Deputy Head of Medicines Optimisation

NICE – The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A reputable health organization in Manchester seeks a Deputy Head of Medicines Optimisation to lead initiatives aimed at improving safe and effective medicines use across the NHS. The role involves working collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, managing a team of pharmacists, and developing strategic insights into medicines optimisation challenges. Candidates must be registered with the GPhC and demonstrate extensive experience in health care settings. Flexible working options and a supportive environment are offered.

Benefits

Generous NHS Pension

27 days' annual leave plus Bank Holidays

Flexible Working

Inclusive Staff Networks

Qualifications

• Experience in NHS settings, ideally patient-facing roles.
• Proven track record managing multiple complex programmes.
• Ability to develop effective collaborative relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead high-profile programmes such as guideline development.
• Manage a team providing clinical advice and ensure quality.
• Engage with stakeholders for effective policy implementation.

Skills

Medicines optimisation knowledge

Negotiation skills

Relationship building

Change management

Education

Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Job description

Go back NICE – The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

Deputy Head of Medicines Optimisation

The closing date is 08 December 2025

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 in support of NICE's strategic direction 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 also 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 17th December 2025

Main duties of the job

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're 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!

Job responsibilities

To be considered for this role, you should be able to particularly 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 job description attached for full list of responsibilities.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Experience

• 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.

Experience

• Taking overall responsibility for programmes and projects with minimal supervision, including overseeing, coordinating and managing multiple, complex programmes.

Experience

• Developing effective relationships and working collaboratively with senior medicines optimisation professionals at a national level

Skills/Knowledge

• Specialist knowledge acquired over a significant period, 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.

Skills/Knowledge

• Ability to lead on and manage the implementation of change

Skills/Knowledge

• Calm, persuasive and skilled negotiator in a highly pressured and volatile environment

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.

NICE – The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Compressed hours