Innovation Manager

CANCER RESEARCH UK; London; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 67,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an Innovation Manager to lead the charge in developing innovative projects that drive long-term income growth. This role involves collaborating with the Director of Innovation to shape strategy, engage with stakeholders, and conduct market research to understand audience needs. You'll be at the forefront of creating compelling business cases and testing new ideas through rapid prototyping and A/B testing. Join a passionate team dedicated to making a difference in the fight against cancer, where your contributions will have a significant impact on the organization’s mission.

Benefits

Generous benefits package

Career development opportunities

Flexible working hours

Wellbeing support

Qualifications

• Proven experience in innovation with tangible results.
• Strong ability to analyze data and iterate based on insights.
• Experience with design thinking and agile methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of new propositions from idea to launch.
• Conduct market research to identify trends and fundraising opportunities.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design and test innovation concepts.

Skills

Innovation Management

Stakeholder Management

Data Analysis

Project Management

Design Thinking

Agile Methodologies

Market Research

Job description

Big ideas. Lifelong connections. One objective.

Innovation Manager

£60,000 - £67,000 plus benefits

Reports to: Director of Innovation

Directorate: Marketing, Fundraising & Engagement

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)

Closing date: 16 May 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 or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible.

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.

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.

Ranked 12th Best Employer in the UK by the Financial Times, Cancer Research UK is looking for a standout leader to join our new Innovation team as Innovation Manager (Known externally as Proposition Manager). Ready to make a difference?

This exciting new position will see you collaborate with the Director of Innovation to establish a new team within the Marketing, Fundraising & Engagement directorate, shape strategy and build a pipeline of innovative projects. Your goal will be to dig deep into understanding audience needs and use this to drive long-term income growth from mass audiences. Additionally, with your strong skills in stakeholder management you will collaborate with cross-functional teams, internal stakeholders, and external partners to deliver successful projects. You'll do all this while been surrounded by people who are as dedicated to beating cancer as you are.

What will I be doing?

• Lead the development and delivery of new propositions, offerings and initiatives, from idea generation to launch.
• Partner with insights and service design teams to conduct market research and analysis to identify emerging trends, audience behaviours, and fundraising opportunities.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams in MFE and PIC plus stakeholders across the business to design and test innovation concepts.
• Develop and implement experimentation frameworks, including rapid prototyping and A/B testing, to validate ideas.
• Build strong relationships with external partners, including agencies and industry experts, to bring fresh perspectives and capabilities to fundraising innovation.
• Secure internal buy-in for new ideas by preparing compelling business cases and presentations for senior stakeholders.

What are we looking for?

• Proven experience in innovation, delivering tangible, commercial results with a hands on approach
• Experience working with insights teams
• Ability to analyse data and iterate based on insights
• Strong ability to generate, evaluate, and execute new ideas, using data and user insights.
• Experience with design thinking, agile methodologies, or lean innovation processes.
• Good stakeholder management skills, and the ability to navigate and influence across complex matrix-management structures.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives and prioritise time effectively.
• Experience of design thinking or human-centred design

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.

If you're interested in applying and excited about working with us but are unsure if you have the right skills and experience we'd still love 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.

For more information on this career opportunity please visit our website or contact us.

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