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About the Role
We are seeking a Senior Project Manager to coordinate and manage early-stage initiatives within the Scientific Research and Innovation space. This role will provide structure, governance, and delivery leadership to guide initiatives from concept through recommendation, testing, or production readiness, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and generating insights for future decisions.
Responsibilities
- Lead the delivery and coordination of early-stage pilots and Proofs of Concept (PoCs) across the Research and Innovation portfolio.
- Establish clear project structure and governance, including purpose, scope, expected value, success measures, and risk management.
- Collaborate with Research Teams, Product Managers, Platform Managers, and Technology teams to define delivery approaches.
- Support teams in navigating and complying with relevant governance processes, including AI governance and safety reviews.
- Produce and embed effective reporting and communication methods to track progress, outcomes, and decisions.
- Support the development of recommendations, investment cases, and business cases.
- Identify and manage dependencies, risks, and opportunities across multiple pilots and workstreams.
- Manage the transition and handover of successful pilots to relevant teams.
Requirements
- Significant project management experience leading technology, digital, data, or AI-related initiatives.
- Experience working in environments involving emerging technologies, innovation programs, or experimentation initiatives.
- Experience working with agile delivery approaches and cross-functional teams.
- Demonstrable experience of planning, structuring, and delivering work in ambiguous or evolving environments.
- Strong understanding of project governance, risk management, business case development, and investment decision-making.
- Proven ability to manage budgets, forecasting, and resource planning.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
- Confident facilitator, able to drive clarity, alignment, and decision-making.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Curious and proactive, able to identify risks, gaps, and opportunities.
- Action-oriented, adaptable, and comfortable operating in evolving or ambiguous environments.
- Must be able to believe in and embody the organization's values: Bold, Credible, Human, Together.
- Internal candidates must have completed their 6-month 'getting started' period and discussed their intention to apply with their line manager.
- Internal candidates must have been in their substantive role for at least 6 months if previously on secondment.
Skills
- Project Management
- Technology Initiatives
- Digital Initiatives
- Data Initiatives
- AI Initiatives
- Emerging Technologies
- Innovation Programs
- Experimentation Initiatives
- Agile Delivery
- Cross-functional Team Collaboration
- Planning
- Structuring Work
- Delivering Work
- Ambiguous Environments
- Evolving Environments
- Project Governance
- Risk Management
- Business Case Development
- Investment Decision-Making
- Budget Management
- Forecasting
- Resource Planning
- Stakeholder Management
- Communication
- Facilitation
- Analytical Skills
- Problem-Solving
- Adaptability
Location
- Office-based with high flexibility (1-2 days per week in the office)
Work Type
- Fixed Term Contract
- Full-Time
- 35 hours per week
Experience Level
- Senior
Salary/Compensations
- £54,000-£64,000
Benefits
- Generous benefits package
- Wide range of career and personal development opportunities
- High-quality tools
- Policies and processes to improve work-life balance
About the Company
- Cancer Research UK is the world's largest independent cancer research charity.
- Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels like they belong, benefits from and participates in the work we do.
- We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential.
- We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.
- Our aim is to see 3 in 4 people survive cancer by 2034.
- We're always looking for sharp, brave, and collaborative people to join Cancer Research UK and continue to make it a great place to work.
Equal Opportunity
- 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.