Senior Pharmacy Technician Clinical Trials

NHS; Manchester; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK oncology center is seeking a Pharmacy Technician passionate about making an impact on cancer patient care by joining their clinical trials team. This role provides a unique opportunity to manage a portfolio of clinical trials in a supportive environment, with progression opportunities available based on skill development and performance.

Qualifications

• Must have good interpersonal skills and be able to communicate effectively with various staff members and external parties.
• Knowledge of ICH-GCP and COSHH is essential.
• Post qualification experience preferred or willing to complete a progression period.

Responsibilities

• Support all aspects of pharmacy requirements for clinical trials.
• Provide knowledge in the management of clinical trial material ensuring compliance with GCP.
• Act as a certified checking technician supporting clinical trial prescriptions.

Skills

Good initiative

Self-motivating

Ability to work under pressure

Good interpersonal skills

Good time management

IT proficient

Education

NVQ Level 3 / BTEC Pharmaceutical Sciences or equivalent

Registered as a pharmacy technician with GPhC

Job description

Job summary

Are you a Pharmacy Technician looking for a new challenge or with an interest in research? Are you passionate about making a real impact on the lives of cancer patients? Do you have a keen eye for detail, and a desire to be at the forefront of oncology research?

Or are you a newly qualified Pharmacy Technician? We welcome applications and would offer a band 4 to band 5 progression post until competencies and accuracy checking qualifications are complete.

If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you!

The Christie is one of the largest oncology Trusts in the UK with an international reputation for clinical excellence, research, and development. This is a unique opportunity to work with us and contribute to the challenging and rewarding specialty of oncology pharmacy.

As a member of the Clinical Trials team training will be provided for you to help manage portfolio of clinical trials. You will work closely with other members of the team to ensure that Christie patients have access the latest development of oncology/haematology investigational medicines. You will form an integral part of the clinical disease teams and work closely alongside research teams. The Pharmacy Department are also supporting the large-scale collaborative project alongside several research partners and have strong links with the University of Manchester.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will:

o Support all aspects of pharmacy requirements for handling medicinal products within the context of a clinical trial (dispensing, drug accountability, administration, storage, disposal of medicinal products and monitoring visits.)

o To provide professional input and knowledge in the management of clinical trial material in the Trust and to ensure that all trials are conducted in accordance with the highest possible standards, and in compliance with the principles of GCP (Good Clinical Practice), Good Dispensing Practice and Good Manufacturing Practice.

o Support all aspects of pharmacy requirements to set-up clinical trials.

o Provide support to the clinical trials lead technician to ensure activities within the pharmacy department are managed in accordance with the International Conference of Harmonisation Good Clinical Practice Guidelines (ICH-GCP), Good manufacturing Practice (GMP), the Research Governance Framework for Health & Community Care (2001) and the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004.

o Support the clinical trials lead technician and clinical trials pharmacist with internal, external audits and regulatory inspections by the Medicines and Health Regulatory Authority (MHRA) within pharmacy.

About us

The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country. We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.

Details Date posted

02 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £36,483 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

413-95605-CNS-AK

Job locations

Pharmacy Trials - E00922

Manchester

M20 4BX

Job description Job responsibilities

Communication & Relationship skills

• Communicate professionally with staff on all levels, both internal and external relating to trial activities, regarding information which may be confidential and sensitive in nature.
• Communicate with sponsors for monitoring appointments and meetings verbally and in written format.
• Liaise with other health professionals within research teams providing advice and support pertaining to clinical trial pharmacy issues.

Analytical & Judgemental skills

• Exercise judgement when dealing with all enquires. Assess and manage query if possible, referring to the Lead clinical trials technician, senior trials technicians or pharmacists as appropriate.
• Check pharmacy files for missing data and organise, retrieve, and record data in a timely manner.

Planning and organisational skills

• Co-ordination of monitoring visit requests, ensuring availability of staff and workspace.
• Ensuring clinical trial pre orders and vial allocations are turned around in a timely fashion to prevent any delay in patient treatment.
• Support co-ordination of study set-up with the clinical trials pharmacist in a timely manner.

Physical skills

• Work with sponsor IVRS/IWRS for ordering, acknowledging orders, dispensing update calls for Investigational Medicinal Products.
• Supports the generation of worksheets and labels for Investigational Medicinal Products for both Aseptics and the Dispensary.

