Chief Technician Clinical Trials, Imperial-sponsored & Dispensary

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in London is seeking a Chief Pharmacy Technician to manage clinical trials and support innovative patient care solutions. The role involves leading a technical team, ensuring compliance with GCP/GMP regulations, and collaborating with R&D on trial design. Candidates must possess relevant UK registration and significant clinical trials experience. This position offers career development opportunities and a vibrant work environment.

Benefits

Career development

Flexible working options

Staff recognition scheme

Qualifications

• Essential experience in the setup and management of clinical trials.
• Substantial post-qualification experience in hospital pharmacy clinical trials.
• Ability to ensure GCP and GMP compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the pharmacy clinical trials technical team.
• Oversee setup and delivery of clinical trials.
• Manage investigational product sourcing.

Skills

Knowledge of current UK medicines legislation

Understanding of Good Clinical Practice (GCP)

Experience of managing change

Specialist technical knowledge in pharmacy

Education

Technician Registrant of General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Job description

Fulfil your potential in hospitals that make history:

Charing Cross, Hammersmith, St Mary's, Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea and Western Eye.

With five world-renowned hospitals, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is full of opportunity if you are looking to develop your healthcare career.

We are an NHS Trust of approximately 16,000 people, providing care for over a million and a half patients from north west London and beyond every year.

We have a rich heritage and an ambitious vision for the future of our patients and local communities.

With our partners, Imperial College London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, we form Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre, one of 6 academic health science centres in the UK, working to ensure the rapid translation of research for better patient care and excellence in education.

We are proud of our heritage in innovation and we are early adopters of new insights in technologies, techniques and treatments for improving health.

Job overview

Are you an experienced Pharmacy Technician ready to lead on ground breaking clinical trials and sponsored studies?
Our Clinical Trials Pharmacy Team manages around 400 active trials, from early phase dose-finding studies to large phase 3 studies, including an exciting pipeline of novel therapies. With the growth of personalised and precision medicine, there has never been a better time to be part of this field.

We are seeking a proactive and detail focused Chief Pharmacy Technician to work with our Sponsor's office and R&D to deliver and develop our pharmacy clinical trials service, ensuring safe, efficient, and patient-centred provision of investigational medicines across our Trust.

Working as the tech lead for Clinical Trials within Dispensaries and Sponsored Studies, you will be the go to and lead your team to follow by your example.

You will lead and manage technical and support staff, oversee trial set-up and delivery, and collaborate closely with R&D, Sponsors, CROs, and internal pharmacy teams. This is a pivotal role in shaping innovative research services while maintaining full compliance with GCP, GMP, and UK regulatory standards.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a tangible impact on patient care and medical research while developing services that meet the highest standards of safety and excellence, working alongside regional and national colleagues to advance the UK as a research destination.

Main duties of the job

• Lead and manage the pharmacy clinical trials technical and support team, ensuring high performance and professional development.
• Oversee the set-up, delivery, and monitoring of clinical trials in dispensaries, clinical research facilities, and trial units.
• Ensure full GCP/GMP and regulatory compliance in all trial-related processes, SOPs, and documentation.
• Collaborate with R&D, Sponsors, and CROs to support trial design, set-up, and operational delivery.
• Manage investigational product sourcing, accountability, and financial recovery for sponsored studies.
• Drive service improvements, audit readiness, and best practice sharing across clinical trials pharmacy.

Working for our organisation

At Imperial College Healthcare you can achieve extraordinary things with extraordinary people, working with leading clinicians pushing boundaries in patient care.

Become part of a vibrant team living our values - expert, kind, collaborative and aspirational. You'll get an experience like no other and will fast forward your career.

Benefits include career development, flexible working and wellbeing, staff recognition scheme. Make use of optional benefits including Cycle to Work, car lease schemes, season ticket loan or membership options for onsite leisure facilities.

We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and will consider applications to work flexibly, part time or job share. Please talk to us at interview. .

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required.

For both overviews please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.

Person specification

Education

Essential criteria

• Technician Registrant of General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• Specialist post-qualification knowledge and experience of GCP with the ability to demonstrate this within a practical setting operating at least at a Band 6 level (or equivalent) over a substantial period of time.

Desirable criteria

• Management or leadership qualifications/equivalent experience
• Specialist post-qualification knowledge and experience of GMP with the ability to demonstrate this within a practical setting operating at least at a Band 6 level (or equivalent) over a substantial period of time.

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience in the set up and management of commercial and non-commercial clinical trials
• Substantial post qualification experience in hospital pharmacy clinical trials
• Experience managing temperature monitoring systems
• Experience writing, reviewing and signing off on procedures including but not limited to SOPs

Desirable criteria

• Substantial post qualification experience in all areas of hospital pharmacy, including dispensary and aseptics
• Experience of audit and service improvement
• Accuracy Checking Training / accredited ACPT
• Recruitment

Skills

Essential criteria

• Knowledge of current UK medicines legislation in relation to clinical trials and medicines
• Understanding of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) relating to clinical trials
• Experience of managing change and able to identify opportunities for improvement and development of the service
• Specialist technical knowledge of specific areas within pharmacy (dispensary, cancer, clinical trials) that demonstrates ability to manage a complex service.

Desirable criteria

• Performance review of staff
• Stock management
• Communicates best practice outside the organisation
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate and improve service quality

Please ensure you check your emails regularly as this is how we will communicate with you throughout the recruitment process. If you are shortlisted you will be contacted by email and text message (if you provide a mobile contact number).

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.

Documents to download

• Job Description (PDF, 592.2KB)
• Functional requirements (PDF, 504.6KB)
• Our Strategy 2023-25 (PDF, 230.4KB)