Strategy Development Lead in London

Strategy Development Lead in London

London Full-Time 60000 - 80000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
Macmillan Cancer Support

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead strategy development to maximise impact for people living with cancer.
  • Company: Join Macmillan, a nationally significant organisation making a real difference.
  • Benefits: Shape the future direction of an impactful organisation and work with senior leaders.
  • Other info: Opportunity to engage with executive teams and shape organisational strategy.
  • Why this job: Drive meaningful improvements and influence strategic decisions at a high level.
  • Qualifications: Experienced strategy leader with a strong track record in complex environments.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.

You'll work as part of a senior strategy partnership, ensuring we focus on the right priorities, in the right way, at the right time, and that we maximize impact for people living with cancer.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Leading horizon scanning, identifying emerging trends, risks, and opportunities shaping the future for people living with cancer.
  • Designing and developing Macmillan's long‑term organisational strategy, defining ambition, priority territories, and the capabilities required to deliver impact.
  • Ensuring strategy is grounded in insight, data, and lived experience, championing inclusive and participatory approaches.
  • Acting as a trusted strategic advisor to senior leaders, providing challenge and ensuring alignment between changing contexts, ambition, and capability to deliver.
  • Providing thought leadership on strategic thinking, systems change, and long‑term impact across the organisation.
  • Building and maintaining strong external relationships, ensuring Macmillan remains informed, connected, and influential.
  • Championing inclusive leadership and creating a supportive, high‑performing environment.
  • Delivering an ambitious, high‑impact organisational strategy that drives meaningful improvements for people living with cancer.
  • Ensuring strategic decisions are grounded in evidence, insight, and lived experience.
  • Establishing a high‑performing strategy function that provides clarity, challenge, and foresight across the organisation.

You’ll operate at the centre of the organisation, working closely with:

  • Strategy & Transformation Team
  • Centre of Clinical Expertise
  • Community & Participation Team
  • Executive Team and Board of Trustees
  • External partners and stakeholders

Why join Macmillan?

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future direction of a nationally significant organisation. Your work will directly influence how we deliver impact at scale - ensuring we remain focused, ambitious, and responsive to the needs of people living with cancer.

What we’re looking for:

You’ll be an experienced strategy leader, comfortable operating at executive level and shaping thinking across a complex organisation. We’re particularly interested in candidates with:

  • Significant experience in organisational strategy development within complex environments (e.g. charity, public sector, health, or similar).
  • Have led strategic decision‑making at the most senior levels, navigated competing priorities across an entire organisation, and set the ambition to drive real‑world impact.
  • Strong track record of synthesising insight into compelling strategic narratives and choices.
  • Credibility and confidence to advise, influence, and challenge senior leaders.
  • Excellent systems thinking and analytical capability.
  • Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
  • Experience engaging with Executive teams, Boards, or Trustees.

Desirable:

  • Experience in health, cancer, or social impact organisations.
  • Experience integrating lived experience and customer insight into strategy development.

Strategy Development Lead in London employer: Macmillan Cancer Support

Macmillan is an exceptional employer that offers a unique opportunity to lead strategic initiatives that directly impact the lives of people living with cancer. With a strong commitment to inclusive leadership and a supportive work culture, employees are empowered to drive meaningful change while benefiting from professional growth opportunities within a nationally significant organisation. Located at the heart of the charity sector, Macmillan fosters collaboration and innovation, ensuring that every team member's contributions are valued and impactful.
Macmillan Cancer Support

Contact Detail:

Macmillan Cancer Support Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Strategy Development Lead in London

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. The more connections you make, the better your chances of landing that dream role.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation inside out. Understand their mission, values, and recent projects. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in making an impact.

✨Tip Number 3

Practice your storytelling skills! Be ready to share your experiences and how they relate to the role. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and keep them engaging.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.

We think you need these skills to ace Strategy Development Lead in London

Organisational Strategy Development
Horizon Scanning
Trend Analysis
Risk Management
Data-Driven Decision Making
Stakeholder Engagement
Strategic Advisory
Systems Thinking
Analytical Capability
Communication Skills
Influencing Skills
Leadership
Participatory Approaches
Impact Measurement
Experience in Health or Social Impact Organisations

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to reflect the specific skills and experiences that align with the Strategy Development Lead role. Highlight your experience in organisational strategy development and how it relates to the needs of people living with cancer.

Showcase Your Impact: When detailing your past roles, focus on the impact you've made. Use concrete examples to illustrate how your strategic decisions have led to meaningful improvements, especially in complex environments like charities or health sectors.

Be Insightful and Analytical: Demonstrate your ability to synthesise insights into strategic narratives. Include examples of how you've used data and lived experiences to inform your strategies, as this is crucial for the role.

Keep It Professional Yet Engaging: While we want to see your personality shine through, remember to maintain a professional tone. Your written communication should be clear, concise, and compelling, reflecting the high standards expected at Macmillan.

How to prepare for a job interview at Macmillan Cancer Support

✨Know Your Strategy Inside Out

Make sure you thoroughly understand the organisational strategy of Macmillan and how it aligns with the needs of people living with cancer. Familiarise yourself with their current initiatives, challenges, and successes. This will help you articulate how your experience can contribute to their goals.

✨Prepare Insightful Questions

Think about the emerging trends and risks in the health sector, especially related to cancer care. Prepare thoughtful questions that demonstrate your understanding of these issues and show your interest in how Macmillan plans to address them. This will highlight your strategic thinking skills.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Style

Be ready to discuss your approach to inclusive leadership and how you've created high-performing teams in the past. Share specific examples of how you've navigated complex environments and influenced senior leaders, as this role requires strong advisory skills.

✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently

Since excellent communication is key for this role, practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. Use examples from your past experiences to illustrate your points, ensuring you convey your analytical capabilities and systems thinking effectively.

Strategy Development Lead in London
Macmillan Cancer Support
Location: London

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