Pharmacy Procurement Lead

Pharmacy Procurement Lead

The closing date is 01 March 2026

We're looking for a forward-thinking, collaborative and innovative pharmacy technician or pharmacist with strong communication and analytical skills, with a successful track record in pharmacy procurement.

You will lead the merging of two legacy sites procurement teams ensuring process alignment and efficient way of working. You will also provide expert procurement advice and input, including monitoring of stock holding, contract changes, quality improvement, efficiency, savings and wastage management-leading and supporting a team of pharmacy technicians and invoicing/ordering staff cross-site.

In return, you'll join a supportive and forward-thinking pharmacy team with access to professional development and leadership support helping you deliver excellent care every time.

Responsibilities

To lead, plan, manage, develop and participate in the provision of safe, high quality and cost-effective medicines procurement and supply service to the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust and to external units via appropriate Service Level Agreements.

To negotiate purchasing agreements with the Pharmaceutical Industry and other suppliers within predetermined guidelines.

Work closely with the Purchasing Department to evaluate Controls Assurance Standards and supply management.

To monitor service performance using an evolving set of performance indicators.

To be responsible for identification of annual contributions towards Cost Improvement Programme or other efficiency or savings programmes. To implement changes to deliver savings.

To liaise with representatives of the Pharmaceutical Industry and other suppliers to resolve any issues relating to availability of product, level of service and price.

To merge the pharmacy procurement teams and processes across UHSussex Trust.

To support the supply, governance and efficiency of medical gases across the organisation. To be an active member in the Medical and Laboratory Gases Group.

To be a Responsible Person (RP) for the management of the wholesale distribution authorisation (WDA) and to ensure compliance with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) principles.

About us

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer abuddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

Job responsibilities

This role is eligible for visa sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. Sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements set by UKVI, including the relevant skill and salary thresholds, and any role-specific criteria. For example, applicants for the Senior HCA role must be able to evidence a minimum of 2 years experience in the same role to qualify for sponsorship.

If you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.

To lead the provision of pharmacy procurement across all sites of University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust.

To monitor service performance using an evolving set of performance indicators. To maximise the quality and depth of pharmacy related information and reporting.

To be responsible for identification of annual contributions towards Cost Improvement Programme or other efficiency or savings programmes. To implement changes to deliver savings.

To ensure the service complies with all mandatory and statutory legislation and to ensure this is evidenced, documented and reported. To have a level of understanding of complex legislation and professional guidance in order to pre-empt any non-compliance or inappropriate service provision.

To develop a cutting-edge strategy for the service taking into consideration the needs of patients and the Trust management, new ways of working, best national practice, outcomes of external audits and legislative guidance.

To oversee and manage all purchasing within the Pharmacy department, ensuring that all products are purchased in a timely manner and ensuring adequate stocks are maintained within the Pharmacy departments whilst not letting stock holding value rise, unless by prior agreement.

To ensure that all pharmaceutical products required by the Pharmacy are purchased at the most competitive rate possible.

In line with current good purchasing practice, to make full use of CMU negotiated contracts, to develop strategic partnerships with main suppliers and to participate in other purchasing arrangements, for example consortium purchasing.

To investigate and rectify any anomalies within the ordering and drug receipt process.

Review relevant performance and benchmarking information in relation to purchasing, implementing any recommendations as appropriate.

To support the strategic development of the whole of the pharmacy service by working with the Pharmacy Board.

To ensure that invoices are passed through to Finance Department with a minimum of delay.

To write and update Standard Operating Procedures for purchasing and receipt

To be a delegated budget holder for the Procurement Team. To ensure expenditure remains within budget. To ensure the collection of all appropriate income.

To have a high-level understanding of budgetary management and reporting as well as commissioning arrangements and the Trusts Standing Financial Instructions.

To monitor pay budget and consider opportunities for skill-mixing or changes in configuration to overcome recruitment difficulties or to improve the efficiency of the area.

To be an active member of regional and national procurement groups. This involves reviewing tenders and adjudicating all regional contracts. To identify any potential difficulties with regional/national supplies. Liaising with manufacturers to improve supply chain.

To implement policies and decisions made by the MGC in relation to the purchasing of pharmaceuticals.

To develop automated methods for order processing, stock receipt and invoice entry onto the CMM Pharmacy computer system.

To be a Responsible Person (RP) for the management of the wholesale distribution authorisation (WDA) and to ensure compliance with Good Distribution Practice (GDP) principles.

To be responsible for supplier qualifications under wholesale requirements to ensure Wholesale Licence terms are met.

To be responsible for recording procurement related quality issues in the pharmacy quality system.

To take an active part in WDA and Home Office Controlled Drugs licence inspections.

To ensure purchasing work supports Trust prescribing guidelines and implement changes as necessary.

To liaise with finance to ensure appropriate accounting arrangements for CMM pharmacy stock control system. To ensure appropriate reconciliation processes exist.

Membership of medical gases group and support the governance, supply and efficiency of medical gases across the organisation.

To ensure full use of EXEND and VEND, and any other available tools, by the purchasing team, including opportunities to reduce slow moving lines and avoid wastage.

To be responsible for waste management in relation to stock lines, seeking and utilising all available opportunities to reduce.

Person Specification

• Registered with GPhC
• Significant experience in hospital pharmacy purchasing
• Experience of leading change management, successful implementation of change management process
• Experience of leadership development through formal training
• Experience of conducting audits and the use of performance indicators
• Effective short and long term planning for medicines shortages and contract changes
• Able to lead, develop and motivate cross-site teams
• Able to plan future services within the procurement services in line with objectives
• Able to interpret national pharmacy guidance on procurement and to develop local policies to reflect their standards
• Knowledge of NHS purchasing and supply organisations and their role in the purchase of pharmaceuticals and performance management
• Experience in hospital pharmacy purchasing
• Knowledge of CMM computer systems
• Ability to manage conflict and lead change

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role)

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.

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

£55,690 to £62,682 a year per annum pro rata