Public Affairs Officer (Wales) in Cardiff

Salary: £36,225 plus benefits

Reports to: Public Affairs Manager (Wales)

Directorate: Policy, Information & Communications

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 35 hours per week

Location: Cardiff office w/high-flex (1 – 2 days per week). We are open to further discussion around flexible working for the successful candidate, including those living outside Cardiff.

Travel: Occasional UK travel and overnight stays may be required.

Closing date: 9 August 2026, 23:55

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer. We are professionals with purpose, beating cancer every day. But we need to go much further and much faster. That’s why we’re looking for someone talented, someone who wants to develop their skills, someone like you. We are looking for a Public Affairs Officer to join our team in Wales. In this role, you’ll act as Cancer Research UK’s primary contact in the Senedd (Welsh Parliament). The role provides a full-time public affairs presence to manage our Senedd engagement programme. This includes acting as secretariat for the Cross-Party Group on Cancer; regularly briefing Senedd Members and relevant ministers; monitoring parliamentary activity and sharing intelligence; assisting with policy development for nation-specific briefings; and representing the charity at external events and meetings (inc. conferences). With a new Senedd term under way and a new cancer plan on the horizon, this is an exciting time to be joining our team. A key part of this role will be helping CRUK strengthen its influence and impact in Wales, particularly in relation to cancer research.

What will I be doing?

• Supporting CRUK’s influencing activity across key policy areas for cancer
• Reacting swiftly to Senedd business (offering support to Members of the Senedd and updating our wider team on Senedd affairs)
• Using key influencing tools to ensure CRUK’s messages land in Wales (MS briefings, submitting parliamentary questions, and writing letters to relevant ministers and officials)
• Managing our MS engagement programme, including shop and lab visits, Senedd marketplaces (Y Farchnad), and regular mailings and meetings
• Managing CRUK’s attendance at Welsh party conferences, including overseeing our conference budget, printed materials, and logistics
• Managing the production of Wales-specific materials for political engagement (information placards, banners, and social media posts)
• Working with CRUK’s policy teams to help tailor Wales-specific policy positions for Senedd briefings and consultations
• Managing our engagement with MS support staff, committee clerks, and other Senedd staff as appropriate
• Proactively seeking information and contacts within CRUK’s priority areas for Wales
• Keeping abreast of Senedd developments (monitoring political activity, policy announcements, and emerging issues relevant to our work)
• Providing secretariat support for the Cross-Party Group on Cancer (organising meetings, events, and administration)
• Working with other third-sector organisations in areas of mutual policy interest.

What skills will I need?

• An understanding of Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament)
• Demonstrable political interest and judgement, with a commitment to neutrality and an ability to work across the political spectrum
• The ability to quickly understand, summarise, and analyse complex policy issues and distil for a range of internal and external audiences
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to communicate with clarity and confidence
• Good influencing skills and experience of building credibility and trust with a range of stakeholders
• Strong organisational skills and experience of managing a complex workload, with tight deadlines and often changing priorities
• Adaptable self-starter with the ability to work remotely and in a self-directed way as part of a larger team
• Experience organising events.

Further criteria (desirable, but not essential)

• An understanding of cancer/health policy
• Experience of working in a public affairs/parliamentary role
• Ability to communicate in Welsh

Cancer Research UK’s values are designed to guide all that we do.

• 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 believe in and embody these values, using them to drive progress towards 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. You can explore our benefits by visiting our careers web page.

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.

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.