Job Advert
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: Fixed Term, Part Time, 14 hours 48 minutes hours per week
Fixed-term or Secondment** until 30th September 2025
**For NHS applicants, an NHS secondment will be offered in the first instance. For non-NHS applicants, a fixed-term or secondment would be considered.
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.
This role sits within the Pharmacy team and specifically within the small, friendly and highly motivated pharmacy technician team. This team is focussed on the rapidly evolving education, training and development of pharmacy technicians.
The Opportunity
We are looking for a Programme Officer to join our highly talented and growing team to work with other Programme Officers, supporting trainees and tutors from all pharmacy sectors, to ensure quality standardised programmes.
This post is available on a part time basis and will support the development and delivery of the Vocational Training Foundation Programme for Pharmacy Technicians. The role will also support the development and delivery of other pharmacy technician initiatives, as well as providing an excellent opportunity to gain experience in an education and training environment.
In this exciting and varied role, you will collaborate across multiple workstreams and organisations, having a direct impact on the career development of pharmacy technicians.
As a Programme Officer within the Pharmacy team, you will have the opportunity to develop your skills within education and training. Your work will directly influence the professional development of the pharmacy technician workforce impacting on healthcare provision to the public.
Do you want to work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders across Scotland to play a lead role in supporting national training initiatives that provide education and development opportunities for the pharmacy technician workforce?
Do you want to play a key role in enhancing the learning and development experiences of the pharmacy technician workforce?
Do you enjoy working at pace and being adaptive in an ever-changing environment?
Working within the NES Pharmacy team you will have the opportunity to bring your unique skills and experience to the table, collaborating across multiple workstreams to effect real change within the pharmacy workforce in Scotland
Does this sound like you?
What We Love to See
Programme Officers offer a broad range of skills and experience, if you can offer some or all of these, we’d love you to apply:
- Qualified Pharmacy Technician (registered with GPhC) with extensive experience in a relevant Pharmacy sector
- Highly experienced with the ability to lead in the delivery of education and training
- Proven experience of mentoring, coaching, supporting and supervising learners
- Highly effective communicator knowing how to make complex information and language simple for diverse internal and external stakeholders at all levels (both verbally and in writing)
- Ability to collaborate effectively and build networks and communities of practice
- A clear understanding of external drivers and relevant NHS policies and priorities
- Ability to work on own initiative, to organise and prioritise own workloads and that of others, and to meet strict deadlines
- 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 Programme Officer 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 pharmacy@nes.scot.nhs.uk
Next Steps
**NHS candidates will be considered firstly on a secondment basis, and so are strongly encouraged to discuss this with their current NHS employer at the earliest opportunity, ideally prior to application.
Our recruitment process is currently 100% remote and if successful you would initially work remotely, working from our offices as operationally required.
All applicants who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail.
Online interviews (including a presentation) will take place on Monday 17th March 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: EoS.ERRS@nhs.scot