Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead innovative cancer accelerator programmes and build impactful partnerships.
- Company: Join a pioneering organisation dedicated to beating cancer.
- Benefits: Generous salary, wellbeing support, and career development opportunities.
- Other info: Embrace a collaborative culture that values ambition and inclusivity.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the fight against cancer while advancing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience in healthcare innovation and strong stakeholder management skills.
The predicted salary is between 85000 - 95000 £ per year.
Salary: P4 £85,000 - £95,000 pa depending on experience
Reports to: Associate Director
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead outreach, assessment, interview panels and due diligence for selection.
- Cultivate relationships with funders, sponsors, academic and corporate partners across the innovation ecosystem, representing the accelerator externally and supporting senior‑level reporting and communications.
- Build and engage an alumni community to sustain post‑programme momentum and enhance long‑term accelerator impact.
- Define, measure and report programme KPIs and impact metrics, gathering feedback to drive continuous improvement and producing reports, case studies and communications that demonstrate value.
What skills are we looking for?
- Proven experience delivering accelerator, incubator, or innovation programmes, ideally within healthcare, life sciences, or oncology therapeutics.
- Strong understanding of early‑stage oncology therapeutic startup challenges, funding pathways, and the wider innovation ecosystem.
- Experience commercialising innovation and supporting early‑stage ventures through investment readiness, fundraising preparation, and strategic development.
- Skilled in stakeholder management, with the ability to build, maintain, and influence relationships across founders, investors, corporates, and academic or clinical partners.
- Excellent organisational and programme‑delivery capabilities, with a track record of planning and executing complex initiatives.
- Confident communicator with experience facilitating workshops, group sessions, and founder‑focused learning environments.
- Academic background in a scientific or healthcare discipline (PhD or equivalent), ideally oncology, therapeutics, or drug discovery.
- Experience in therapeutic innovation, drug discovery, or pre‑clinical translation, with understanding of IP, regulatory requirements, and translational pathways relevant to oncology.
- Coaching or mentoring experience with founders, scientific leaders, or startup teams.
- A strong network within investor, corporate, academic, or innovation communities relevant to oncology therapeutics.
Our Organisation Values:
- 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.
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.
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 recruitment@cancer.org.uk 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 risks.
Therapeutic Accelerator Programme Lead (Cancer Research Horizons) employer: Cancer Research UK (CRUK)
Contact Detail:
Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Therapeutic Accelerator Programme Lead (Cancer Research Horizons)
✨Network Like a Pro
Get out there and connect with people in the oncology and healthcare sectors. Attend industry events, webinars, or even local meetups. Building relationships with funders and partners can give you a leg up when it comes to landing that dream role.
✨Showcase Your Impact
When you're chatting with potential employers, make sure to highlight your past successes. Share specific examples of how you've driven innovation or supported startups. This will help them see the value you can bring to their team.
✨Be Prepared for Interviews
Research the organisation and its mission thoroughly. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals, especially in cancer research. Practise common interview questions and prepare some thoughtful questions of your own to show your interest.
✨Apply Through Our Website
Don't forget to apply directly through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in being part of our mission to beat cancer.
We think you need these skills to ace Therapeutic Accelerator Programme Lead (Cancer Research Horizons)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in accelerator programmes, especially in healthcare or oncology. We want to see how your background aligns with the role, so don’t hold back on showcasing relevant achievements!
Showcase Your Network: We’re keen on seeing your connections within the innovation ecosystem. Mention any relationships you’ve built with funders, sponsors, or academic partners that could benefit our accelerator. It’s all about demonstrating your ability to engage and influence!
Highlight Your Impact Metrics: When discussing your previous roles, focus on the KPIs and impact metrics you’ve defined and measured. We love numbers that tell a story, so share how your efforts have driven continuous improvement and added value to past programmes.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our mission to beat cancer!
How to prepare for a job interview at Cancer Research UK (CRUK)
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you have a solid understanding of the oncology therapeutic landscape. Brush up on the latest trends, challenges, and funding pathways in the sector. This will not only help you answer questions confidently but also show your genuine interest in the role.
✨Showcase Your Network
Be ready to discuss your connections within the investor, corporate, and academic communities. Highlight specific examples of how you've leveraged these relationships in past roles. This demonstrates your ability to cultivate partnerships, which is crucial for this position.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect to face scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills and stakeholder management abilities. Think of examples from your experience where you successfully navigated complex initiatives or supported early-stage ventures. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses.
✨Embody the Values
Familiarise yourself with the organisation's values: Bold, Credible, Human, and Together. Prepare to discuss how you embody these values in your work. This will show that you're not just a fit for the role, but also for the culture of the organisation.