join us and help shape the future of pharmacy services at Liverpool University Hospitals.

Main duties of the job
Key duties include:

• Leading the day-to-day operational management of ward-based medicines management and dispensary services.
• Managing and developing a large pharmacy technical workforce, including rota management, recruitment, performance management and staff development.
• Acting as a key member of the Pharmacy Senior Leadership Team, contributing to operational planning, service development and delivery of Trust objectives.
• Driving service improvement, innovation and standardisation across pharmacy operations.
• Developing, implementing and monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure high-quality, effective services.
• Leading workforce transformation and the expansion of advanced pharmacy technician roles.
• Managing pay and non-pay budgets and supporting financial planning and efficiency programmes.
• Developing business cases and leading operational projects to improve services and patient outcomes.
• Ensuring robust governance arrangements, including oversight of incidents, risks, complaints, audits and quality improvement initiatives.
• Leading on health and safety, business continuity, staff wellbeing and sustainability initiatives within pharmacy services.
• Working collaboratively with clinicians, senior managers and multidisciplinary teams to support patient flow and operational performance across the hospital.
• Deputising for the Site Director of Pharmacy at meetings and representing pharmacy on site-wide operational matters when required.

About us
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital and Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.

UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.

For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.

Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Women's Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK's largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.

Apply through our website for roles at Liverpool Women's.

Job responsibilities

• The post holder is the most senior Pharmacy Technician on our complex and busy acute site at Royal Liverpool University Hospital and will take the strategic lead for ward and dispensary technical services at each site.
• As part of the Site Leadership Team, the post holder will work closely with the Lead Divisional Pharmacists and other Pharmacy Managers to deliver Trust wide objectives and service developments.
• They will take responsibility for all technical aspects of Pharmacy Operations which will involve providing timely and effective management support, ensuring that services are responsive, innovative and provided to the highest possible standards.
• The post holder will work alongside other members of the Senior Pharmacy Leadership Team to manage the day to day running of the operational pharmacy services on site and ensure our sites are managed constantly through standard work.
• They will line manage the Technical Services Managers for both the Dispensary and Ward based Medicines Management Services and be responsible for site operational management. They will extend the roles of technical staff and ensure staff have the necessary training and competence to deliver the extended roles.
• They will be responsible to the Site Director of Pharmacy for the delivery of operational activity and performance objectives.

Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential

• Knowledge of a range of management topics including, performance capability, disciplinary and financial management, service improvement.

Experience
Essential

• Significant post-registration experience and currently employed in a senior role managing a large team of pharmacy technicians.
• In-depth experience of hospital pharmacy operational management across a range of areas.
• In-depth experience of service development and performance management, writing standard operating procedures, developing KPIs and taking corrective action as necessary.
• In-depth experience of team leadership.
• Management experience including recruitment, appraisal, training, leadership, motivation, sickness absence and participation in grievance or disciplinary procedures.
• Developing and implementing service change.
• Regular liaison with other senior hospital staff and external agencies.
• Delivering training and education.
• Experience in risk management and incident investigation.

Desirable

• Management of pay and/or non-pay budgets.
• Experience in project management.
• Experience of developing business cases for service development, including monitoring of outputs.

Qualifications
Essential

• Degree or equivalent in-depth experience in leading technical services.
• NVQ Level 3 / BTEC in Pharmacy Services or equivalent nationally recognised qualification.
• BTEC Professional Diploma - Final Accuracy Checking.
• A1 NVQ Assessor qualification.
• Registration with the General Pharmaceutical Council as a Pharmacy Technician.
• Postgraduate Management qualification or equivalent experience.

Skills
Essential

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills - written.

Salary
£57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum

Band
Band 8a

Contract
Permanent

Working pattern
Full-time, Flexible working

Closing date
05 November 2026

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 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. Applicants must have current UK professional registration.