Business Development Manager (C-Further)

Cancer Research UK; Stratford-upon-Avon; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

Cancer Research UK in Stratford, London, invites a Business Development Manager to lead CYP cancer therapeutics partnerships within C-Further. You will negotiate licences, collaborations and strategic deals, align BD with research goals, and drive commercialisation across internal and external partner networks.

Reporting to the Senior BD Executive, you will build relationships with industry, academia and funders, steer contracting processes, and contribute to the overall BD strategy.

Qualifications

• BSc (or equivalent) in Life Science, ideally oncology or technology-related.
• BD and commercialisation experience in industry, academia or non-profit.
• Track record in development and commercialisation of life science technology.
• Experience negotiating and structuring commercial contracts with technology transactions.
• Broad knowledge of drug discovery and development (oncology preferred).
• Familiarity with patent and commercial databases.
• Scientific judgement and project management with delivery.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to engage senior stakeholders.
• Ability to influence and resolve conflicts with innovative solutions.
• Ability to translate complex concepts into business strategies.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate and manage licences, collaborations and related technology transfer agreements to completion.
• Evaluate CYP cancer opportunities through analysis of technology areas, market size, competition and need.
• Lead therapeutic commercialisation activities including marketing and partnering.
• Promote Cancer Research Horizons, C-Further and its therapeutic technologies to external parties.
• Monitor industry trends to aid business judgement and team development.
• Contribute to wider commercialisation strategy and joint management activities.
• Collaborate with BD, Commercial Partnerships, CRUK and LifeArc on key initiatives.
• Potential lead for a focused specialist area/activity.
• Provide expert knowledge and advice to colleagues.
• Support overall BD Therapeutics team objectives as needed.

Skills

Business development

Negotiation

Project management

Stakeholder management

Communication

Strategic thinking

Influencing

Education

BSc in Life Science

Tools

Patent databases

Job description

Business Development Manager (Children and Young People’s Cancer/ C-Further)

Salary range: £50,000-£59,000 plus benefits. Reports to: Senior Business Development Executive (Therapeutics). 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). There will also be occasional travel both within the UK and internationally in this role (circa 2-3 times per year). Closing date: Sunday 25th October 2026. Interview process: Screening call followed by competency-based interview with task/presentation. Interview dates: Approximately w/c 2nd November 2026.

About us

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer. We have an exciting opportunity for a Business Development Manager (BDM) to join C-Further as part of Cancer Research Horizon’s Therapeutics BD team, which supports C-Further in its business strategy execution with industry, academia and partners. You’ll be expected to carry out critical business development activities relevant to C-Further’s broad commercialisation objectives, as it relates to all therapeutic technologies coming out of our network. A primary focus of this role is to lead the development and implementation of the BD and commercialisation strategy for the Children’s and Young People’s (CYP) cancers within the C-Further children’s cancer therapeutics consortium. You will work closely with internal and external stakeholders, building relationships with industry and the academic community to develop opportunities and executing research agreements for collaboration in the therapeutic discovery space. A desire to thrive in complex, multi-party time-sensitive contracting and negotiations whilst maintaining relationships is key. In addition, you will make considered contributions to the development of C-Further’s wider partnering strategy and critical new partnerships (e.g. with new consortium delivery partners and funders in the CYP ecosystem) and play an active role in the governance of the C-Further through participation in its joint management team. This role offers an excellent opportunity for the successful candidate to help drive C-Further's partnering strategy, and to make a major impact on the translation and commercialisation of exciting new technologies, for the benefit of cancer patients across the world. It also provides deep and broad exposure to technology transfer, intellectual property management, and business development and transactions, in a highly collaborative and high-profile initiative at the cutting edge of innovation.

What will you be doing?

• Directly and/or by leading deal teams, including legal and CRH colleagues, negotiate and manage licences, collaborations, options and other commercialisation, collaborative, and related technology transfer agreements to completion.
• Support the evaluation of C-Further therapeutic opportunities through analysis of technology application areas, market size, competition, and market need.
• Lead, advise and support C-Further therapeutic commercialisation activities, including marketing and partnering, as appropriate for the technology portfolio.
• Take a leadership role in promoting Cancer Research Horizons, C-Further and its therapeutic technologies, to external parties through a variety of channels including outreach initiatives, direct engagement, presentations, marketing events and participation at meetings and conferences.
• Keep appraised of industry and institutional trends and developments in the therapeutics space, to aid business judgement and support the development of the wider team.
• Make considered contributions to C-Further's commercialisation and development strategy and overall operations through participation in its joint management team.
• Work in collaboration with BD, Commercial Partnerships, and CRUK and collaborators at LifeArc to support and implement key strategic initiatives and operational goals as required.
• May have lead responsibility for a focused specialist area/activity.
• Provide expert specialist knowledge and advice to colleagues.
• Contribute to the wider objectives of the BD Therapeutics team as needed.

What are we looking for?

• BSc (or equivalent work & industry experience) in a Life Science discipline, ideally oncology or technology-related.
• Business development and commercialisation experience drawn from working in relevant industry, academic or non-profit roles.
• Demonstrable track record of success in the development and commercialisation of life science technology preferable.
• Experience in and the ability to negotiate and structure commercial contracts, with technology transaction experience.
• Broad knowledge and awareness of drug discovery and development (ideally within the oncology sector) preferable.
• Familiarity with patent and commercial databases.
• Proven scientific judgement and project management skills combined with operational delivery.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, able to establish and maintain effective working relationships and communicate without authority with senior personnel.
• Ability to influence and resolve conflict and construct innovative solutions to overcome challenges.
• Ability to grasp and report varied technical concepts quickly, and design, develop and critique sound business strategies based on scientific, commercial and financial analysis.

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.

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.

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 [e-mail] 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.

We’re the world’s leading cancer charity, dedicated to saving and improving lives with our research. We work to reduce the impact of cancer on people’s day-to-day lives through our research, influence and information. We are beating cancer – step by step, day by day. Our work means that people with cancer live better lives through earlier diagnosis and kinder, more effective treatments. Find a purposeful career that will empower you to grow and collaborate with like-minded experts.