Director of Pharmacy
UK Visa Sponsorship Analytics
Analytics are greyed out due to low classification confidence (55.0%).
Occupation Type
Pharmacists
Occupation Code Skill LevelHigher Skilled
Sponsorship Salary Threshold
Varies by national pay scale
Healthcare national pay scale applies
⚕️ Healthcare job - uses national pay scale
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Description
About The Organisation
NHS Orkney is committed to delivering excellent care to our over 22,000 residents. Whether you’re new to the NHS or bringing experience from elsewhere, your skills will make a real difference.
Our modern healthcare facility, The Balfour, brings together inpatient care, emergency services, outpatient clinics, diagnostics, GP practices and the Scottish Ambulance Service. We’re also investing in services across our outer isles, ensuring high-quality care reaches every corner of Orkney.
We are guided by our core values that shape everything we do Open and honest, Respect and Kindness from how we care for our patients to how we support each other as colleagues.
About Orkney
With over 70 islands 20 of them inhabited Orkney offers a unique blend of natural beauty, close-knit community and an opportunity for adventure. From dramatic coastlines and rare wildlife to rich cultural traditions and active lifestyles, it’s a place where compassion thrives and every day brings something new. Regularly named one of the UK’s best places to live, Orkney offers a lifestyle that’s both fulfilling and inspiring.
The Position
NHS Orkney is seeking a strategic and experienced pharmacy leader to join our Executive Team as Director of Pharmacy.
This is a Senior team post within a small, fully integrated island health system serving a population of around 22,300. You will provide professional and strategic leadership for pharmacy and prescribing across hospital, primary care, community pharmacy and pharmaceutical public health, working in close partnership with Orkney Health and Care and regional colleagues across the North of Scotland.
The role combines corporate leadership with statutory accountability. You will act as Chief Pharmacist and Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer, providing assurance to the Board on medicines safety, governance, financial stewardship and regulatory compliance.
You Will
NHS Orkney is committed to delivering excellent care to our over 22,000 residents. Whether you’re new to the NHS or bringing experience from elsewhere, your skills will make a real difference.
Our modern healthcare facility, The Balfour, brings together inpatient care, emergency services, outpatient clinics, diagnostics, GP practices and the Scottish Ambulance Service. We’re also investing in services across our outer isles, ensuring high-quality care reaches every corner of Orkney.
We are guided by our core values that shape everything we do Open and honest, Respect and Kindness from how we care for our patients to how we support each other as colleagues.
About Orkney
With over 70 islands 20 of them inhabited Orkney offers a unique blend of natural beauty, close-knit community and an opportunity for adventure. From dramatic coastlines and rare wildlife to rich cultural traditions and active lifestyles, it’s a place where compassion thrives and every day brings something new. Regularly named one of the UK’s best places to live, Orkney offers a lifestyle that’s both fulfilling and inspiring.
The Position
NHS Orkney is seeking a strategic and experienced pharmacy leader to join our Executive Team as Director of Pharmacy.
This is a Senior team post within a small, fully integrated island health system serving a population of around 22,300. You will provide professional and strategic leadership for pharmacy and prescribing across hospital, primary care, community pharmacy and pharmaceutical public health, working in close partnership with Orkney Health and Care and regional colleagues across the North of Scotland.
The role combines corporate leadership with statutory accountability. You will act as Chief Pharmacist and Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer, providing assurance to the Board on medicines safety, governance, financial stewardship and regulatory compliance.
You Will
Lead the development and delivery of an integrated pharmacy strategy aligned to national policy and local priorities.
Strengthen medicines governance and prescribing systems across all care settings.
Lead service redesign to improve sustainability and maximise safe care close to home in a remote and rural context.
Provide expert advice to the Board, Executive Team and clinical leaders on pharmaceutical, clinical and financial risk.
Work collaboratively with community pharmacy contractors to deliver equitable, high quality services across Orkney’s communities and isles.
The Candidate
We are looking for a pharmacist registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council, with substantial senior management experience and a strong track record in service development, workforce leadership and budget management. You will be confident operating at senior level, able to take a whole-system perspective and to lead through influence, partnership and professional credibility.
This is a rare opportunity to shape pharmacy services within a distinctive island setting, where relationships are close, impact is visible, and leadership makes a tangible difference.
Location, Working Pattern and Contract Duration:
This post will be based at The Balfour
The successful candidate will work: Full Time 37 hours per week - NHS Scotland is reducing their full time working week from 37 to 36 hours per week from 1 April 2026 but with no change in pay. This reduction will also be applied pro rata for part time staff.
