Job Description

The pharmacist clinical adviser role sits within the clinical directorate. The purpose of the clinical directorate is to strengthen clinical leadership throughout NICE and ensure end-to-end clinical oversight of, and support to, all areas of NICE activity. It also enhances the external credibility of NICE and promotes more effective stakeholder engagement.
The core task of the directorate in support of NICE's strategic direction is to develop and deliver an organisation-wide topic selection and prioritisation process that identifies and prioritises what has the greatest impact on people and the health and care system.
The directorate is also responsible for ensuring that the clinical requirements of NICE are anticipated and met in a dynamic way that is responsive to changing need. We are a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team of health and care professionals, and highly skilled technical people.
Please note that this role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route, please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility
Main duties of the job
This role supports the safe and effective use of medicines across the NHS and care system, improving patient care and delivering value to the taxpayer. It involves leading and delivering programmes and projects that provide technical, clinical, and medicines advice, and sharing insights from the health and care system to support evidence-based practice.The role works closely with the NICE Medicines and Prescribing Associate community of practice--professionals who influence medicines optimisation and prescribing strategy in the NHS.
Key responsibilities include:

• Providing expert advice on medicines optimisation and implementation.
• Leading and contributing to complex technical projects, such as technology appraisal incorporation, guidance development, and patient safety.
• Collaborating with medicines optimisation colleagues to maintain strong links with practice and gather intelligence to support NICE.
• Supporting the implementation of NICE guidance by developing tools and resources for practitioners.

About us
The Medicines Optimisation team, part of NICE's Clinical Directorate, provides expert advice to support safe, effective, and innovative use of medicines across the NHS. Our work helps deliver the best outcomes for patients and the public while supporting NHS staff to embed good prescribing practices.
We contribute to guidance development, quality assurance, and create implementation tools for prescribers, commissioners, and front-line professionals. We collaborate across NICE--including the Centre for Guidelines, Medicines Evaluation, and Impact and Partnerships--and externally with national stakeholders and practitioners, including the NICE Medicines and Prescribing Associates.
Our team gathers medicines intelligence and offers expert input to support NICE's work. We also provide operational, administrative, and project management support to ensure high-quality delivery of our products and services.
Benefits include:

• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Flexible working options (e.g. remote work, compressed hours)
• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Access to staff networks

Details
Date posted
07 November 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 8a
Salary
55,690 to 62,682 a year per annum
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Compressed hours
Reference number
907-811
Job locations
3rd Floor
3 Piccadilly Place
Manchester
M1 3BN
Job description
Job responsibilities
This is a Manchester based role (hybrid contract). The post holder will be required to come into the Manchester office at least once a week on average, maybe more frequently depending on business need. The team are mostly based in Manchester or the Northwest, so a regular presence will be required. NICE will not fund travel expenses from your home to or from the office as your base will be the Manchester office. A home or NICE London office base will not be offered for this role.

• For candidates selected for interview, there will be:a pre-interview test, including a short presentation to discuss your test with the interview panel and
• a competency based questioning interview.

To be considered for this role, you should be able to particularly demonstrate the person specification criteria in the job advert in your application. However, applicants should be able to demonstrate all essential criteria through the entirety of the recruitment process to be considered for the job.
Please see job description attached for full list of responsibilities. Job description
Job responsibilities
This is a Manchester based role (hybrid contract). The post holder will be required to come into the Manchester office at least once a week on average, maybe more frequently depending on business need. The team are mostly based in Manchester or the Northwest, so a regular presence will be required. NICE will not fund travel expenses from your home to or from the office as your base will be the Manchester office. A home or NICE London office base will not be offered for this role.

• For candidates selected for interview, there will be:a pre-interview test, including a short presentation to discuss your test with the interview panel and
• a competency based questioning interview.

To be considered for this role, you should be able to particularly demonstrate the person specification criteria in the job advert in your application. However, applicants should be able to demonstrate all essential criteria through the entirety of the recruitment process to be considered for the job.
Please see job description attached for full list of responsibilities.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council

Experience
Essential

• Working with a wide range of individuals, stakeholders and organisations across healthcare settings, ideally in a patient facing role and, in the NHS.

Experience
Essential

• Taking responsibility for project delivery with minimal supervision by providing technical, knowledge and medicines optimisation expertise to multiple projects and working closely with the programme management function to ensure delivery against agreed timelines and KPIs

Knowledge
Essential

• Advanced specialist knowledge of evidence-based health care, critical appraisal and the interpretation of health care research evidence across a range of specialist areas relating the medicines optimisation

Skills
Essential

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate highly complex ideas to a range of audiences where there are significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome in a sometimes hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere

Skills
Essential

• Thorough attention to detail and high standards of accuracy

Knowledge
Desirable

• Specialist knowledge underpinned by relevant practical experience, in the field of implementation science and/or change management

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council

Experience
Essential

• Working with a wide range of individuals, stakeholders and organisations across healthcare settings, ideally in a patient facing role and, in the NHS.

Experience
Essential

• Taking responsibility for project delivery with minimal supervision by providing technical, knowledge and medicines optimisation expertise to multiple projects and working closely with the programme management function to ensure delivery against agreed timelines and KPIs

Knowledge
Essential

• Advanced specialist knowledge of evidence-based health care, critical appraisal and the interpretation of health care research evidence across a range of specialist areas relating the medicines optimisation

Skills
Essential

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate highly complex ideas to a range of audiences where there are significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome in a sometimes hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere

Skills
Essential

• Thorough attention to detail and high standards of accuracy

Knowledge
Desirable

• Specialist knowledge underpinned by relevant practical experience, in the field of implementation science and/or change management

Skills Required