Philanthropy Lead

Philanthropy Lead

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)

Closing date: Sunday 22nd June 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: 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 particular focus on advancing research into children’s and young people’s cancers, your work will have both national and international reach — and a lasting impact.

What will I be doing?

• Work in partnership with the Associate Director of Philanthropy to spearhead a new philanthropic initiative to raise seven and eight figure gifts for children and young people’s cancer research.
• Manage a portfolio of prospects with a primary focus on qualifying prospects and developing the engagement and stewardship of prospects through the full life cycle of giving and renewal. Ensure consistent pipeline movement and contribution of prospects both through their giving as well as helping to build CRUK’s donor pipeline.
• Achieve agreed fundraising income and prospect cultivation targets and provide regular reporting and metrics against goals.
• Lead the development of the Wealth Advisors and Intermediaries strategy and engagement plan working in partnership with CRUK stakeholders.
• Partner with the CRUK Leadership, Chairman, Trustees, as well as scientists, Philanthropy colleagues to develop and implement strategies for gifts of £1M+; help the development and supporting the management of volunteer leaders committed to advancing CRUK philanthropy; guide discussions with senior leadership on prospect strategy;
• Own, develop and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders; including academics and researchers, institutional leaders, volunteer leaders, and writing briefings and coordinating engagement that will lead to gifts;
• Work closely with internal colleagues to coordinate engagement with CRUK funded scientists and leadership develop proposals and propositions.

What are we looking for?

• Proven success in philanthropic fundraising within complex, high-achieving organisations.
• Strong track record of securing six and seven-figure gifts.
• Skilled in building and expanding a personal pipeline, cultivating relationships with philanthropic individuals and families.
• Deep expertise in principal and major gift fundraising, with a strong grasp of best practices and current philanthropic trends.
• Extensive experience managing multiple complex projects in fast-paced environments, including significant fundraising campaigns.
• Proficient in translating scientific research for diverse audiences to support fundraising efforts.
• Experience of working with senior stakeholders.

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.

This position is an incredible opportunity to join an ambitious and innovative team and to make an impact in your work every day, helping to ensure we can change lives for the better. If you are attracted by the scale of the ambition here, please get in touch. We hope 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.