Strategy Development Lead (11270)

Macmillan Cancer Support; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 88,000; Full time

Job summary

Macmillan Cancer Support is seeking a Strategy Development Lead to shape and drive our strategic direction at the highest level. This senior role will lead the development of a clear, evidence-informed strategy that maximises impact for people living with cancer.

The role is hybrid (home and London Office) with a fixed-term 12-month contract and a salary of £80,000–£88,000. You will steer horizon scanning, ensure alignment across leadership, and build external relationships to strengthen our

Qualifications

• Significant experience in strategy leadership within large, complex organisations.

Responsibilities

• Lead horizon scanning to identify trends, risks, and opportunities shaping the future for people living with cancer.
• Design and develop Macmillan’s long-term organisational strategy, defining ambition, priorities, and capabilities.
• Ensure strategy is grounded in insight, data, and lived experience, championing inclusive approaches.
• Act as trusted strategic advisor to senior leaders, providing challenge and ensuring alignment with context and delivery capability.
• Provide thought leadership on strategic thinking, systems change, and long-term impact across the organisation.
• Build and maintain external relationships to keep Macmillan informed, connected, and influential.

Job description

Strategy Development Lead

Hybrid - split between home and our London Office

Salary: £80,000 – £88,000
Contract: Fixed term Contract (12 months)

About the role

At Macmillan, our ambition is clear: to do whatever it takes to support people living with cancer. Delivering on that ambition requires bold, evidence-led strategy—grounded in real-world insight and focused on where we can make the greatest difference. We’re looking for a Strategy Development Lead to shape and drive our strategic direction at the highest level. This is a critical leadership role, responsible for ensuring we are focussed on the right priorities, in the right way, at the right time, maximising impact for people living with cancer. This is a role for a seasoned senior strategist who has shaped the direction of large, complex organisations, not just contributed to strategy, but led its development at the highest level.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll work as part of a senior strategy partnership, jointly shaping our strategic direction at a pivotal time, ensuring we focus on the right priorities, in the right way, and at the right time to maximise impact for people living with cancer.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading horizon scanning, identifying emerging trends, risks, and opportunities shaping the future for people living with cancer
• Designing and developing Macmillan’s long term organisational strategy, defining ambition, priority territories, and the capabilities required to deliver impact
• Ensuring strategy is grounded in insight, data, and lived experience, championing inclusive and participatory approaches
• Acting as a trusted strategic advisor to senior leaders, providing challenge and ensuring alignment between changing contexts, ambition, capability to deliver.
• Providing thought leadership on strategic thinking, systems change, and long-term impact across the organisation
• Building and maintaining strong external relationships, ensuring Macmillan remains informed, connected, and influential
• Championing inclusive leadership and creating a supportive, high-performing environment

Who we’re looking for

You’ll be an experienced strategy leader, comfortable operating at executive level and shaping thinking across a complex organisation.

We’re particularly interested in candidates with:

• Significant experience in organisational strategy development within complex environments (e.g. charity, public sector, health, or similar)
• Have lead strategic decision-making at the most senior levels, navigated competing priorities across an entire organisation, and set the ambition to drive real-world impact
• Strong track record of synthesising insight into compelling strategic narratives and choices
• Credibility and confidence to advise, influence, and challenge senior leaders
• Excellent systems thinking and analytical capability
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• Experience engaging with Executive teams, Boards, or Trustees

What success looks like

In this role, you’ll:

• Build a deep, evolving understanding of the strategic challenges and opportunities shaping Macmillan’s future
• Deliver an ambitious, high-impact organisational strategy that drives meaningful improvements for people living with cancer
• Ensure strategic decisions are grounded in evidence, insight, and lived experience
• Establish a high-performing strategy function that provides clarity, challenge, and foresight across the organisation

Why join Macmillan?

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future direction of a nationally significant organisation. Your work will directly influence how we deliver impact at scale—ensuring we remain focused, ambitious, and responsive to the needs of people living with cancer.

Recruitment Process

Application deadline: 9th October 2026

First interview dates: TBC

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed.

We are an organisation that is committed to setting candidates up for success, so we can support you to be at your best during the application or selection process, please contact Macmillan TA Team [e-mail] for advice, or a conversation on reasonable adjustments.