Associate Postgraduate Dean (Programme Lead) - Pharmacy)

NHS National Services Scotland; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS National Services Scotland offers an exciting opportunity for an Associate Postgraduate Dean within its Pharmacy Team. This role involves leading pharmacy education and workforce development across Scotland, with responsibilities in prescribing training and collaboration with government and educational institutes. Ideal candidates will be GPhC registered pharmacists with a strong background in educational leadership and a commitment to enhancing pharmacy practice in Scotland.

Benefits

Generous NHS pension scheme

Annual incremental salary progression

27 days annual leave plus public holidays

Opportunities for flexible and hybrid working

NHS discounts and more

Qualifications

• Experience as a pharmacist in various sectors.
• Significant experience in educating and training pharmacists.
• Experience in managing teams and research.

Responsibilities

• Lead on Independent Prescribing and advanced practice training.
• Collaborate with various organizations to strategize education and training.
• Manage teams aligned to pharmacy education and training portfolios.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Collaboration

Influencing

Education

Pharmacist registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) with prescribing qualification

Job description

Flexible Location: Based throughout Scotland, NES is a remote friendly employer supporting office and hybrid working. We’re happy to talk about how you want to work.

Work Pattern: Permanent, Full Time, 37 hours per week

You must have eligibility and entitlement to work in the UK which is required to be maintained throughout your period of employment.

Who We Are

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is the national health board with statutory responsibilities to effect sustainable change through workforce development, education and training across the health and social care system in Scotland, while working at UK level with partner organisations.

The Pharmacy Team within NES is responsible through the Executive Medical Director to the NES Board and through the Board to Scottish Government for the commissioning and delivery of postgraduate pharmacy education in Scotland.

The Associate Postgraduate Deans in NES Pharmacy provide strategic leadership with a focus on a key delivery strand as well as across the breadth of the NES Pharmacy delivery across Scotland and the wider GB/UK context as applicable. All the cohort contribute to the NES corporate delivery in response to SG and NES strategic planning.

*Where appropriate it may be possible for the postholder to maintain up to 1 day per week working in clinical practice. This can be discussed informally in advance of application and at interview.

The Opportunity

This is an exciting opportunity, in a national role to influence and provide leadership of pharmacy education, training and workforce development across Scotland. The post will work with the Postgraduate Pharmacy Dean/Director of Pharmacy, Associate Director and alongside the wider Pharmacy Team as part of the Medical Directorate of NES. You will work in partnership with Scottish Government, NHSScotland, community pharmacy representatives, Higher Education Institutions and appropriate national professional regulatory bodies and other discipline strategic representatives.

You will lead on all elements of Independent Prescribing, clinical skills, advanced practice training in Primary Care and delivery of the national pharmacy simulation-based education strategy. The post holder will manage relevant teams and workstreams aligned to this portfolio.

This role will contribute to the leadership of the national implementation of the new General Pharmaceutical Councial (GPhC) Standards for the Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists (2021) for pharmacists by July 2025, focusing on prescribing related deliverables and increasing future Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) capacity.

In support of the Postgraduate Pharmacy Dean/Director of Pharmacy and Associate Director, the post holder will represent and lead on behalf of NES at relevant senior levels as required.

Do you enjoy collaborating and problem solving with a wide range of stakeholders?

Do you enjoy working at pace and being adaptive to an ever-changing environment?

Do you enjoy building relationships and a shared vision for the future in order to support change and innovation?

Working within the NES Pharmacy Team you will have the opportunity to bring your unique skills and experience to the table, collaborating across multiple stakeholders to effect real change within the pharmacy workforce in Scotland.

Does this sound like you?

What We Love to See

Associate Postgraduate Deans (Heads of Programme) offer a broad range of skills and experience, if you can offer some or all of these, we’d love you to apply:

• Pharmacist registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) with prescribing qualification.

• Experience as a pharmacist practicing in any sector (i.e. community, hospital, primary care)

• Significant experience in the education and training of pharmacists and an in-depth knowledge of current pharmacy education, training and workforce strategic developments.

• Experience across all four pillars of practice at an advanced level – clinical, education, leadership and research.

• Significant management experience in pharmacy leadership position(s) and experience of research/evaluation

• Experience of working in an educationally focused environment

• Understanding of the key factors and practices essential to high-quality learning and education and how these are effectively embedded and continually enhanced

• Experience working collaboratively and flexibly within a team and in multidisciplinary environments

• Proven communication, interpersonal, negotiating, influencing and facilitation skills at a senior level, with the ability to communicate sensitive and complex information

• Demonstrate honesty, integrity, care and compassion when dealing with others, utilising tact and persuasion skills when necessary

• Ability to work on own initiative, to organise and prioritise own workloads, to meet strict deadlines

Benefits Which Matter

As a valued employee of NHS Scotland, you can enjoy an extensive range of benefits including:

• Life-work balance - with opportunities for flexible working and hybrid working

• Generous NHS pension scheme

• Annual incremental salary progression (up to the maximum of the salary band) plus annual NHS salary scale review

• Annual Leave - 27 Days increasing in line with service plus 8 days public holiday

• NHS discounts and more

Diversity and Inclusion

Developing a successful national service for Scotland is impossible without ensuring we consider the diverse needs, perspectives and backgrounds of everyone in Scotland in our work.

We are focused on hiring the very best talent available for NES, and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and aim to ensure everyone is treated fairly, with respect and has a positive recruitment experience – regardless of the outcome.

It’s not essential to be in a similar role right now. You may be returning from a career break (e.g. maternity, paternity, caring for others) or returning after working in another field. Your experiences elsewhere can bring a fresh perspective to our work.

If you are considering applying and feel it would be helpful to discuss this initially, please contact Professor Andrew Sturrock, Postgraduate Pharmacy Dean/Director, via [e-mail]

Next Steps

All applicants who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail.

In person OR online interviews (including a presentation) will take place on 3rd July 2025. The presentation topic will be sent to candidates selected for interview.

For further information please refer to the Job Information Pack below.

Unless otherwise stated the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the closing date. Please note, CVs will not be accepted.

If you have any queries regarding the NHS Scotland National Recruitment Portal or the recruitment process, please don't hesitate to contact our recruitment partners, the East Region Recruitment Service, at: [e-mail]