Job Description

Project & Operations Manager (Innovation)

£37,000-£42,000 plus benefits

Reports to: Senior Project Manager

Directorate: Marketing, Fundraising & Engagement

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time 35 hours per week

Location: Stratford, London Office-based with high flexibility (1-2 days per week in the office)

Closing date: 07th June 2026 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: 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: competency based interview

Interview date: week commencing 15th June

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.

We’re looking for a motivated Project & Operations Manager to ensure the successful end-to-end delivery of several (small and medium) innovation projects while managing the effective day-to-day operational management that enables sustainable delivery.

The role focuses on driving collaboration across teams, ensuring high-quality stakeholder engagement, and maintaining strong control of timelines, budgets, risks, and benefits.

What will I be doing?

Project & Innovation Delivery

• End to end project management of a variety of Fundraising Innovation projects.

• Work with Senior Innovation Managers to define and agree project vision, outcomes, milestones, decisions, and budgets.

• Facilitate day-to-day project activity, enabling effective collaboration, planning, and delivery across teams.

• Identify, manage, and monitor risks, issues, dependencies, and resource requirements throughout the project lifecycle.

• Identify and engage stakeholders effectively, adapting approach to suit differing levels of seniority and influence.

• Manage escalations effectively, ensuring timely, evidence-based decisions that consider risks, costs, benefits, and delivery options.

• Manage project budgets, forecasts, and financial tracking, including internal and external resources.

• Provide clear and accurate reporting on costs, benefits, risks, and delivery status.

Operations Management

• Manage the day‑to‑day operational delivery of innovation activities across the portfolio.

• Ensure compliance with agreed portfolio, project, and operational frameworks, guidance, and templates.

What are we looking for?

• Strong experience in project and operational management, including delivery of multiple workstreams.

• Proven capability in matrix management and influencing without direct authority.

• Able to manage own workload and priorities with minimal supervision, exercising sound judgement on escalations.

• Highly analytical, numerate, and solution-focused, with strong problem-solving skills.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to convey complex information clearly to diverse audiences.

• Highly collaborative, with a demonstrated ability to build trust and influence across teams and senior stakeholders.

• Able to facilitate timely decision-making, remove blockers, and maintain delivery momentum.

• Strong attention to detail.

• Organised and resilient, able to manage competing priorities and work effectively under pressure.

• Proactively seeks feedback and takes ownership of personal development.

• Comfortable working independently while contributing effectively as part of a wider team.

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.

Eligibility criteria

Internal candidates should ideally have completed their 6-month ‘getting started’ period before applying for other roles. You should also advise your current line manager at the point you make an internal application, or at the latest, at the point of being invited for an interview.

All internal candidates applying for a secondment, must have:

• completed their getting started period

• discussed their intention to apply and gained approval to apply with their line manager

• been in their substantive (home) role for at least 6 months (this is only applicable if you have previously been on secondment)

If you do not confirm that you meet these requirements, we will not be able to progress your application.

For information about internal learning and development at Cancer Research UK please visit Fuse.

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 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.