Cancer impacts lives and communities across the world. It remains one of humanity’s greatest challenges, but through science, collaboration and determination, progress is accelerating faster than ever before. As the world's largest charitable funder of cancer research, we are a collective force tackling cancer on all fronts. We fund pioneering research, we provide reliable and accessible information, we influence policy and partner globally to turn discovery into life-saving impact.
We are now seeking an exceptional and ambitious strategic leader as our next Head of Strategic Partnerships within our Research and Innovation Directorate. This is a high-profile role shaping and leading a bold partnerships strategy across our non-commercial partnership activity that will enable CRUK to accelerate delivery of our research strategy. You'll be responsible for maintaining and growing relationships with existing partners while also identifying and securing new strategic partnerships primarily with non-commercial organisations including government funding agencies, medical research charities and research and academic institutions, both nationally and internationally. You’ll develop strong and effective relationships with external and internal stakeholders working in collaboration with colleagues across commercial partnerships, Cancer Grand Challenges and philanthropy to drive a coordinated approach to CRUK’s strategic aims.
We are looking for a proactive, strategic leader with significant experience of securing high-value research partnerships across multiple sectors, and knowledge of the UK and international cancer research funding landscape. You will bring strong and motivating leadership skills with experience of leading teams, and will have excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills, with experience of managing relationships with a range of senior internal and external stakeholders in the charitable and academic sector. You will have strong influencing and networking skills with the ability to build trust, and excellent communication skills with experience of presenting to national and international audiences.
If you are ready to play a pivotal role in shaping the partnerships that accelerate cancer research worldwide, we’d love to hear from you.
How to apply (8517)
The deadline for applications is 09.00 BST on Friday 21st August 2026.
Brief Process Summary
Perrett Laver will conduct an executive search process in parallel with the public advertisement of the role. The Selection Panel will review the candidate field at the end of August while formal interviews are expected to take place in September 2026.
If you require any reasonable adjustments to assist you in the selection process, please advise us of these so that we can make appropriate arrangements.
To confidentially get in touch about this role, or for advice on your application, please email Devin Dattan at Devin.Dattan@perrettlaver.com.
Should you require access to these documents in alternative formats, please contact Esther Elbro at Esther.Elbro@perrettlaver.com.
If you have comments that would support us to improve access to documentation, or our application processes more generally, please do not hesitate to contact us via accessibility@perrettlaver.com.
Staff Benefits
Our people are the reason why we're beating cancer. We couldn't do it without them. That's why as an employer we want to do our best in supporting them with benefits, tools and policies that would enable them to improve their work-life balance, take positive steps in their career and achieve their personal wellbeing goals.
We offer a wide range of employee benefits which include mental, physical and financial wellbeing support and initiatives. Please visit www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-us/careers/benefits where you will find detailed information on a whole range of staff benefits.
Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
We exist to beat cancer, and beating cancer means beating it for everyone. Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels they belong, benefits from and participates in, the work we do so they can achieve their potential. We value and celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and make them a priority.
We've made progress in diversifying our staff. Our new inclusive recruitment approach resulted in a 23% increase in the number of staff from an ethnic minority background. We introduced a heads progression programme for women in 2019, achieving at least 50% women in director and executive director roles. In our graduate and intern programmes, we saw an increase to 50% graduates from an ethnic minority background. The images we use in our publications are now more diverse, as are the people whose stories we use to showcase our work.
For more information on EDI at CRUK, please visit www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-us/our-organisation/responsible-organisation/equality-diversity-and-inclusion.
Perrett Laver’s GDPR Policy
Protecting your personal data is of the utmost importance to Perrett Laver and we take this responsibility very seriously. Any information obtained by our trading divisions is held and processed in accordance with the relevant data protection legislation. The data you provide us with is securely stored on our computerised database and transferred to our clients for the purposes of presenting you as a candidate and/or considering your suitability for a role you have registered interest in.
Perrett Laver is a Data Controller and a Data Processor, and our legal basis for processing your personal data is ‘Legitimate Interests’. You have the right to object to us processing your data in this way. For more information about this, your rights, and our approach to Data Protection and Privacy, please visit our website https://perrettlaver.com/privacy-statement/.
