Project Manager (Cancer Grand Challenges) £46,000 - £54,000 plus benefits Reports to: Programme Manager, Cancer Grand Challenges Directorate: Research & Innovation Contract: Permanent Hours: Full time 35 hours per week Location: Stratford, London Office-based with high flexibility (2 days per week in the office) Closing date: 14 July 2025 23:55 This vacancy may close earlier if a high volume of applications is received or once a suitable candidate is found, therefore we strongly recommend that you apply early to avoid disappointment. 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: You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Cancer Research UK is not able to offer visa sponsorship. Recruitment process: 2 stage interview process Interview date: W/C 28 July first stage, 2nd stage W/C 4 August 2025 At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer. Cancer Grand Challenges are looking for a dynamic, results driven Project Manager to manage the end-to-end delivery of a range of medium to large change projects or programmes associated with improving the delivery of the initiative. In this exciting new role, you will be the driving force for existing and new projects, leading on core elements of the initiative in relation to governance, strategy development and finance. About Cancer Grand Challenges Cancer Grand Challenges is a global funding initiative founded in 2020 by the two largest funders of cancer research in the world: Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the US ( www.cancergrandchallenges.org ). Our unique partnership has created an exciting opportunity to bring together the collective insight and expertise of CRUK and NCI and will enable the initiative to scale significantly over the coming years. Cancer Research UK will deliver the initiative on behalf of the partners. For Cancer Grand Challenges, our mission is to empower the global cancer research community to come together, think differently and solve cancer’s toughest challenges, to transform outcomes for people affected by cancer. In March 2025 we launched seven new challenges developed in consultation with the global research community that span discovery, clinical and population sciences. In March 2026 we will announce our latest global teams, each of whom will be provided with research funding at scale (£20m), to enable imaginative thinking and allow the best scientists to collaborate, irrespective of geographical boundaries, to solve cancer’s most complex challenges. In this pivotal role, you’ll lead the project management of CGC’s next phase, helping to shape its future direction. If you have experience managing projects in change or transformation environments—and thrive in roles that span a wide range of focus areas and teams—this is a fantastic opportunity to apply your skills and make a meaningful impact. What will I be doing? To be fully accountable for the delivery of a range of complex projects, collaborating across teams and ensuring appropriate governance with stakeholders. Develop clear plans, including clear deliverables, milestones, dependencies, owners, risks, issues, and mitigations and then monitor project progress and proactively adjust plans as necessary to ensure project goals are met and projects are executed in accordance with best practices and standards. Identify and plan resource needs, governance, and structure to support delivery. In partnership with the Programme Manager, provide secretariat support to the various Cancer Grand Challenges governance forums including internal strategic groups. Coordinate and draft papers and reports for Cancer Grand Challenges leadership and other governance groups. Lead on development, delivery and reporting against the Cancer Grand Challenges annual operational plan, business plan and risk register. Own the management of contracts between CRUK and NCI which provide the framework for the CGC initiative. Work closely with Cancer Grand Challenges leadership and colleagues across CRUK (e.g. Legal, Finance and Strategic Partnerships) to support all contractual negotiations with future funding partners. What are you looking for? An experienced project leader (demonstrated through experience or APM, Prince 2, Agile qualification) with a proven track record of leading, collaborating on and delivering complex, multi-stakeholder projects successfully on time and within budget across a complex organisation. Experience or familiarity with transformation programmes and projects and associated tools. Experience in business process design and implementation. Demonstrable evidence of interpreting & manipulating data clearly and accurately with the ability to quickly extract & articulate key points. Experience facilitating project or portfolio boards and steering groups at a senior management level. Strong leadership skills, with the ability to motivate and manage cross-functional teams. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with proven evidenced ability to form strong, positive collaborative relationships at all levels of seniority. Experience in driving continuous improvement and developing forward looking plans and priorities for the team and adapting priorities as necessary whilst taking a pragmatic approach where appropriate. Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills, with the ability to make decisions in a fast-paced environment. 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. If you’re interested in applying and excited about working with us but are unsure if you have the right skills and experience we’d still love to hear from you. 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. For more information on this career opportunity please visit our website or contact us at recruitment@cancer.org.uk. For more updates on our work and careers, follow us on: Linked In, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. 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 0 20 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.