Deputy Head of Medicines Optimisation

NHS; Manchester; On-site; GBP 74,000 - 86,000; Full time

Job summary

A national health service provider is seeking a Deputy Head of Medicines Optimisation in Manchester. This role supports the effective use of medicines across the NHS, leads key programmes, and manages a team of pharmacists. An ideal candidate would have strong stakeholder engagement skills and register with the GPhC. Competitive salary and excellent benefits included.

Benefits

Generous NHS Pension

27 days' annual leave, plus Bank Holidays

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Experience working with a variety of healthcare settings, ideally in the NHS.
• Ability to manage multiple, complex programmes with minimal supervision.
• Expertise in developing relationships with national-level medicines optimisation professionals.

Responsibilities

• Support the safe and effective use of medicines across the NHS.
• Lead high-profile programmes of work related to medicines optimisation.
• Manage a team of pharmacists providing clinical and medicines optimisation advice.

Skills

Specialist knowledge relating to medicines optimisation

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Education

Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Job description

Overview

The Deputy Head of Medicines Optimisation role sits within the medicines optimisation team in the clinical directorate. The purpose of the clinical directorate is to strengthen clinical leadership throughout NICE and ensure end-to-end clinical oversight of, and support to, all areas of NICE activity. It also enhances the external credibility of NICE and promotes more effective stakeholder engagement. The core task of the directorate is to develop and deliver an organisation-wide topic selection and prioritisation process that identifies and prioritises what has the greatest impact on people and the health and care system. The directorate is responsible for ensuring that the clinical requirements of NICE are anticipated and met in a dynamic way that is responsive to changing need. We are a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team of health and care professionals, and highly skilled technical people.

Interviews will be in person in our Manchester office on 17 December 2025

Main duties

The Deputy Head of Medicines Optimisation plays a key role in supporting the safe, effective use of medicines across the NHS and care system, helping to improve care and deliver best value for the taxpayer. This role works closely with other NICE teams and external stakeholders in a collaborative, multidisciplinary way. This includes engaging with expert panels, implementation managers, senior NICE leaders, NHS practitioners, and others. The post supports understanding of strategic medicines optimisation challenges and the implementation of NICE guidance through medicines intelligence activities. It also leads on specific areas of long-term planning, strategy, and policy development related to medicines optimisation within the clinical directorate.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading and contributing to high-profile programmes of work, such as technology appraisal incorporation, guideline development, the NICE Associate community of practice, patient safety, and oversight of the British National Formulary contract.
• Managing a team of pharmacists who provide clinical and medicines optimisation advice, including review and quality assurance of others' work within NICE.
• Offering expert input on medicines optimisation policy, strategy, and implementation issues.
• Building and maintaining relationships with internal and external stakeholders to gather insights and ensure alignment with health and care system practices.

About us

The Medicines Optimisation team sits within the Clinical Directorate and provides expert advice across NICE to support the NHS in embedding safe, effective, and innovative medicines use for the benefit of patients and the public. We contribute to guidance development, quality assurance, and the creation of implementation tools and resources, combining expert input with medicines intelligence gathered from the health and care system. Our work is highly collaborative. We engage with internal teams such as the Centre for Guidelines, Medicines Evaluation Directorate, and the Impact and Partnerships Directorate, as well as with national stakeholders and front-line practitioners, including the NICE Medicines and Prescribing Associates. We also offer operational, administrative, and project management support to ensure the planning, production, and delivery of all medicines optimisation work meets NICE standards and processes.

We are proud to offer a supportive, inclusive working environment with excellent benefits, including:

• Generous NHS Pension - One of the most rewarding pension schemes in the UK.
• Time to Recharge - 27 days' annual leave, plus Bank Holidays.
• Flexible Working - Options like remote working, compressed hours, and flexible start/finish times.
• Inclusive Staff Networks - Join communities such as Women in NICE, Race Equality Network, and Disability Advocacy.

If this sounds like a place where you'd thrive, we'd love to hear from you!

Details

Date posted: 24 November 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 8c

Salary: £74,290 to £85,601 a year per annum

Contract: Fixed term

Duration: 12 months

Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Compressed hours

Reference number: 907-813

Job locations:
3rd Floor, 3 Piccadilly Place, Manchester, M1 3BN

Job responsibilities

To be considered for this role, you should be able to demonstrate the person specification criteria in the job advert in your application. However, applicants should be able to demonstrate all essential criteria through the entirety of the recruitment process to be considered for the job. Please see the job description attached for the full list of responsibilities.

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications – Essential

• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Experience – Essential

• Working with a wide range of individuals, stakeholders and organisations across a variety of healthcare settings, ideally in a patient facing role and in the NHS.
• Taking overall responsibility for programmes and projects with minimal supervision, including overseeing, coordinating and managing multiple, complex programmes.
• Developing effective relationships and working collaboratively with senior medicines optimisation professionals at a national level

Skills / Knowledge – Essential

• Specialist knowledge relating to medicines optimisation, medicines commissioning and medicines policy and strategy, to understand current challenges and developments in the NHS and wider health and care system.

Desirable

• Ability to lead on and manage the implementation of change

Other notes

Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a submission to the Disclosure and Barring Service will be required to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship: 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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website. From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants must present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided in for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18) are also subject to this requirement.

UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see the NHS Careers website.

Employer details

NICE – The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

Address: 3rd Floor, 3 Piccadilly Place, Manchester, M1 3BN