The client: Teesside University
The project: Professor and Head of Pharmacy Practice
The brief
Teesside University retained Veredus to recruit a Head of Pharmacy Practice for their School of Health & Life Sciences. This newly created role is part of Teesside’s ambitious plan to establish a School of Pharmacy and a future School of Medicine, reflecting the university’s commitment to advancing health education and research. The role is pivotal in shaping the future of pharmacy education at Teesside, with the postholder responsible for developing and delivering the pharmacy curriculum, recruiting the first cohort of students, and guiding the School through the accreditation process with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
Teesside University is in the midst of a significant transformation, driven by a £300 million investment aimed at enhancing the Middlesbrough Campus. This investment includes the creation of a new School of Pharmacy, which aims to integrate elements of chemistry, pharmacology, and pharmaceuticals into its program, with an initial student intake planned for September 2025.
The Head of Pharmacy Practice was sought as a key member of the Pharmacy Senior Leadership Team, with responsibilities including:
• Developing and delivering the pharmacy education programme.
• Recruiting and leading the first cohort of undergraduate and MPharm students.
• Supporting the School through GPhC accreditation.
• Promoting research-led practice within the School.
The ideal candidate would be a GPhC registered pharmacist with a first degree and a Master’s in a relevant discipline, practical experience in the pharmacy sector, and significant leadership experience. A PhD was highly desirable, particularly for candidates with a strong track record in research and funding.
The process
Veredus was briefed by senior stakeholders at Teesside University, including members of the School of Health & Life Sciences, and tasked with generating a strong and diverse candidate pool for the role. We collaborated closely with the University’s HR team to develop an effective attraction strategy, which included an advertising campaign, a candidate briefing pack, and a targeted executive search.
We launched an advertising campaign across various platforms and handled all candidate responses and queries. We conducted an in-depth analysis of the UK pharmacy education landscape and context to identify potential candidates, focusing on those with relevant experience in pharmacy practice education, research and leadership. We targeted both active and passive candidates, using personalised communications to highlight the unique benefits of the position and the strategic vision of Teesside University.
Diversity and inclusion were integral to our approach. We designed a recruitment strategy that was inclusive, unbiased, and proactive in engaging a broad field of suitably qualified candidates, including those from underrepresented groups.
The recruitment process elicited 8 applications for the role. Veredus assessed all applications against the person specification criteria and provided Teesside University with a Shortlist Report, including our ABC rankings and assessments. We presented our findings to the selection panel and met with them to discuss our comments, agree on the list of candidates to be progressed to interview, and collate feedback to unsuccessful candidates.
The results
Two candidates progressed to the final panel stage. The final selection process included formal interviews with the selection panel and informal discussions with the University leadership. Veredus conducted referencing and due diligence, ensuring a thorough evaluation of each candidate. Both candidates were identified as appointable for the role and the preferred candidate accepted the offer based on our careful management of expectations at all stages.
The recruitment process concluded with the successful appointment of the Head of Pharmacy Practice. Veredus ensured that all candidates received constructive and developmental feedback, reinforcing a positive experience of the process and Teesside University. This case demonstrates our commitment to delivering high-quality, inclusive recruitment processes that align with the strategic goals of our clients.