Job vacancy: Policy and Programmes Manager (37.5 hours) – Fixed term contract, 12months (maternity cover)

Employer: Company Chemists’ Association

Location: Home based (the CCA meet in person regularly, travel to a London location is expected at least once per month)

Closing date: Monday 4th September (may close early if a suitable candidate found)

Role summary

We are looking for an individual with experience in community pharmacy to support the development of healthcare policy across Britain. Covering topics such as service design, contract development, and health inequalities you will lead policy development in several areas of community pharmacy practice. Joining our policy team, you will identify future policy priorities, lead the development of CCA policy and public reports, and work with the rest of the policy team to understand and further our members interests. You will lead and administer standing working groups, as well as acting as a topic expert.

Using your confidence in meeting stakeholders and developing relationships, you will help guide our members through a rapidly changing pharmacy environment. Representing our members as an expert in pharmacy practice and service provision, you will lead as we engage with negotiating bodies, commissioners, and the Department of Health and Social Care. You will provide insight, analysis, and guidance, to support community pharmacy as it transforms into a more patient facing role.

This position is ideal for someone with knowledge of community pharmacy looking to help shape future of pharmacy practice across Britain. The policy team is a small and experienced group, working collaboratively across several topic areas. You will join us at an exciting time for the CCA and the UK’s community pharmacy sector.

This role is a maternity cover, and as such is a fixed term 12-month contract. This may be attractive as a secondment opportunity.

Skills and experience

  • Demonstrate experience working in policy (desirable)
  • Proven knowledge of community pharmacy
  • Knowledge of Community Pharmacy Contractual Frameworks ideally across Britain
  • Experience of working within or closely with trade association/membership/representative bodies
  • Experience of working with NHS partners
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Excellent data analysis skills, including data manipulation and presentation (desirable)
  • Ability to build and develop good working relationships
  • Ability to support multiple projects and associated deadlines

Diversity and Inclusion

At the CCA, we are committed to attracting diverse talent that represents the society we live in.

We encourage applications from all regardless of age, sexuality, socio-economic background, disability, ethnicity, gender, religion, or beliefs. We are committed to building a culture of belonging and inclusion and this is reflected in our policies, practices, and the executive team.

We are a family friendly organisation, and we encourage flexible working as we want our employees to achieve a healthy work-life balance. This role will be home based, as are all CCA roles. The CCA regularly meets face-to-face, both as a team and as part of its work with its members. Candidates will be expected to travel to a London location in response to business demands but it is likely to be at least monthly.

Who are we?

Established in 1898, the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA) is a trade association for the large community pharmacy operators in England, Scotland, and Wales. We represent the interests of our members and provide a forum for them to combine their unique scale, skills, and knowledge for the benefit of patients, the public, and the NHS.  Our members own and operate around 5,500 pharmacies across Britain. They dispense over 500 million NHS prescription items every year and deliver a broad range of healthcare and wellbeing services – such as COVID vaccinations.

How to apply

The role is a home based role. All equipment (e.g., IT hardware) will be provided. To apply for the role, please send a copy of your CV and a covering letter to [email protected], with a subject line “Policy & Programmes Manager Query”.

The closing date is Monday 4th September, with interviews in early September. We may close this vacancy early if a suitable candidate is found.

For further information or if you would like to arrange an informal conversation about your suitability for the role, please contact us at [email protected].

You can download the full job description here

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