Innovation Manager

Big ideas. Lifelong connections. One objective.

Innovation Manager

£60,000 - £67,000 plus benefits

Reports to: Director of Innovation

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: 16 May 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 [email protected] 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.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.

We are professionals with purpose, beating cancer every day. But we need to go much further and much faster. That’s why we’re looking for someone talented, someone who wants to develop their skills, someone like you.

Ranked 12th Best Employer in the UK by the Financial Times, Cancer Research UK is looking for a standout leader to join our new Innovation team as Innovation Manager (Known externally as Proposition Manager). Ready to make a difference?

 This exciting new position will see you collaborate with the Director of Innovation to establish a new team within the Marketing, Fundraising & Engagement directorate, shape strategy and build a pipeline of innovative projects. Your goal will be to dig deep into understanding audience needs and use this to drive long-term income growth from mass audiences. Additionally, with your strong skills in stakeholder management you will collaborate with cross-functional teams, internal stakeholders, and external partners to deliver successful projects. You’ll do all this while been surrounded by people who are as dedicated to beating cancer as you are.

What will I be doing?

• Lead the development and delivery of new propositions, offerings and initiatives, from idea generation to launch.
• Partner with insights and service design teams to conduct market research and analysis to identify emerging trends, audience behaviours, and fundraising opportunities.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams in MFE and PIC plus stakeholders across the business to design and test innovation concepts.
• Develop and implement experimentation frameworks, including rapid prototyping and A/B testing, to validate ideas.
• Build strong relationships with external partners, including agencies and industry experts, to bring fresh perspectives and capabilities to fundraising innovation.
• Secure internal buy-in for new ideas by preparing compelling business cases and presentations for senior stakeholders.

What are we looking for?

• Proven experience in innovation, delivering tangible, commercial results with a hands on approach
• Experience working with insights teams
• Ability to analyse data and iterate based on insights
• Strong ability to generate, evaluate, and execute new ideas, using data and user insights.
• Experience with design thinking, agile methodologies, or lean innovation processes.
• Good stakeholder management skills, and the ability to navigate and influence across complex matrix-management structures.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives and prioritise time effectively.
• Experience of design thinking or human-centred design

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected] 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.