Deputy Technical Services Manager - Procurement and Distribution

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

The post holder will organise and line manage the Pharmacy Purchasing and Invoicing teams across all University Hospital Liverpool Group (UHLG) sites. They will also provide support and deputise for the Technical Services Manager for Purchasing, Stores and Distribution as required.

They will monitor and manage Commercial Medicines Unit (CMU) pharmacy contracts and be responsible for ensuring the Pharmacy stock control system is kept up to date with the latest information.

They will monitor current and forecasted supply disruptions, liaising with the Procurement Pharmacist and taking necessary actions to ensure the safe and effective management of issues impacting on the Group.

They will co-operate with all pharmacy staff in providing and developing an efficient and comprehensive pharmaceutical service for patients across UHLG sites.

They will work in collaboration with the Pharmacy Stores Managers and supervise staff working in the Pharmacy Store as necessary.

Key Responsibilities

1. Ensure all Standard Operating Procedures for the Purchasing and Invoicing of goods are up to date and all staff are trained as per relevant SOPs. To ensure all SOPs reflect good practice. Ensure staff training records and all other documentation is completed and up to date.

2. Work with the Pharmacy stores managers to ensure stock levels reflect the requirements of UHLG Hospitals and external customers in order to limit financial risk to the Group (e.g. excessive stock, short expiry dated stock) whilst ensuring adequate availability.

3. Monitor sickness absence and complete documentation as required. Carry out wellbeing discussions on return to work after sickness absence as per Group policy, escalating any causes for concern to the Technical Services Manager.

4. Monitor, record and approve holiday requests for purchasing and invoicing staff with respect to staffing levels, workload and planning. Complete monthly approval for lieu time/pay for purchasing and invoicing staff.

5. Manage the daily workload of the department including allocation of staff duties, completing rotas and line management of all purchasing and invoicing staff.

6. Attend relevant Pharmacy staff meetings on a regular basis and to co-operate with the Chief Pharmacist regarding the strategic development of the Pharmacy Purchasing service.

7. Carry out annual appraisals for all purchasing and invoicing staff.

8. Liaise with and provide information to Purchasing staff and other Senior Purchasing ATOs in relation to initiating orders for stock items and other special items, directing and prioritising when needed.

9. Supervise Purchasing staff, and in their absence operate the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)/Powergate (electronic purchasing of pharmaceuticals from pharmaceutical suppliers).

10. Respond to queries from all staff at UHLG sites regarding stock supply, lead times, supply issues and provide specialist technical advice on the procurement of medicines for the Group.

11. Lead and organise the purchasing and invoicing staff in maintaining contract details for CMU regional contracts and send contract information to external pharmacy contacts for both sites (e.g. Clatterbridge Pharmacy Ltd CPL).

12. Support the Technical Services Manager for purchasing by attending CMU North-West Operational Group meetings when required. Ensure Group specific issues relating to contracts and contract lines are raised to the Regional Procurement Pharmacist. Attend external meetings relating to purchasing as and when required.

13. Ensure mandatory checks of Unlicensed medicines are carried out on receipt of deliveries in line with MHRA recommendations. Monitor the UL medicines process on all sites to ensure SOPs are followed and that documentation is completed and stored appropriately.

14. Support Cost Improvement Programmes (CIP) by ensuring cost savings identified are reported appropriately.

15. Monitor off contract spend and support the purchasing and invoicing team to identify off contract claims. Oversee the claim submissions to ensure that these are processed in line with the terms and conditions.

16. Utilise reporting within Exend+ and complete appropriate mapping to ensure external benchmarking data is accurate and up to date.

17. Monitor efficiency of invoice processing and provide support with invoice discrepancies.

18. Liaise with finance colleagues to resolve issues.

19. Highlight drug cost pressures to the Procurement Pharmacist and work together to support the rational and cost-effective purchase of medicines.

20. Be responsible for updating the Stock Manager portal with up-to-date information relating to stock shortages across the Group and work with the Procurement Pharmacist to manage issues.

21. Communicate key medicine shortages effectively.

22. Develop and maintain a procurement performance dashboard.

23. Support the Technical Services Manager for Purchasing by producing monthly reports for inclusion in the departmental KPIs.

24. Ensure ordering, invoice and computer documentation is completed and up to date.

25. Communicate with a wide range of healthcare professionals, pharmacy staff, external wholesalers and suppliers on a wide range of issues relating to medicines. This may include advice, guidance, statistical information and or financial information around contracts/invoices as well as stock shortages and issues.

26. Support the Pharmacy team with responding to medicine recalls of all classes. Participate in dealing with National Patient Safety alerts and ensure assigned actions are carried out or delegated appropriately.

27. Participate in ensuring the pharmacy computer system is operated effectively, automatic reordering levels are acceptable and efficient, prices are up to date and stock levels are correct. To liaise with the Pharmacy IM&T Manager / EPMA team when required.

28. Locate supplies of medicines in other hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturers or wholesalers if required in an emergency.

29. Participate in external audits on the service.

30. When required, provide a service outside normal working hours for emergencies.

31. Undertake appropriate training courses and encourage other staff to undertake further training.

32. Participate in completing departmental rotas including Weekend, bank holiday and Christmas Rotas.

33. Work flexibly between sites to support the stores managers, including acting as the onsite supervisor at the Pharmacy off-site store. Provide cover for annual leave of the Stores Manager and sickness when required, possibly at short notice. Responsible for being a key-holder for the store and ensuring security of the site and staff, as well as opening and locking up the store.

34. Participate and co-operate with weekend, bank holiday, statutory holiday, early morning and evening services as per departmental arrangements.

35. Support the Technical Services Managers across the Group with recruitment when required.

36. Support equality and promote diversity.

Duties and Key Tasks

Clinical Governance / Quality

To co-operate with all pharmacy staff in providing and developing an efficient and comprehensive pharmaceutical service for patients of University Hospital Liverpool Group.

Education, Training & Development

To undertake appropriate training courses and encourage other staff to undertake further training.

Audit and Research

Audit of the service in line with requirements and participation in the external audits on the service.

Managerial/Leadership

Supervision and management of appropriate staff.

Finance

Managing specialist pharmaceutical ordering, dealing with suppliers, external and internal customer orders and queries. Stock control. Monitoring of invoicing procedures and invoice discrepancies. Liaison with credit controllers and finance colleagues.

Qualifications

Essential

• BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Pharmaceutical Science or equivalent with appropriate underpinning knowledge
• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council

Desirable

• BTEC level 4 Diploma in Dispensing Accuracy Checking / equivalent
• Management or leadership qualification

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable previous experience of working as a technician leader in a busy pharmacy environment
• Experience of working in a purchasing environment including medicine ordering and contract management
• Proven experience in operational & change management
• Proven experience in management of staff
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
• Development and review of SOPs
• Human resources experience. Utilisation of departmental and Group policies to manage staff

Desirable

• Experience of working in a pharmacy stores environment, providing a ward stock service
• Experience of identifying and driving cost savings through good purchasing practice
• Experience of responding to and coordinating actions from medicine recall notifications
• Experience of recruitment process
• Experience of leading meetings

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Demonstrable knowledge of Pharmacy contracts, Frameworks and other purchasing related agreements
• Extended knowledge of the Pharmacy stock control system and other IT systems used in pharmacy purchasing.
• Knowledge of external bodies pertaining to purchase of medicines and their role in hospital pharmacy procurement
• Knowledge of MHRA regulations for procurement of Unlicensed Medicines
• Ability to use IT programmes and packages to support role
• Ability to create, maintain and analyse reports
• Ability to solve complex technical problems
• Ability to review and adapt as and when circumstances dictate
• Ability to provide expert technical advice to a range of healthcare professionals within the Group and externally
• Excellent attention to detail
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Ability to prioritise workload for self and the team
• Logical thought process
• Assertiveness
• Have a pro-active approach
• Articulate and confident when communicating with others
• Self-motivating and able to motivate/inspire others
• Ability to work effectively under pressure whilst continuing to deliver key targets

Desirable

• Extended knowledge of JAC/Wellsky
• Knowledge of invoicing processes and terms of sale to NHS Groups.

Other

Essential

• Evidence of continuous professional development
• Willingness to be flexible and able to work between sites at short notice
• Enthusiasm for the position
• Enthusiasm for service development and innovation
• Willingness to undertake further training as necessary

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).