Head of Pharmacy - Abuja

Job Summary
The Head of Pharmacy is a senior leadership position responsible for overseeing all aspects of the hospital's pharmacy services. This includes ensuring the safe, effective, and compliant use of medications throughout the facility. The role involves strategic planning, operational management, and clinical oversight to enhance the quality of pharmaceutical care.
The Head of Pharmacy plays a critical role in formulating and implementing policies related to medication management, including procurement, storage, and distribution, and ensuring adherence to legal and regulatory standards. The position requires collaboration with other healthcare professionals to optimize therapeutic outcomes, manage budgetary and resource constraints, and lead initiatives to integrate new technologies and innovations in pharmacy practice. Additionally, the Head of Pharmacy is responsible for leading and mentoring a diverse team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and promoting a patient-centered approach to medication therapy.

Key Responsibilities
Leadership:

• Lead the pharmacy department, including pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and support staff.
• Serve as the chief advisor on pharmaceutical care, medication management, and clinical pharmacy services.
• Promote a patient-centered approach to medication use and pharmaceutical care.
• Lead and Mentor a team of Pharmacist, pharmacy technicians, and support staff to deliver high quality pharmaceutical services

Strategic Development

• Develop and implement a strategic plan for the pharmacy department, aligning with the hospital's overall goals.
• Innovate and expand pharmacy services, including clinical pharmacy programs, medication therapy management, and specialty pharmacy services.
• Assess emerging trends in pharmaceuticals and healthcare, integrating new medications and technologies to enhance patient care.

Governance

• Ensure compliance with all relevant laws and regulations, including those from Federal Ministry of Health, the National Drug Law Enforcement Administration (NDLEA), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC), and Pharmacy Council of Nigeria.
• Oversee the hospital's formulary management, ensuring the availability of essential medications and reviewing new drug requests.
• Implement and maintain robust medication safety protocols, including adverse drug event monitoring and reporting systems.
• Ensure correct governance arrangements, which include the management of finance and regulatory activity where appropriate.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant pharmacy regulations, standards and accreditation requirements

Other Responsibilities

• Offer advisory expertise to senior members/managers in relation to any issues relating pharmaceutical services.
• Oversee the procurement, storage, and distribution of medications, ensuring quality and cost-effectiveness.
• Manage the preparation and dispensing of medications, including sterile and non-sterile compounding.
• Lead the implementation of electronic health records (EHR) and computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems for medication management.
• Provide regular updates to management and the board.
• Collaborate with the relevant bodies to ensure that any external monetary funding opportunities from external sources are explored.
• Be responsible for the distribution of resources and budgets that have been allocated to pharmacy department.
• Continue to work and develop to acquire further skills appropriate to the post where necessary. This could be in the form of extra educational qualifications/accreditations.
• Serve as a resource and expert on pharmacy related issues for healthcare providers, patients and other stake holders

Equality and Diversity

• Act as lead for Equality & Diversity in the department to ensure the development and effective implementation of a strategy, set of policies, procedures and monitoring and control systems are in place.

Personal and Staff Development

• Work with HR to undertake recruitment, retention, performance management and development of staff in the team.
• Work with the Recruitment Manager to establish connections with appropriate local, international and online communities to nurture a pipeline of talent to support the growth of the company.
• Responsible for development of high potential employees, providing a structured approach to mentoring and developing critical talent at all levels of management.

Communications And Working Relationships

• Collaborate with healthcare providers, including physicians, nurses, and other allied health professionals, to optimize medication therapy and patient outcomes.
• Communicate with patients and caregivers, providing education on medication use, potential side effects, and adherence strategies.
• Work closely with hospital administration on budgeting, policy development, and strategic planning for pharmacy services.
• Coordinate and facilitate consultations with stakeholders to define business and systems requirements for ongoing improvements or systems implementations.
• Establish credibility throughout the organisation and set an example as a proactive senior leader and change agent who earns respect by demonstrating a sound understanding of the organisation departments’ objectives and goals.
• Collaborate with the COO and divisional Heads to determine short and long term needs of the organisation.
• Develop and present updates to the Board of Directors.

Line Management

• Supervise the pharmacy team, including recruitment, training, performance evaluations, and professional development.
• Set departmental goals and objectives, ensuring alignment with the hospital's mission and regulatory requirements.
• Manage staffing levels and scheduling to meet the needs of the department and the hospital.
• Provide strong leadership to develop, coach and ensure a high performing team.
• Establish the department goals, objectives and operating procedures.

