Programme officer pharmacy technicians

On 1 April 2026, NSS and NES became one national organisation, focused on continuity today and a stronger, more connected service for tomorrow.

Overview

As part of this transformation, NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) have joined to form a new organisation: Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSD Scotland). This new organisation will play a pivotal role in supporting the renewal and ensuring the long‑term sustainability of health and care services across Scotland.

Flexible Location

PSD Scotland is a remote‑friendly employer with staff based throughout Scotland. We support office‑based and hybrid working arrangements and welcome conversations about alternative working patterns—please get in touch during the application process to discuss.

Work Pattern

Fixed Term, Full Time, 36 hours per week.

Fixed‑term or Secondment until 31 March 2027.

• 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

PSD Scotland unites expertise from NES and NSS in a way that will allow us to accelerate national programmes to support the NHS to deliver better care, now and in the future.

We support staff with education and training, provide the tools and data that improve services, and run vital national functions such as procurement, logistics and blood, tissue and cell services.

The Pharmacy Team within PSD Scotland is responsible through the Executive Medical Director to the PSD Scotland Board and through the Board to Scottish Government for the commissioning and delivery of postgraduate pharmacy education in Scotland.

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 full time but considerations could be made for part time arrangements and will support the development and delivery of Pharmacy Technician training programmes 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. Occasional cross‑cover across other pharmacy workstreams may be required as part of the role.

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 PSD Scotland 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

• 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

• 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 means considering the diverse needs, perspectives, and backgrounds of everyone in Scotland. We are focused on hiring the very best talent and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. Our aim is to ensure that everyone is treated fairly, with respect, and has a positive recruitment experience—regardless of the outcome.

We welcome applications from all under‑represented groups, including racially minoritised people and disabled people. It is not essential to be in a Programme Officer role right now—you may be returning from a career break (e.g., maternity, paternity, caring) or coming from another field. Your experiences can bring a fresh perspective to our work.

If you are considering applying and would like to discuss the opportunity, any adjustments or alternative work patterns, please contact Karen Liles, Practice Educator on 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.

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 Thursday 2 July 2026. The presentation topic will be sent to candidates selected for interview.

Please refer to the Job Information Pack below for further information.

Unless otherwise stated, the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the closing date. Please note, CVs will not be accepted.

• 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.
• 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 Immigration 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.

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 licensed 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 online.

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.