Finance Manager

Cancer Research UK; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 58,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Cancer Research UK is seeking a Commercial Finance Manager to join the Finance team in London. You will lead budgeting, forecasting and financial planning, and provide high-quality reporting for the Give function.

Reporting to the Senior Finance Manager, you will partner with stakeholders, deliver in-year forecasts, and translate complex data into actionable insights that shape strategy. This permanent, full-time role is based in Stratford with 1–2 days in the office, offering a competitive

Qualifications

• Qualified finance professional with budgeting, forecasting and financial planning experience in large organisations.
• Experience leading annual and monthly forecasting and reporting cycles.
• Strong cross-functional stakeholder relationships including senior leadership and auditors.
• Commercial finance or FP&A background with £10m+ P&L management.
• Strong analytical/modelling skills and ability to translate data into insights.

Responsibilities

• Own and deliver timely reporting for the Give function.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting and financial planning for your areas.
• Provide commentary on variances and inform decision-making.
• Partner with senior leaders to understand financial impact of initiatives.
• Produce analysis turning data into insight and trends.
• Identify opportunities to drive change and improve financial acumen and decision-making.

Skills

Financial planning

Forecasting

Budgeting

Reporting

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Communication

Problem-solving

Continuous improvement

Education

CIMA/ACCA/ICAEW qualification or by experience

Job description

£57,500 - £65,500 (+ Benefits) Reports to: Senior Finance Manager 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) Visa sponsorship: You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Cancer Research UK is not able to offer visa sponsorship.

Closing date: 9th October 2026 23:55

Recruitment process: Two competency-based interviews Interview date: From the week commencing 26 October 2026. Please note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the vacancy may close before the advertised closing date if a suitable number of applications are received. We encourage interested candidates to apply as early as possible.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer. We are professionals with purpose, beating cancer every day. But we need to go much further and much faster. That’s why we’re looking for someone talented, someone who wants to develop their skills, someone like you. Cancer Research UK’s Finance team’s credibility and professionalism in handling money fundraised through public generosity are essential to the smooth running of our organisation, ultimately helping the charity reach our goal of beating cancer. In 2024/25, the finance team managed an income of £735m and expenditure of £715m. We’re recruiting for a commercial Finance Manager to join the team, to business partner the Give function in the Fundraising Directorate, looking after a budget of c.£85 million. As a Finance Manager, you’ll lead the delivery of high-quality and insightful reporting and financial planning for your specified business area. This will involve advising senior managers and leaders on important financial decisions across a range of initiatives and projects to deliver our ambitious strategy. Your legacy will be to have made a meaningful and lasting impact on the organisation’s financial capability, decision‑making, and long‑term planning. If you’re a qualified finance professional who has led budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning activities in large, complex organisations, we would love for you to join our mission.

What will I be doing?

Owning and delivering timely and insightful reporting for Give Taking accountability and ownership of the Financial Planning, Forecasting & Budgeting for your specified business areas. This includes:

• Creating in-year forecasts, full-year budgets, and long-term financial plans.
• Supporting and collaborating with your stakeholders to enable the organisation to own and take responsibility for their plans and delivery.
• Collaborating with the other members of the wider finance team to guide them on financial planning activities.
• Acting as an advocate and role model for understanding cost drivers and cost control.
• Owning the financial reporting for your areas by: Collaborating with Management Accountants to ensure accurate and insightful monthly reporting for your business areas.
• Providing commentary and understanding on monthly and year-to-date variances and expectations.
• Understanding what is needed to inform decision-making.
• Providing financial analysis and supporting financial decision-making: Provide high-quality analysis and decision support to help shape strategy, initiatives, projects, and business cases.
• Analysing trends and performance and feeding findings into forecasts and long-term financial planning.
• Helping senior stakeholders (including Heads) to understand the financial impact of their initiatives and decisions on the charity's financial plan.
• Producing analysis that turns complex data into insight, understanding the 'so what', and questioning Heads and Senior Manager on 'what's next?'.
• Identifying opportunities to drive change and improving the financial acumen of decision-makers.
• Building strong, credible, and constructive stakeholder relationships within the business areas that you support (particularly with Senior Leadership and Management teams).

What skills will I need?

Qualified Finance Manager or Finance Business Partner (CIMA, ACCA, ICAEW or by experience) who has led financial planning and decision making in large, complex organisations. Qualified by Experience definition: Has significant, demonstrable experience leading the full annual and monthly forecasting, budgeting, financial planning, and reporting cycles required for this role. Meets all requirements of the role. Commercial Finance or FP&A background with post-qualification experience leading annual budgeting, forecasting, financial planning, and monthly reporting activities for medium to large business areas (c.£10m+ P&L). Has successfully built credible and collaborative cross-functional internal stakeholder relationships with strong interpersonal, influencing, and negotiating skills (including senior leadership and auditors). Commercially minded with strong analytical and modelling skills, and the ability to interpret complex financial data into actionable insights and trends. Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly present and explain complex financial information and advice to non-technical audiences. A proactive problem-solver with a continuous improvement mindset for identifying and implementing continuous improvements, encouraging innovation, promoting best practices, and challenging conventional organisational approaches and thinking. Demonstrates curiosity and a proactive approach to learning, with the ability to quickly get up to speed, build stakeholder relationships, and deliver impact from the outset of the contract.

• Qualified by Experience definition: Has significant, demonstrable experience leading the full annual and monthly forecasting, budgeting, financial planning, and reporting cycles required for this role. Meets all requirements of the role.
• Commercial Finance or FP&A background with post-qualification experience leading annual budgeting, forecasting, financial planning, and monthly reporting activities for medium to large business areas (c.£10m+ P&L).
• Has successfully built credible and collaborative cross-functional internal stakeholder relationships with strong interpersonal, influencing, and negotiating skills (including senior leadership and auditors).
• Commercially minded with strong analytical and modelling skills, and the ability to interpret complex financial data into actionable insights and trends.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to clearly present and explain complex financial information and advice to non-technical audiences.
• A proactive problem-solver with a continuous improvement mindset for identifying and implementing continuous improvements, encouraging innovation, promoting best practices, and challenging conventional organisational approaches and thinking.
• Demonstrates curiosity and a proactive approach to learning, with the ability to quickly get up to speed, build stakeholder relationships, and deliver impact from the outset of the contract.

Our organisation values

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

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.

We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.

Additional Information

Owing to the nature of this position, any offer of employment for this role will be subject to a satisfactory basic DBS check. For more information about working with us please visit our website or contact us at [e-mail].

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

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.