Philanthropy Lead - Translation & Innovation
Salary: £75,000 - £85,000 plus benefits
Reports to: Associate Director of Philanthropy
Directorate: Strategy & Philanthropy
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time 35 hours per week (flexible working requests will be considered)
Location: Stratford, London Office-based with high flexibility (1-2 days per week in the office) There will be national and (potentially) international travel with this role.
Closing date: Sunday 2nd November 2025 23:55
Please let us know if there is anything about the recruitment process that you would like to discuss, in particular if there are any changes or adjustments that would make it easier for you to apply. Please contact recruitment@cancer.org.uk or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible.
Visa sponsorship: Cancer Research UK can consider visa sponsorship for this vacancy. If this applies to you, please ensure that this is clearly marked on your application.
At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.
We’re a collective force, tackling cancer on all fronts to save and improve lives. We fund pioneering research, we provide reliable and accessible information, we influence policy, and we encourage positive behaviour change. We are a passionate team of professionals driven by purpose, striving to accelerate breakthroughs in cancer research and treatment. We are the world’s biggest charitable funder of cancer research raising on average £640m a year.
As we expand our efforts, we’re recruiting an inspiring, principal gifts fundraiser to join one of the most successful philanthropic fundraising teams in the UK. We’re a dynamic, innovative team of talented professionals spearheading the ambitious £400m More Research, Less Cancer campaign. With over £230m already raised, we’re making strides to revolutionise cancer research, focusing on; The Francis Crick Institute, Cancer Grand Challenges, Translation & Innovation and our Future Leaders’ programme.
In this role, you'll lead the cultivation and stewardship of a portfolio of donors capable of making £1 million+ gifts, with a focus on supporting translational research that helps turn scientific discoveries into new treatments, tests and technologies that benefit people with cancer.
Areas of focus include the Centre for Drug Development – the world’s only charity-funded drug development facility – and our emerging data and AI strategy, which aims to accelerate scientific discovery and improve outcomes for people affected by cancer.
What will I be doing?
Work in partnership with the Associate Director of Philanthropy to lead new philanthropic initiatives supporting the Translation and Innovation pillar of the More Research, Less Cancer campaign.
Manage a portfolio of prospects with the capacity to give £1m+, focusing on qualification, engagement, and stewardship throughout the full giving cycle. Drive consistent pipeline progress by securing donations and cultivating future support to strengthen CRUK’s donor base.
Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders—including academics, researchers, institutional leaders, and volunteer leaders – to develop and implement strategies for securing gifts of £1M+.
Support the recruitment, engagement, and stewardship of senior volunteer leaders and campaign board members, working closely with colleagues to leverage their networks and influence in securing transformational gifts.
Collaborate with internal teams to develop compelling, insight-led philanthropic narratives and funding propositions, translating CRUK’s research priorities into opportunities that inspire philanthropic support.
Contribute to team development by actively sharing best practices, insights, and learnings, fostering a collaborative culture across the Philanthropy Directorate.
What are we looking for?
Demonstrated success working in fast-paced, complex environments, including involvement in significant fundraising campaigns and managing multiple, high-stakes projects.
Excellent project management and organisational skills, with strong attention to detail. Exceptional writing ability and confidence using technology, including databases, Excel, PowerPoint, and other platforms.
Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to engage professionally and effectively with a wide range of individuals—including internal colleagues, institutional leaders, external collaborators, stakeholders, and donors.
Our organisation values are designed to guide all that we do.
Bold: Act with ambition, courage and determination
Credible: Act with rigour and professionalism
Human: Act to have a positive impact on people
Together: Act inclusively and collaboratively
We’re looking for people who can believe in and embody these organisation values and can use them to drive forward progress against our mission to beat cancer.
What will I gain?
We create a working environment that supports your wellbeing and provide a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools. Our policies and processes enable you to improve your work-life balance, take positive steps in your career and achieve your personal wellbeing goals.
You can explore our benefits by visiting our careers web page.
How do I apply?
We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. CVs are required for all applications; but we won’t be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to complete the work history section of the online application form for us to be able to assess you fairly and objectively.
Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels like they belong, benefits from and participates in, the work we do. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.
We want to see every candidate performing at their best throughout the job application process, interview process and whilst at work. We therefore ask you to inform us of any concerns you have or any adjustments you might need to enable this to happen. Please contact recruitment@cancer.org.uk or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, we are unable to recruit anyone below the age of 18, so that we can protect young people from health & safety and safeguarding risks.
