Chief Technician

Job summary

An exciting and unique opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, dynamic and self-motivated professional to join our aseptic team at the Sutton site of the Royal Marsden.

You will be part of a team consisting of Pharmacists, Technicians and Assistants, who are always striving for excellence in all aspects of our work. We are working collaboratively as part of a Multi-Disciplinary Team to ensure we always deliver outstanding care to our patients.

It is an exciting time to join the Royal Marsden Hospital Aseptic Department. Our service is built around providing a high-quality service to our patients and staff of the Trust. The department works closely with the Institute of Cancer Research and the post-holder will be supporting the development of innovative new cancer medicines as these drugs enter early phase clinical trials. The Oak Cancer Centre (a new, state-of-the-art treatment and research facility) opened in June 2023 in Sutton which will speed up the translation of world-leading research into breakthroughs in treatment and care, transforming the lives of cancer patients at The Royal Marsden and beyond.

Over the next year, we are planning to build a new aseptic facility on our Sutton site.

The hospital introduced the EPIC digital health record system in March 2023. We are looking to become a truly paperless department.

Main duties of the job

The Job Description outlines the roles of the Chief technician, Aseptic Services. You will work closely with the Aseptic Operations manager to create, lead, manage and develop the Trust aseptic service as part of the Senior Aseptic Services Team to ensure aseptic products are provided on time to optimise patient experience and reduce waste.

About us

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals - one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey - as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees work life balance. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on-going achievements.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification.

To ensure Aseptic duties are carried out according to national standards and in line with cGMP and QA standards.

To ensure the appropriate environmental monitoring is carried out in the unit in order for regulatory requirements to be met, ensuring prompt escalation and appropriate corrective action is taken.

To write, develop, maintain and assure implementation of policies and standard operating procedures.

To ensure that aseptic services Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are adhered to, and production records and training documents are completed appropriately.

To maintain the controlled documentation system in cooperation with other service managers.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential

Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences or equivalent. BTEC in Pharmaceutical Sciences or NVQ Level 3 in Pharmacy Services or equivalent Technical Modules Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Desirable

Postgraduate qualification (certificate/diploma/MSc) in Pharmaceutical Science or equivalent Management or leadership qualification or a portfolio demonstrating experience at senior management level and relevant short courses taught

Experience

Essential

Extensive technical services experience in NHS licensed and/or unlicensed unit or equivalent pharmaceutical industry experience Extensive experience of providing professional and technical support to an aseptic production service. Experience of managing staff, including sickness, performance, conduct and appraisal process Experience of change management Experience in writing Standard Operating Procedures for new processes Experience of maintaining a Quality Management System, including investigation of errors, incidents and managing risk

Desirable

Experience of leading a team Experience of leading and developing services Experience of involvement in clinical trials within an aseptic unit Experience of self-inspections or internal audits

Skills Abilities/knowledge

Essential

Effective interpersonal skills with particular ability to communication with staff in clear English at all levels from a wide range of discipline. Evidence of working well in a team and act as a role model Ability to demonstrate self-motivation and to motivate others Ability to make decisions, organise, meet deadlines, manage time effectively and prioritise for self and others Able to work effectively and accurately follow written procedures under pressure Able to accurately perform complex calculations and to complete documentation accurately with attention to detail Ability to deliver staff training and to support the training and development of technical services staff Demonstrate ability to identify problems, analyse root cause and propose solutions for complex problems Able to recognise and overcome barriers to understanding, language Highly computer Literate ( Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook) Ability to deal with conflict/difficult situation Ability to concentrate and work accurately for prolonged periods of time with frequent and unpredictable interruptions Ability to gown into cleanrooms

Desirable

Use of pharmacy computer system Knowledge of EPIC Proficient in Pharmacy stock control and dispensing computer systems

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