Flexible Location: NES is a remote-friendly employer with staff based throughout Scotland. We support office-based and hybrid working arrangements. We welcome conversations about alternative working patterns—please get in touch during the application process to discuss.
Work Pattern: Permanent, Full Time, 36 hours per week effective from 1st April 2026.
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. Senior Educators in NES Pharmacy provide support for the development of key education solutions as well as support for educational supervisors and learners. This role provides a real opportunity to contribute to a critical stage of pharmacy education support.
As the post will be from the 1 April 2026, the hours of work will be based on 36 hour working week.
The Opportunity
We are looking for a Senior Educator to lead pharmacy technician education across Scotland. This role shapes workforce capability and supports national pharmacy priorities.
The position involves leading and managing the post-registration pharmacy technician workstream, overseeing the team that supports both the Pharmacy Technician Foundation Programme and the GP Learning Pathway.
You will be responsible for the delivery and ongoing development of the Pharmacy Technician Foundation Training programme, and the initial development of the pharmacy technician career pathway. The Senior Educator will review planned changes under the upcoming Transforming Pharmacy Roles Programme and collaborate with stakeholders to deliver the necessary training.
Due to the need for strategic development of the post registration pharmacy technician career pathway this post holder will be required to provide vision, innovation and guidance as well as influence and collaborate with key stakeholders such as Scottish Government, SQA, further education providers, APTUK, and GPhC to drive forward the plans.
You will continually liaise with territorial Boards, Community Pharmacy Scotland, Scottish Government and Further Education providers to ensure timely delivery.
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 workforce?
Do you enjoy working with a wide range of organisations to lead on initiatives that promote career and development opportunities for the pharmacy workforce?
Do you enjoy working at pace and being adaptive in an ever-changing environment?
Do you enjoy building relationships and a shared vision for the future in order to support change and innovation?
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
Senior Educators offer a broad range of skills and experience, if you can offer some or all of these, we’d love you to apply:
* Experience as a registered Pharmacy Technician (GPhC)
* Experience in workforce development and working within an educationally focused environment
* Experience of planning and delivering Pharmacy Technician post registration education and training
* Experience of supervising trainees/learners in practice
* Excellent communication, interpersonal, negotiating and influencing skills
* Ability to develop and maintain good communications and working relationships with a wide range of healthcare staff and stakeholders
* Excellent written and verbal communication suitable for complex proposals and educational content>
* 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 Senior Educator 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 Nicola Wright via pharmacy@nes.scot.nhs.uk
Next Steps
All applicants who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail.
In person OR online interviews (including a presentation will take place on Monday 15 December 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.
1. Please be advised that if you are successful in being offered the role following the recruitment process, you will be expected to attend the office prior to your start date to complete face-to-face pre-employment checks. If you require any adjustments to support this, please let us know.
2. To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service.
As part of the pre-employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre-settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK website here .
For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licenced Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or ‘going rate’. Further information on these criteria can be found here .
It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form.
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