Responsibility Patient/Client Care

• Dispensing and preparation of medicines for clinical trials in accordance with departmental and study specific SOPs
• To act as a certified accredited checking technician, supporting the final check of clinical trial prescriptions.
• To provide support to other pharmacy staff in the dispensing of complex clinical trials.
• Support and advise key staff accordingly in relation to handling, labelling, and dispensing for all new products used in clinical trials.
• Ensure all trial related reports and documentation are maintained within the timeframes defined by the sponsor.

Responsibility Policy & Service Development

Follow all relevant policy and legislation (e.g., EU Directive)

Prepare master worksheet and labels for approval by appropriate pharmacists using Sponsor supplied documents.

Awareness of COSHH regulations in the safe handling and storage all clinical trial materials.

Assists SATO, Student Technicians, and the CTA in ensuring supplies of Investigational Medicinal Product are ordered in a timely manner.

Responsibility Information Resources

• Use computer-based data storage systems and IVRS/IWRS to record clinical trial activity.
• Work with Microsoft office programmes, requiring standard software skills.
• Maintain individual patient treatment records on Trust based systems, ensuring information is up to date, accurate and complies with Data Protection Act.

Responsibility Research & Development

• Assist pharmacy team in all areas of R&I administration as required.
• Ensure all drug accountability for all clinical trials are processed accurately and in a timely manner ensuring drug accountability is up to date at the time of a monitoring visit, audits, and Inspections.
• Assists the ATO/CTA in maintenance of pharmacy documentation where required.
• Support regulatory compliance across all clinical research services within pharmacy.

Freedom to Act

Post holder is expected to follow all relevant protocols, SOPs, and standard practice.

Clinical Trials Team Leader is available as point of reference for any queries and will meet regularly with staff.

Plan and organise own time and workload activity with prioritisation.

Physical, Mental and Emotional Effort

• Long periods of time spent using screens and keyboard to input information
• Prolonged concentration is regularly required e.g., when entering new products onto the computer system to produce worksheets and labels.

Working Conditions

• The Trust operates a range of policies, e.g. Human resources, clinical practice (available on the Trust Intranet). All Trusts employees must observe and adhere to the provisions outlined in these policies.
• Participate in the extended hours of the department, if required. To be able to participate in weekend and bank holiday working as required by the service. This may be reviewed and altered depending on the service demands.
• Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours and the positive working relationship policy.

Job description Job responsibilities

Communication & Relationship skills

• Communicate professionally with staff on all levels, both internal and external relating to trial activities, regarding information which may be confidential and sensitive in nature.
• Communicate with sponsors for monitoring appointments and meetings verbally and in written format.
• Liaise with other health professionals within research teams providing advice and support pertaining to clinical trial pharmacy issues.

Analytical & Judgemental skills

• Exercise judgement when dealing with all enquires. Assess and manage query if possible, referring to the Lead clinical trials technician, senior trials technicians or pharmacists as appropriate.
• Check pharmacy files for missing data and organise, retrieve, and record data in a timely manner.

Planning and organisational skills

• Co-ordination of monitoring visit requests, ensuring availability of staff and workspace.
• Ensuring clinical trial pre orders and vial allocations are turned around in a timely fashion to prevent any delay in patient treatment.
• Support co-ordination of study set-up with the clinical trials pharmacist in a timely manner.

Physical skills

• Work with sponsor IVRS/IWRS for ordering, acknowledging orders, dispensing update calls for Investigational Medicinal Products.
• Supports the generation of worksheets and labels for Investigational Medicinal Products for both Aseptics and the Dispensary.

Responsibility Patient/Client Care

• Dispensing and preparation of medicines for clinical trials in accordance with departmental and study specific SOPs
• To act as a certified accredited checking technician, supporting the final check of clinical trial prescriptions.
• To provide support to other pharmacy staff in the dispensing of complex clinical trials.
• Support and advise key staff accordingly in relation to handling, labelling, and dispensing for all new products used in clinical trials.
• Ensure all trial related reports and documentation are maintained within the timeframes defined by the sponsor.

Responsibility Policy & Service Development

Follow all relevant policy and legislation (e.g., EU Directive)

Prepare master worksheet and labels for approval by appropriate pharmacists using Sponsor supplied documents.

Awareness of COSHH regulations in the safe handling and storage all clinical trial materials.

Assists SATO, Student Technicians, and the CTA in ensuring supplies of Investigational Medicinal Product are ordered in a timely manner.

