Team Lead, Project Leadership – Drug Development

Cancer Research UK (CRUK); Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 81,000; Full time

Job summary

Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development is seeking a strategic Project Leaders Team Lead to oversee a diverse oncology drug development portfolio. You will lead a high-performing team, shape portfolio strategy and drive external collaborations to accelerate patient access to innovative therapies.

The role combines portfolio leadership with people management, ensuring projects meet scope, budgets and timelines while adhering to scientific, regulatory and operational standards.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading complex drug discovery and development programmes and portfolios.
• Proven people leadership experience, including managing teams in a matrix environment.
• Strong knowledge of drug discovery, clinical development, GCP, and UK clinical research.
• Excellent strategic planning, financial management and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the successful delivery of the Centre for Drug Development project portfolio to scope, timeline, budget and quality.
• Provide strategic direction to a team of Project Leaders and drive performance through coaching and development.
• Plan portfolios and allocate resources to maximise delivery effectiveness.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to achieve strategic and operational goals.
• Drive initiatives to enhance project delivery capabilities, systems and processes across the Centre for Drug Development.
• Contribute to portfolio strategy and foster a collaborative, high-performance culture.

Skills

Portfolio management

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Drug development

Budgeting

Job description

Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development is seeking a strategic Project Leaders Team Lead to oversee a diverse oncology drug development portfolio. You will lead a high-performing team, shape portfolio strategy and drive external collaborations to accelerate patient access to innovative therapies.

The role combines portfolio leadership with people management, ensuring projects meet scope, budgets and timelines while adhering to scientific, regulatory and operational standards.