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E. Advanced Quality Assurance/Control Specialist

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Role description

Agenda for Change (AfC) Band 7 equivalent
Pay scales for 2026/27 | NHS Employers

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

The following apply either across all workstreams within smaller Section 10 units (e.g. combined anti-cancer therapy and CIVAS services) or to a specific workstream within larger Section 10 units or licensed services (e.g. parenteral nutrition only).*1

Microbial Testing and Analysis

  • Review environmental monitoring results and microbiological quality control data
  • Assess out-of-specification (OOS) microbiological results and develop appropriate corrective action plans in collaboration with production teams 

Environmental Monitoring and Equipment Validation

  • Develop temperature mapping strategies and plans
  • Review and approve the annual environmental monitoring (EM) testing schedule
  • Review and approve corrective and preventative actions following EM failures
  • Design and approve physical and environmental monitoring programmes, including methodology, frequency, alert and action limits
  • Review and approve chemical testing reports and associated quality control data
  • Verify equipment performance, ensuring systems (e.g. sterilisation cycles) meet defined acceptance criteria
  • Review and approve the annual validation schedule

Testing and Quality Control

  • Review and approve chemical testing reports and associated quality control results
  • Authorise product release (or rejection) under a Specials Licence, where designated as a Quality Assurance Release Officer

Pharmaceutical Quality System and Quality Management

  • Lead and contribute to equipment and process validation activities, including development and approval of User Requirement Specifications (URS), Design Qualification (DQ), Installation Qualification (IQ) and Operational Qualification (OQ)
  • Review and assess non-conformance reports, including approval of low-risk deviations
  • Review and approve corrective and preventative actions (CAPA)
  • Prepare annual validation reports and data trending analyses
  • Manage operator and process validations
  • Manage the delivery of internal and external training, including the development and approval of training-related documentation (e.g. SOPs, manuals and master documents)
  • Undertake complex risk assessments and lead associated investigations
  • Develop and maintain specifications for consumables and starting materials
  • Assess out-of-specification (OOS) microbiological results and develop appropriate corrective action plans in collaboration with production teams
  • Lead and participate in internal audits to ensure compliance with quality standards
  • Support external audits and inspections, including preparation and response activities

Training, Supervision and Development

  • Deliver training and competency assessments within the quality function
  • Manage the delivery of internal and external training, including the development and approval of training-related documentation (e.g. SOPs, manuals and master documents)

Stock and Inventory Management

  • Monitor stock management processes for high-cost and high-risk goods, ensuring compliance and addressing issues as required
  • Review and develop quality-related technical agreements (TAs) and service level agreements (SLAs)
  • Review and approve procurement orders

Customer & Stakeholder Interaction

  • Review and approve action plans arising from complaints and quality-related incidents

Operational and Administrative Duties

  • Prepare and issue medical gas testing reports in accordance with regulatory and quality requirements
  • Manage and oversee microbiological testing schedules to ensure timely and compliant delivery
  • Design and approve microbiological monitoring programmes and protocols
  • Perform Design Qualification (DQ) against defined User Requirement Specifications (URS)
  • Contribute to validation activities for equipment, including development of URS, DQ, Installation Qualification (IQ) and Operational Qualification (OQ) documentation

Medical Gases Pipeline Systems (MGPS)

  • Oversee non-routine medical gas testing, including planning, execution, recording and approval of results
  • Provide quality assurance oversight of medical gas testing procurement processes
  • Generate medical gas testing reports
  • Review and approve MGPS-related documentation (SOPs, manuals and master documents)
  • Oversee servicing and calibration of medical gas testing equipment, including external providers
  • Deliver internal and external training on MGPS processes and requirements

Leadership and Service Management

  • Contribute to and support strategic planning within the service, team or functional area
  • Act as a key contributor to service development and improvement initiatives, including implementation of new technologies, equipment and processes using Quality Risk Management (QRM) and Quality by Design (QbD) principles
  • Monitor and review capacity and contingency plans
  • Represent the service within organisational and regional working groups
  • Support research and innovation activities within the department
  • Undertake line management responsibilities as required

Qualifications

Essential requirements:

  • Demonstrable Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) knowledge and experience at Level 3 equivalent; or
  • Level 3 qualification in Pharmacy or Science Manufacturing Technician (SMT); or
  • Degree (BSc or MSc) in an applied science subject with relevant analytical laboratory and GMP knowledge
  • Minimum of a PTQA (Pharmacy Technical Quality Assurance) foundation certificate (or equivalent experience)
  • Significant experience in pharmacy quality control and or quality assurance services
  • Experience in staff supervision and line management
  • Experience supporting or contributing to service management
  • Strong knowledge of quality management systems and pharmaceutical cleanroom testing, particularly for QA-focused roles
  • Understanding of analytical and microbiological testing techniques (e.g. HPLC, MALDI-ToF), particularly for QC-focused roles

Knowledge of Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP), where applicable

Desirable:

  • Leadership or project management qualification, or equivalent experience

Related case studies for this role

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Advanced Quality Specialist, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Safeguarding complex medicine production through quality leadership and expertise.

Read transcript

Further information

Considerations:

  •  The scope of responsibilities may vary depending on organisational size, service configuration, and specialism

*1 Alignment with AfC profiles may be supported through appropriate weighting of Factor 4 (Planning and Organisational Skills) and Factor 7 (Responsibilities for Policy and Service Development Implementation)

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