Head of Philanthropy Intelligence, Planning & Performance, CANCER RESEARCH UK

Guardian Jobs; Stratford; Hybrid; CAD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading charity organization is seeking a Head of Philanthropy Intelligence, Planning & Performance to enhance philanthropic fundraising capabilities. This role demands a visionary leader with substantial experience in strategy and data-driven decision-making. Candidates should have a solid grasp of major gift fundraising and expertise in CRM systems. The position offers flexible working arrangements and a comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

Generous benefits package

Career development opportunities

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Proven senior leadership experience is required.
• Expertise in metrics and performance reporting.
• Strong understanding of the donor lifecycle is essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to philanthropy teams.
• Deliver insights and analysis for decision-making.
• Champion the embedding of the new CRM system.
• Oversee business planning processes.

Skills

Senior leadership experience in complex organizations

Expertise in philanthropic strategy and data insight

Budget development and forecasting

Stakeholder engagement

Major gift fundraising knowledge

Fluency in CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce)

Collaborative mindset

Tools

Salesforce

Power BI

Excel

Job description

Overview

Head of Philanthropy Intelligence, Planning & Performance
Salary: M3 - £75,000 - £85,000 pa depending on experience
Reports to: Associate Director of Philanthropy Operations
Department: Strategy & Philanthropy
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time 35 hours per week (flexible-working requests for compressed hours will be considered if it meets business needs)
Location: Stratford, London with high flexibility (we would expect you to be in the office 1 to 2 days per week)
Closing date: Wednesday 24 September at 23.55. This vacancy may close earlier if a high number of applications are received or once a suitable candidate is found, so please do not delay submitting your application to avoid any disappointment.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer. We are a collective force, tackling cancer on all fronts to save and improve lives. We fund pioneering research, provide reliable information, influence policy, and encourage positive behaviour change. We are the world\'s biggest charitable funder of cancer research, raising on average £640m a year.

As we expand our efforts, we are recruiting an inspiring, strategic leader to join our Philanthropy Directorate as Head of Philanthropy Intelligence, Planning & Performance. This pivotal role will shape the future of philanthropic fundraising through data-driven excellence, insightful strategy, and empowered team leadership. As a senior member of the Philanthropy Operations team, you\'ll lead the charge by embedding intelligence-led thinking across the directorate—driving innovation, performance, and long-term donor engagement. From prospect development and portfolio management to deep analytics and strategic planning, your leadership will be instrumental in delivering transformational gifts and campaign success. This role also plays a central part in delivering our ambitious £400 million More Research, Less Cancer campaign—accelerating life-saving cancer research and unlocking transformational gifts for Cancer Research UK.

What will I be doing?

• Provide strategic leadership to the Prospect Development and Insight & Reporting teams, shaping their direction, plans, and delivery.
• Deliver proactive insight, analysis, and intelligence to inform decision-making and strengthen strategic development.
• Oversee the annual business planning process, ensuring robust monitoring, delivery, and evaluation frameworks.
• Partner with fundraising leadership to support portfolio and performance management, including oversight of top donor relationships.
• Partner with senior leaders across the directorate to develop, refine, and implement strategic plans, ensuring intelligence and insight are embedded throughout.
• Oversee and champion the directorate-wide embedding of the new CRM (Salesforce), ensuring business readiness and alignment with future growth.
• Support the development of infrastructure to enable international fundraising expansion in line with CRUK\'s evolving Global Strategy.

What skills are we looking for?

• Proven senior leadership experience in complex, matrixed organisations.
• Expertise in philanthropic strategy, prospect development and research, data insight, and performance reporting.
• Experience in budget development, forecasting, and financial modelling.
• Skilled in stakeholder engagement and strategic influence across all levels.
• Track record of delivering ambitious outcomes through people, data, and process.
• Strong understanding of major gift fundraising and donor lifecycle principles.
• Fluent in CRM systems and data platforms (e.g. Salesforce, Power BI, Excel).
• Emotionally intelligent communicator with a collaborative, proactive mindset.
• Resilient, adaptable, and committed to operational excellence.

Our organisation values

• 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.

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 quickly, fairly, and objectively.

For more updates on our work and careers, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Please note: You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Cancer Research UK is not able to offer visa sponsorship.