Area Support Manager (SW & NW London)

Location: Home-based (travel required) (this role covers areas across London; from the South-West to North-West)

Contract: FTC September 2026

Hours: Full time 35 hours per week

Salary: £29,500 - £31,500 (plus travel expenses)

Closing date: 8th February

Please note: You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Cancer Research UK is not able to offer visa sponsorship.

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 shares our vision, someone like you. We’re looking for an inspiring area support manager to join Cancer Research UK’s trading team. You’ll be acting as an ambassador for Cancer Research UK, supporting the Area Manager and the area team to maximise income through people, resources and stock. This role will have a particular emphasis on our store closure programme, providing essential support to colleagues and operations throughout the process.

• Playing an integral part in the achievement of key performance indicators across the area, including income, expenditure budgets, processing targets, average selling price, sell through rates, fundraising and customer service.
• Supporting the commercial running of your area and making commercial decisions based on data.
• Being aware of trends on the high street, and amongst charity retailers, and applying that knowledge and learning to your area.
• Supporting the Area Manager and area teams in recruitment, development, retention, performance management, equality and diversity and fundraising.
• Managing stock management and stock initiatives across the area, including generating quality donated goods, stock selection and distribution and pricing to maximise income.
• Assisting with the implementation of national volunteer recruitment campaigns and supporting other divisional and national projects.
• Working closely with store teams to provide structured support during the store closure programme, ensuring clear communication and a consistent colleague experience.
• Deputising for the Area Manager as required.
• A collaborative and successful retail manager.
• Comfort working within targets and motivating others to achieve those targets.
• Commercial awareness with great business judgement.
• The ability to build networks and influence.
• Adaptability in changing situations, including being able to work effectively independently.
• Experience of leading and performance managing a team of people.
• Locality: you’ll need to live within a reasonable distance from the region and have your own access to transport. Travel costs will be reimbursed in line with Cancer Research UK’s travel and expenses policy.
• Flexibility: our retail teams cover the needs of their stores by working on a rota basis. While a level of flexibility is needed to meet the needs of the business, we don’t forget that you have a life outside of work too.

We make sure you are supported by a generous salary and benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools, policies and processes to enable you to do your job well. Our benefits package includes a substantial retirement plan, a generous and flexible leave allowance, discounts on anything from travel to technology, gym membership, and much more. Our retail teams also have access to confidential wellbeing support from the Retail Trust.

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. CVs are required for all applications; but we won’t be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to complete the work history section of the online application form for us to assess you quickly, fairly and objectively.

Owing to the nature of this position, any offer of employment for this role will be subject to a satisfactory basic DBS check.

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, particularly 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.