Business Development Specialist

Cancer Research UK; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading charity organization in London seeks a Business Development Specialist to cultivate relationships and develop high-value opportunities within the Financial Services sector. The ideal candidate will have significant experience and knowledge in the sector, with strong relationship-building skills. This position offers a flexible work culture and a generous benefits package, including a substantial retirement plan and generous leave allowance.

Benefits

Substantial retirement plan

Generous and flexible leave allowance

Discounts on travel and technology

Gym membership

Qualifications

• Significant knowledge of Financial Services sector with a proven record of high-value opportunities.
• Experience in performance-driven environments, successfully meeting targets.
• Ability to work autonomously, being self-motivated and resilient.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement strategy for new large-scale opportunities.
• Manage a pipeline of high-value opportunities and track performance.
• Engage diverse stakeholders to identify new opportunities.

Skills

Passion for CRUK cause

Relationship building

Negotiating skills

Networking skills

Excellent communication

Job description

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

Salary: £45,000 - £51,000 depending on level of experience

Reports to: Senior Manager (Business Development)

Department: Marketing, Fundraising and Engagement

Location: Stratford, London w/ high-flex (1 – 2 days per week in the office)

Employment type: Permanent

Working hours: 35 hours per week. We are open to Compressed Hours in this role.

Closing date: Sunday 28 September 2025, 23:55

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.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.

We are professionals with purpose, beating cancer every day. That’s why we’re looking for someone talented, someone who shares our vision, someone like you.

We have an exciting opportunity for you to join us as a Business Development Specialist. In this role, you’ll be primarily externally focused, using your network and relationship building expertise to cultivate influential relationships at all levels across the Financial Services Industry. Using your knowledge and experience of this sector, you’ll develop a pipeline of high value opportunities to deliver against both financial and non-financial targets in current and future years across CRUK’s portfolio.

You’ll work with supporters to co-create these mutually beneficial, high-value opportunities to support CRUK’s vital work – whether that be through their organisation or by mobilising their wider network.

What will I be doing?

• Defining and implementing a strategy to secure new large-scale opportunities within the Financial Services sector, acting as the influential specialist to share and build sector specific knowledge across the whole team
• Using your Financial Services sector knowledge and commercial acumen, being accountable for building and managing a pipeline of high-value, multi-year opportunities progressing these through the sales stages and tracking performance
• Engaging and influencing a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders across all levels to gather insights and identify new opportunities which contribute to the Business Development team strategy
• Ensuring a strong understanding of CRUK’s priorities and existing activities in your focus area
• Being the CRUK specialist in your focus area and building your knowledge of it to a high standard which drives results
• Using the wide portfolio of products and awareness of CRUK’s strategic aims to develop and deliver bespoke, compelling engagement plans for identified prospects
• Working with the Senior Managers on your area of focus and identify opportunities for prospects
• Delivering against Business Development targets, reporting on progress and risks to the Senior Manager and working with them to identify and implement contingency plans
• Working with the Delivery and Operations, Legal and Relationship Management teams to ensure all due diligence and legal processes are adhered to, including compliance criteria for CRUK.

What skills are we looking for?

• A passion for the CRUK cause with the ability to understand CRUK’s vision, purpose, and achievements, sharing this knowledge to motivate and inspire supporters
• Significant knowledge and understanding of your focus area (Financial Services sector), with a proven record of building successful relationships that generate high value opportunities
• Experience of successfully working in a performance driven environment, monitoring and working to targets
• Extensive experience of working with large organisations to deliver significant income over the long term
• Ability to work with autonomy, being self-motivated and solutions focussed, resilient and target driven
• Excellent relationship building, negotiating and influencing skills with internal and external stakeholders
• Excellent networking and relationship management skills with the ability to motivate and influence supporters to reach targets
• Proactive, creative and strategic thinker, with evidence of spotting new opportunities and giving them a try
• Excellent communication and presentation skills to engender the confidence of supporters and build long lasting relationships
• Knowledge of the charity sector, supporter-led fundraising and partnerships market.

What will I gain?

Each and every one of our employees contributes to our progress and is supporting our work to beat cancer. We think that’s impressive.

In return, we make sure you are supported by a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools, policies and processes to enable you to do your job well.

Our benefits package includes a substantial retirement plan, a generous and flexible leave allowance, discounts on anything from travel to technology, gym membership, and much more.

We don’t forget people have lives outside of work too and so we actively encourage a flexible working culture.

Our work - from funding cutting-edge research to developing public policy - will change the world. It’s exciting to be part of our team.

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.

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 [e-mail] 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.