Lead Pharmacist (Grade 4) - Advanced Therapies & Clinical Trials

The Hospital:

The Royal Children’s Hospital’s (RCH) Vision is “A world where all kids thrive”.

RCH is a cornerstone member of the Melbourne Children’s Campus, partnering with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics and The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

RCH has cared for the children and young people of Victoria for more than 150 years since it was founded in 1870. A full range of paediatrics and adolescent health services are provided plus tertiary and quaternary care for the most critically ill and medically complex patients in Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW and other states around Australia and overseas. The Hospital has more than 6,000 staff, a budget of $850M, 12 wards and 350 beds. Annually, the RCH has 300,000+ Specialist Clinic appointments, 90,000+ Emergency Department presentations and 20,000 elective surgeries.

The RCH is committed to the Child Safe Standards. 

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact.

For further Information on RCH is available here.

About the Role

This is a Fixed Term Full Time position at 80 per fortnight for 3 years within the Pharmacy Department and Advanced Therapies Program.

You will be responsible for….

Providing clinical leadership and strategic planning/management, of pharmacy services for the Advanced Therapies Program. This includes oversight of current and emerging legislative and regulatory approvals for advanced therapies (such as gene therapies and gene modified cell therapies) as well as the development of operational procedures for the supply, handling, storage, dose preparation, and administration of emerging advanced therapies in standard clinical care, and research clinical trials within RCH.

Your role will include working closely with the clinical trials pharmacy team to achieve a key deliverable of increasing the research profile and outputs of the wider Pharmacy Service, and identifying potential research topics, funding opportunities and collaborative research partnerships.

Classification for this position will range from TA20 - TA22

What you’ll achieve:

• Function as a subject matter expert on advanced therapies and consult with program stakeholders to develop and implement best practice solutions to clinical workflows, feasibility assessment, regulatory requirements, risk/adverse event monitoring, and compliance reporting.
• Operationalise research within advanced therapies, including the development of research protocols (where relevant) and identification of opportunities for future research and internal/external research collaborations.
• Translate research evidence specific to advanced therapies to clinical practice standard operating procedures.
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of clinical developments and research findings specific to advanced therapies.
• Responsibility for the accurate and timely reporting of key performance indicators specific to the administration of advanced therapies, including regulatory/legislative reporting requirements.

Your skills and experience

• Professional registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency - Pharmacy Board of Australia 
• Proven capacity for leadership in a team environment and ability to work well as a senior team member
• Significant experience in the implementation of advanced therapies
• Significant experience in the ethical conduct of research clinical trials

If this sounds like you, click here to view the position description.

About the Department

The Pharmacy Department is a team of around 70 staff including pharmacists, technicians, and administrators. Our supportive and collaborative teams include Outpatients, Children’s Cancer Centre, Clinical Pharmacy, Clinical trials, and Medicines Information, HiTH and Sterile Services and the Pharmacy Business Unit.

The newly established RCH Advanced Therapies program sits within the Medical Services Division and is structured as a clinical/research partnership with the Melbourne Clinical Trials Centre, providing access to new and novel interventions via coordinated and streamlined internal/external governance approvals and the integration of clinical and non-clinical research and clinical trials (commercial, philanthropic and/or other funding) within the clinical practice setting. This program will support the cohesive and expanded delivery of advanced therapies for the Victorian community, and in doing so will position the RCH as an international centre of clinical excellence.

What we offer:

• Salary Packaging – Increase your take home pay!
• Culture of continuous improvement

Other requirements:

• Current National Criminal Record Check, or willing to obtain
• Valid Working with Children Check
• Compliance with RCHs “Staff Immunisation - Prevention of Vaccine Preventable Diseases” procedure

Application process

To apply, you will need a resume and a tailored cover letter outlining your skills, experience, and suitability for the position in line with the requirements of the position description.

Shortlisting for this position will commence immediately, we encourage you to apply promptly!

For more information about this position please contact Brian Lilley, Director of Pharmacy Ph:03 9345 5493 Email: brian.lilley@rch.org.au

Why work at the RCH?

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact. We offer the opportunity to work in world-class facilities, surrounded by Royal Park and only a short tram trip from the heart of Melbourne city.

We also offer staff benefits such as discounted staff parking, salary packaging, and an award-winning health and wellbeing program.

The RCH is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and/or linguistically diverse background, all members of the LGBTQI community and people with disability.

It is a requirement of your employment that you be vaccinated against Influenza annually for Category A and B roles, in compliance with any public health orders in place at the relevant time, unless you have a medical exception in line with those public health orders, which has been accepted by The Royal Children’s Hospital.  Applicants will be required to provide their Australian Government Immunisation History Statement, it is a requirement of the RCH to collect, record and hold vaccination information.

It is also a requirement of your employment that you comply with any direction given by The Royal Children’s Hospital that you be vaccinated against, or prove immunity to, any other disease, unless you have a relevant exemption, and offers of employment are conditional on successful completion of background checks including reference checks. 

Are you ready to join our team?

Apply online by clicking on the “Apply” button

Applications close 2 July 2026