At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead innovative projects to enhance cancer patient information services and engage with users.
- Company: Join Cancer Research UK, a leader in fighting cancer with a commitment to innovation.
- Benefits: Generous salary, flexible working, and extensive career development opportunities.
- Other info: Embrace diversity and inclusion in a supportive work environment.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in cancer care while driving innovation and collaboration.
- Qualifications: Experience in innovation projects, strong service design skills, and a user-first mindset.
The predicted salary is between 58000 - 64300 € per year.
Salary range: £58,000 – £64,300 plus benefits.
Location: Stratford, London – office-based with high flexibility (1–2 days per week in the office).
Contract: Permanent, full time 35 hours per week.
Reports to: Head of Cancer Patient Information Services.
What you’ll do
- Lead innovation and service development.
- Build a model that lets us experiment and test our way to genuinely new approaches to reaching and engaging people living with cancer.
- Lead a small multidisciplinary team of content, service design and cancer experts.
- Build an agile, sprint‑based model that champions experimentation and continuous learning.
- Drive idea generation, prototyping and testing using design‑thinking methods.
- Co‑develop a strategic roadmap with our Fundraising Proposition and innovation teams, focusing on personalised, “information seeker to supporter” journeys.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues within Information Services and across CRUK to test and model new omni‑channel approaches.
- Ensure our work aligns with CRUK’s wider strategy and impact framework.
- Support strategic planning around a diversified channel approach to delivering our information services.
Collaborate and influence
- Build strong, trusting partnerships across CRUK – from frontline teams to senior leaders.
- Embed agile, matrix working practices with digital, content, innovation and fundraising teams.
- Work closely with our Patient Information and Digital Specialist teams to ensure coherence across our content estate.
- Bring fresh thinking into CRUK by connecting with external partners and the wider innovation community.
- Communicate complex ideas in simple, accessible language and help shape business cases for future investment.
Champion insight‑driven practice
- Use design‑thinking to deeply understand user needs and turn them into meaningful solutions.
- Ensure every project is grounded in evidence, powered by data and evaluated through clear KPIs.
- Partner with insight and analytics teams to learn, iterate and identify what to scale – and what to stop.
What you’ll bring
- Experience delivering innovation projects from idea through to launch, ideally in a charity, health or public sector setting.
- Strong service design skills and familiarity with behavioural insights and rapid‑innovation techniques.
- A solid understanding of agile methodologies, including running sprints and prototyping cycles.
- Up‑to‑date knowledge of AI and a keen interest in applying AI tools to content or digital services.
- Confidence using data to guide decisions and measure impact.
- Excellent stakeholder management and the ability to influence across a complex organisation.
- A user‑first mindset and passion for involving people with lived experience.
- A strong strategic thinker, able to contribute to strategy development and strategic discussions.
Desirable
- Experience in health or charity services.
- Formal training in design thinking.
- Experience setting up innovation labs.
Benefits
We offer a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high‑quality tools.
Equal opportunities
At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer and we are actively committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We 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.
Closing date: 31 May 2026, 23:55.
Senior Service Innovation Lead employer: Cancer Research UK (CRUK)
At Cancer Research UK, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. Our Stratford office provides a flexible environment where you can thrive while making a meaningful impact in the fight against cancer. With a strong commitment to employee growth, we provide extensive career development opportunities and a generous benefits package, ensuring that our team is well-equipped to lead transformative projects in health and charity services.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Service Innovation Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in your field, especially those connected to Cancer Research UK. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that a job description just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by practising your storytelling skills. You want to showcase your experience in innovation and service design in a way that’s engaging and relatable. Remember, it’s all about connecting with your audience!
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your passion for user-first solutions! Be ready to discuss how you've used design-thinking methods in past projects. This will demonstrate your commitment to understanding and meeting user needs.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Service Innovation Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in innovation projects, especially in health or charity settings. We want to see how your skills align with the role of Senior Service Innovation Lead!
Showcase Your Skills:Don’t forget to emphasise your service design skills and familiarity with agile methodologies. We’re looking for someone who can lead a multidisciplinary team, so let us know how you’ve done this in the past!
Be Data-Driven:Since we value insight-driven practice, include examples of how you've used data to guide decisions and measure impact in your previous roles. This will show us that you understand the importance of evidence in driving innovation.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands and shows us you’re serious about joining our mission to beat cancer!
How to prepare for a job interview at Cancer Research UK (CRUK)
✨Know Your Innovation Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the latest trends in service innovation, especially in the health and charity sectors. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully led innovation projects before, and think about specific examples where you've used design-thinking methods to solve problems.
✨Show Off Your Agile Skills
Since this role involves agile methodologies, be prepared to talk about your experience with running sprints and prototyping cycles. Bring examples of how you've implemented these practices in past roles, and how they contributed to successful outcomes.
✨Communicate Clearly
You'll need to communicate complex ideas simply, so practice explaining your past projects in a way that's easy to understand. Think about how you can break down your experiences into relatable stories that highlight your strategic thinking and user-first mindset.
✨Build Connections
This role requires strong stakeholder management, so think about how you've built relationships in previous positions. Be ready to share examples of how you've influenced decisions across teams and collaborated with various departments to achieve common goals.