Responsibility Information Resources

• Use computer-based data storage systems and IVRS/IWRS to record clinical trial activity.
• Work with Microsoft office programmes, requiring standard software skills.
• Maintain individual patient treatment records on Trust based systems, ensuring information is up to date, accurate and complies with Data Protection Act.

Responsibility Research & Development

• Assist pharmacy team in all areas of R&I administration as required.
• Ensure all drug accountability for all clinical trials are processed accurately and in a timely manner ensuring drug accountability is up to date at the time of a monitoring visit, audits, and Inspections.
• Assists the ATO/CTA in maintenance of pharmacy documentation where required.
• Support regulatory compliance across all clinical research services within pharmacy.

Freedom to Act

Post holder is expected to follow all relevant protocols, SOPs, and standard practice.

Clinical Trials Team Leader is available as point of reference for any queries and will meet regularly with staff.

Plan and organise own time and workload activity with prioritisation.

Physical, Mental and Emotional Effort

• Long periods of time spent using screens and keyboard to input information
• Prolonged concentration is regularly required e.g., when entering new products onto the computer system to produce worksheets and labels.

Working Conditions

• The Trust operates a range of policies, e.g. Human resources, clinical practice (available on the Trust Intranet). All Trusts employees must observe and adhere to the provisions outlined in these policies.
• Participate in the extended hours of the department, if required. To be able to participate in weekend and bank holiday working as required by the service. This may be reviewed and altered depending on the service demands.
• Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours and the positive working relationship policy.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• NVQ Level 3 / BTEC Pharmaceutical Sciences or equivalent
• Registered as a pharmacy technician with GPhC
• Accredited Accuracy Checking
• Technician or willing to work towards

Desirable

• Current certified ICH-GCP training.

Experience Essential

• Post qualification experience or willing to complete a progression period to gain experience post qualification

Desirable

• Clinical Trials experience.
• Hospital Experience
• Oncology Experience
• Aseptic Experience

Skills Essential

• Good initiative, ability to work on own or as part of a team.
• Self- motivating
• Ability to work under pressure
• Good interpersonal skills
• Good interpersonal skills. Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and written, with a wide range of staff and external drug companies.
• Good time management
• IT proficient able to use Microsoft office applications eg Word, teams, excel and outlook,
• Ability to train other members of staff
• Calm under pressure, maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Adaptable to change
• Prepared to take responsibility and able to work without direct supervision
• Demonstrate initiative: proactive and self-motivated
• Able to work on both sites and to be flexible to meet the needs of the role

Knowledge Essential

• Knowledge of ICH -GCP
• Knowledge of COSHH

Desirable

• Knowledge of oncology
• Knowledge of GMP

Values Essential

• Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours

Other Essential

• Participating in extended working hours, weekend, bank holidays if required)

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• NVQ Level 3 / BTEC Pharmaceutical Sciences or equivalent
• Registered as a pharmacy technician with GPhC
• Accredited Accuracy Checking
• Technician or willing to work towards

Desirable

• Current certified ICH-GCP training.

Experience Essential

• Post qualification experience or willing to complete a progression period to gain experience post qualification

Desirable

• Clinical Trials experience.
• Hospital Experience
• Oncology Experience
• Aseptic Experience

Skills Essential

• Good initiative, ability to work on own or as part of a team.
• Self- motivating
• Ability to work under pressure
• Good interpersonal skills
• Good interpersonal skills. Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and written, with a wide range of staff and external drug companies.
• Good time management
• IT proficient able to use Microsoft office applications eg Word, teams, excel and outlook,
• Ability to train other members of staff
• Calm under pressure, maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Adaptable to change
• Prepared to take responsibility and able to work without direct supervision
• Demonstrate initiative: proactive and self-motivated
• Able to work on both sites and to be flexible to meet the needs of the role

Knowledge Essential

• Knowledge of ICH -GCP
• Knowledge of COSHH

Desirable

• Knowledge of oncology
• Knowledge of GMP

Values Essential

• Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours

Other Essential

• Participating in extended working hours, weekend, bank holidays if required)

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.

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 (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information 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.

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 (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details Employer name

The Christie NHS FT

Address

Pharmacy Trials - E00922

Manchester

M20 4BX

Employer's website

https://www.christie.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

The Christie NHS FT

Address

Pharmacy Trials - E00922

Manchester

M20 4BX

Employer's website

https://www.christie.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)