Organizational Responsibilities

• Report directly to the Clinical Director of General Medical Services, contributing to the overall strategy and operational planning of the hospital.
• Participate in hospital-wide committees, including those focused on clinical governance, quality improvement, and patient safety.
• Represent the pharmacy department in interdisciplinary discussions and initiatives, ensuring the integration of pharmacy services into patient care pathways.

Confidentiality
The post holder must be aware that Confidential Information and data to which the post holder will have knowledge and access to in the course of their employment with the AMCE is to be kept confidential, and this confidentiality is a condition of employment. The duty to maintain confidentiality continues even when the post holder is no longer employed.
This information is not to be shared with anyone outside of the AMCE under any circumstances, except to the extent necessary to fulfil any duties and responsibilities required within the role. Furthermore, upon termination with the AMCE Abuja, the post holder will return to the AMCE all confidential information held.
 

General
The post holder has a general duty of care for their own health, safety and well-being and that of work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, in addition to any specific risk management or clinical governance accountabilities associated with this post.
To observe the rules, policies, procedures and standards of AMCE together with all relevant statutory and professional obligations.
To observe and maintain strict confidentiality of personal information relating to patients, staff and visitors.
To be responsible, with management support, for their own personal development and to actively contribute to the development of colleagues.
This job description is intended as a guide to the general scope of duties and is not intended to be definitive or restrictive. It is expected that some of the duties will change over time and this description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder.
All employees must hold an AMCE email account, which will be the AMCE's formal route for email communication. You are therefore required to check this regularly and to deal with such communication promptly.
Infection Control Statement
The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to make to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene requirements of this role. These requirements are set out in the AMCE Code of Practice on Infection Control and in local policies and procedures, which will be made clear during your induction and subsequent refresher training. These standards must be strictly complied with at all times.
 

 
ATTRIBUTES

 
ESSENTIAL
 

 
DESIRABLE

Qualifications

Degree in Pharmacy or related field
 
Licensed Pharmacist with current registration with the pharmacy council of Nigeria or eligibility to register with registrable qualification.
 
 
Evidence of commitment to continuing professional
Development

Doctorate in Pharmacy or related field
 
Professional qualification in a relevant subject
 
Strong Knowledge of pharmacy operations, medication procurement and regulatory requirement in Nigeria.
 
 
 
 

Experience

Minimum of 10 years’ experience as a Pharmacist.
 
Proven experience working as a Head of department of Pharmacy on a complex project of healthcare institution.
 
Experience managing issues and identifying any potential risk to strategy
 
Evidence of successfully implementing strategy with allocated budget/resources
 

Management and Leadership

Inspirational and visible leader, with first class communication skills, capable of engaging audiences at all levels.
 
Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders.
 
Ability to think and act strategically, developing practical, innovative and creative solutions to the management of issues and complex problems related to the department
 
Ability to identify opportunities to improve business outcomes through partnership at all levels
 
Well-developed management skills, with the ability to build and lead large teams
 
Highly effective influencing and negotiating skills, with the ability to develop partnerships and alliances across a diverse range of stakeholders
 
Politically astute and resilient, with the ability to manage conflict and ambiguity
 
Outcome focused, with the capability and tenacity to drive the agenda forward
 
Financially literate and commercially astute, with a sophisticated understanding of commercially orientated performance and financial management including contract management
 
Shares the AMCE’s vision and values
 
Commitment to clinical governance / improving quality of patient care

Personal attributes

Professional attitude towards work
 
Shares the AMCE’s vision
 
Proactive and organised
 
Commitment to clinical governance / improving quality of patient care
 
Has personal and professional credibility and commands the respect of colleagues peers 
 
Is supportive and approachable and capable of inspiring confidence in staff members
 
Commitment to caring for others
 
Ability to adapt to living in a new country and new culture accordingly
 
High levels of honesty and integrity

Languages

All applicants to have demonstrable skills in written and spoken English that are adequate to enable effective communication about medical topics with patients and colleagues

Skills in languages other than English    

AMCE Values

Able to demonstrate an understanding of the AMCE’s values
 
Commitment to uphold the AMCE’s values