Group Operations Manager

Brennans Pharmacy Group \| Co. Donegal, Ireland \| Permanent, Full-Time

Brennans Pharmacy Group has been built over 33 years on the belief that excellent community pharmacy genuinely matters in people’s lives.

We are now looking for someone who shares that belief and wants to help shape the next chapter of the business.

In creating this role, we are interested not only in what you have done so far, but also in the kind of leader you want to become over time.

This is a specialist operational leadership role requiring significant direct experience within community pharmacy

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The Opportunity

Community pharmacy is changing. Patient expectations are rising, clinical services are expanding, digital is becoming more central, and operational standards matter more than ever. Independent groups that take this seriously have a real opportunity to lead.

Brennans is investing deliberately in systems, technology, and leadership to build a values-driven, operationally excellent business fit for what comes next.

This is a newly created role. The Managing Director is transitioning gradually from day-to-day operational management toward a more strategic leadership focus after more than three decades building the business. The Group Operations Manager will carry real operational authority - not just implementation, but genuine decision-making influence across the group.

About Brennans Pharmacy Group

Brennan’s operates four community pharmacies across Co. Donegal - in Letterkenny, Buncrana, Clonmany, and Creeslough.

Values-driven and deeply rooted in the communities we serve, the group has built its reputation on excellence in patient care alongside a forward-thinking approach to systems, technology, and retail standards.

If you thrive in a culture of direct communication, personal accountability, and doing things properly - where high standards matter and people take pride in their work - this could be the role for you.

The Role

You will be the operational backbone of the group - responsible for maintaining standards, improving systems, supporting teams, and ensuring day-to-day operations run efficiently and consistently across all four sites.

Working closely with the Managing Director, you will help drive operational execution across the business and play a central role in delivering the group’s strategic priorities over the coming years.

A Note on Commitment

This is a full-time, on-site leadership role. The expectation is a minimum of 40 hours per week across the four sites, with regular weekend presence as part of normal operating rhythm. Community pharmacy runs seven days a week, and the Group Operations Manager is expected to be visible, available, and engaged with the business as it actually operates - not only during conventional office hours. This is not a hybrid or remote role.

Key Focus Areas

• Working closely with the Managing Director to drive the business forward, translating strategic priorities into operational results

• Coordinating and supporting Pharmacist Managers and Retail Supervisors, including accountability, communication, and performance management

• Building and maintaining operational scorecards, SOPs, routines, and follow-through across all sites

• Maintaining high standards of compliance, professionalism, and patient safety

• Overseeing digital operations, including management of the eCommerce / Digital Admin Specialist, and embedding digital services into everyday workflows

• Supporting rota planning, cover coordination, and operational consistency across a 7-day operation

• Strengthening operational culture, accountability, and leadership standards across the group

Essential Experience \& Skills

A proven track record of operational leadership within a pharmacy environment - with demonstrable results - is essential.

Applicants should have a minimum of 3 years’ experience managing complex operations, whether across multiple sites or within a single high-volume pharmacy environment.

Community Pharmacy experience is a firm requirement for this role.

• Strong people-management experience, including recruitment, team development, and performance management

• Demonstrable experience improving systems, workflows, and operational structures

• Commercial awareness and sound judgement around priorities, margins, and cost control

• Comfortable working within established frameworks and improving what is already in place, rather than constantly rebuilding

• Strong cultural fit with a values-driven organisation that values direct communication, accountability, and genuine care for both patients and colleagues

• Full driving licence and willingness to travel regularly between Donegal locations

A Note on Background

This role may also suit a registered community pharmacist who has developed strong operational and commercial instincts and is now ready to move beyond the dispensary into broader leadership responsibility.

It may equally suit a highly experienced pharmacy technician with a substantial track record of operational leadership and the standing to hold senior conversations across the group.

Working closely with an experienced founder during a deliberate leadership transition, you will gain unusually broad exposure to the operational, commercial, and strategic realities of running a modern independent pharmacy group.

For the right individual, this role offers genuine long-term scope to grow into a senior leadership position within the business over time.

This is not a head-office role removed from the business. It is a hands-on leadership position with real visibility, influence, and accountability.

Remuneration \& Benefits

• Base salary €70,000–€80,000 depending on experience, capability, and proven track record, together with a meaningful performance-related bonus structure linked to results delivered within the business

• For the right individual, total remuneration has the potential to exceed six figures over time

• Relocation support available if required

Why Donegal?

Ranked among Ireland’s most liveable counties, Donegal is known for its strong sense of community, affordability, and exceptional quality of life.

For those relocating from larger urban centres, the contrast is significant - senior responsibility and real influence without the long commutes or excessive living costs, with family homes available at much lower prices and a quality of life that is increasingly hard to find alongside a meaningful career.

How to Apply

Please send your CV together with a covering note to:

Brian Battles

Brennan’s Pharmacy Group

[email protected]

We will begin reviewing applications from 14th June 2026\. The role will remain open until the right person is appointed.

Your Covering Note

We read covering notes carefully. Alongside your background and interest in the role, please tell us briefly:

• What you believe excellent community pharmacy looks like, and why it matters to you

• The kind of leader you want to become over the next stage of your career

• Why this role, in this group, at this point in your working life

There are no right answers to these questions. We are looking for honest, considered responses from people who have thought about who they are and where they want to go.

Assessment Process

Our recruitment process includes structured psychometric assessments alongside interview, reflecting our commitment to finding the right long-term fit for both the individual and the business.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted