Organisational Capability PMO/Project Lead

Cancer Research UK; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 51,000; Part time

Job summary

Cancer Research UK is seeking an Organisational Capability PMO/Project Lead to drive governance and delivery across a major programme in London. The role is office-based in Stratford with flexible in-office days, supporting a 6-month fixed-term contract and 35 hours per week.

You will develop integrated plans, manage risks and report on progress, coordinating with senior sponsors and stakeholders to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery while upholding best-practice PMO standards.

Qualifications

• Proven experience of programme management, project delivery and PMO leadership within a complex organisational environment.
• Strong planning, governance and reporting skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.
• Experience building collaborative and influential relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior leaders.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a practical, solutions-focused approach.
• Experience managing risks, issues, dependencies and programme assurance activities.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and AI tools, alongside excellent attention to detail and organisational skills.

Responsibilities

• Leading the day-to-day operation of the Programme Management Office (PMO), ensuring effective governance, planning, reporting and controls are in place across the programme.
• Developing and maintaining integrated programme plans, milestones, dependencies and critical paths to support informed decision making.
• Delivering workstream projects within the programme portfolio, ensuring outcomes are achieved to agreed time, cost and quality expectations.
• Providing high-quality reporting on programme progress, risks, issues, dependencies, benefits and overall delivery status.
• Managing programme RAID activities, facilitating the resolution of delivery challenges and ensuring appropriate mitigation plans are implemented.
• Building strong relationships with programme sponsors, senior leaders and stakeholders while promoting best practice programme and project management standards.

Job description

Position details

Organisational Capability PMO/Project Lead £48,000 - £51,000 plus benefits

Reports to: Organisational Capability Change and Delivery Lead

Directorate: COO

Contract: Fixed Term Contract (6 months)

Hours: 35 hours per week

Location: Stratford, London. Office-based with high flexibility (1-2 days per week in the office). It is anticipated that 2-3 days in person work will be required.

Closing date: 11 October

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.

Responsibilities

• Leading the day-to-day operation of the Programme Management Office (PMO), ensuring effective governance, planning, reporting and controls are in place across the programme.
• Developing and maintaining integrated programme plans, milestones, dependencies and critical paths to support informed decision making.
• Delivering workstream projects within the programme portfolio, ensuring outcomes are achieved to agreed time, cost and quality expectations.
• Providing high-quality reporting on programme progress, risks, issues, dependencies, benefits and overall delivery status.
• Managing programme RAID activities, facilitating the resolution of delivery challenges and ensuring appropriate mitigation plans are implemented.
• Building strong relationships with programme sponsors, senior leaders and stakeholders while promoting best practice programme and project management standards.

Requirements

• Proven experience of programme management, project delivery and PMO leadership within a complex organisational environment.
• Strong planning, governance and reporting skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.
• Experience building collaborative and influential relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior leaders.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with a practical, solutions-focused approach.
• Experience managing risks, issues, dependencies and programme assurance activities.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and AI tools, alongside excellent attention to detail and organisational skills.

Values

• 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

Benefits and development

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.

Company overview

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 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.