This post is Permanent
It is a condition of this employment that you must live and remain a resident within the UK for the post in which you will be employed with NHS Orkney.
Benefits And Salary
Did you know NHS Scotland salaries are higher than those in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland?
The salary for this post is Band 8D
Strengthen medicines governance and prescribing systems across all care settings.
Lead service redesign to improve sustainability and maximise safe care close to home in a remote and rural context.
Provide expert advice to the Board, Executive Team and clinical leaders on pharmaceutical, clinical and financial risk.
Work collaboratively with community pharmacy contractors to deliver equitable, high quality services across Orkney’s communities and isles.
The Candidate
We are looking for a pharmacist registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council, with substantial senior management experience and a strong track record in service development, workforce leadership and budget management. You will be confident operating at senior level, able to take a whole-system perspective and to lead through influence, partnership and professional credibility.
This is a rare opportunity to shape pharmacy services within a distinctive island setting, where relationships are close, impact is visible, and leadership makes a tangible difference.
Location, Working Pattern and Contract Duration:
This post will be based at The Balfour
The successful candidate will work: Full Time 37 hours per week - NHS Scotland is reducing their full time working week from 37 to 36 hours per week from 1 April 2026 but with no change in pay. This reduction will also be applied pro rata for part time staff.
This post is Permanent
It is a condition of this employment that you must live and remain a resident within the UK for the post in which you will be employed with NHS Orkney.
Benefits And Salary
Did you know NHS Scotland salaries are higher than those in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland?
The salary for this post is Band 8D
and if residing on Orkney, you’ll also receive a Distant Islands Allowance of £1,657 pro rata per annum, adding extra value to your rewarding career with us.
NHS Orkney also offers an attractive pension scheme, wide range of work life balance policies, employee assistance programme and various discounts to both local and national retailers.
Further Information
If you share our vision and are ready to be part of Team Orkney, we’d love to hear from you. Your rewarding career starts here!
We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process, and you will be asked whether you require any during your application. If there are additional requirements you would like to request, please contact
For further guidance on the recruitment process and tips for creating a strong application, please refer to our Candidate Application Pack.
For informal enquiries, please contact Interim Director of Pharmacy Wendy Lycett () or Medical Director, Dr Anna Lamont, via Executive Assistant Gizelle Venter ().
This post is subject to a Disclosure Scotland check.
NHS Orkney is an equal opportunities employer committed to advancing equality and particularly welcomes applications from groups of people currently underrepresented within the workforce. We are a committed participant in the Disability Confident Leader Scheme and guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for our vacancies.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Candidates should provide original and authentic responses to all questions within the application form. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), automated tools, or other third-party assistance to generate, draft, or significantly modify responses is strongly discouraged. By submitting your application, you confirm that all answers are your own work, reflect your personal knowledge, skills and experience, and have not been solely produced or altered by AI or similar technologies.
Failure to comply with this requirement may result in your application being withdrawn from the application process.
Stakeholder and Interview events will be held virtually across 12th and 13th of May 2026
NHS Orkney also offers an attractive pension scheme, wide range of work life balance policies, employee assistance programme and various discounts to both local and national retailers.
Further Information
If you share our vision and are ready to be part of Team Orkney, we’d love to hear from you. Your rewarding career starts here!
We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process, and you will be asked whether you require any during your application. If there are additional requirements you would like to request, please contact
For further guidance on the recruitment process and tips for creating a strong application, please refer to our Candidate Application Pack.
For informal enquiries, please contact Interim Director of Pharmacy Wendy Lycett () or Medical Director, Dr Anna Lamont, via Executive Assistant Gizelle Venter ().
This post is subject to a Disclosure Scotland check.
NHS Orkney is an equal opportunities employer committed to advancing equality and particularly welcomes applications from groups of people currently underrepresented within the workforce. We are a committed participant in the Disability Confident Leader Scheme and guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for our vacancies.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Candidates should provide original and authentic responses to all questions within the application form. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), automated tools, or other third-party assistance to generate, draft, or significantly modify responses is strongly discouraged. By submitting your application, you confirm that all answers are your own work, reflect your personal knowledge, skills and experience, and have not been solely produced or altered by AI or similar technologies.
Failure to comply with this requirement may result in your application being withdrawn from the application process.
Stakeholder and Interview events will be held virtually across 12th and 13th of May 2026