Job Description
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
Salary: £45,000 - £51,000 depending on level of experience
Reports to: Senior Manager (Business Development)
Department: Marketing, Fundraising and Engagement
Location: Stratford, London w/ high-flex (1 - 2 days per week in the office)
Employment type: Permanent
Working hours: 35 hours per week. We are open to Compressed Hours in this role.
Closing date: Sunday 28 September 2025, 23:55
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 we're looking for someone talented, someone who shares our vision, someone like you.
We have an exciting opportunity for you to join us as a Business Development Specialist. In this role, you'll be primarily externally focused, using your network and relationship building expertise to cultivate influential relationships at all levels across Financial Services Industry. Using your knowledge and experience of this sector, you'll develop a pipeline of high value opportunities to deliver against both financial and non-financial targets in current and future years across CRUK's portfolio.
You'll work with supporters to cocreate these mutually beneficial, high-value opportunities to support CRUK's vital work - whether that be through their organisation or by mobilising their wider network.
What will I be doing?
Defining and implementing a strategy to secure new large-scale opportunities within the Financial Services sector, acting as the influential specialist to share and build sector specific knowledge across the whole team
Using your Financial Services sector knowledge and commercial acumen, being accountable for building and managing a pipeline of high-value, multi-year opportunities progressing these through the sales stages and tracking performance
Engaging and influencing a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders across all levels to gather insights and identify new opportunities which contribute to the Business Development team strategy
Ensuring a strong understanding of CRUK's priorities and existing activities in your focus area
Being the CRUK specialist in your focus area and building your knowledge of it to a high standard which drives results
Using the wide portfolio of products and awareness of CRUK's strategic aims to develop and deliver bespoke, compelling engagement plans for identified prospects
Working with the Senior Managers on your area of focus and identify opportunities for prospects
Delivering against Business Development targets, reporting on progress and risks to the Senior Manager and working with them to identify and implement contingency plans
Working with the Delivery and Operations, Legal and Relationship Management teams to ensure all due diligence and legal processes are adhered to, including compliance criteria for CRUK.
What skills are we looking for?
A passion for the CRUK cause with the ability to understand CRUK's vision, purpose, and achievements, sharing this knowledge to motivate and inspire supporters
Significant knowledge and understanding of your focus area (Financial Services sector), with a proven record of building successful relationships that generate high value opportunities
Experience of successfully working in a performance driven environment, monitoring and working to targets
Extensive experience of working with large organisations to deliver significant income over the long term
Ability to work with autonomy, being self-motivated and solutions focussed, resilient and target driven
Excellent relationship building, negotiating and influencing skills with internal and external stakeholders
Excellent networking and relationship management skills with the ability to motivate and influence supporters to reach targets
Proactive, creative and strategic thinker, with evidence of spotting new opportunities and giving them a try
Excellent communication and presentation skills to engender the confidence of supporters and build long lasting relationships
Knowledge of the charity sector, supporter-led fundraising and partnerships market.
What will I gain?
Each and every one of our employees contributes to our progress and is supporting our work to beat cancer. We think that's impressive.
In return, we make sure you are supported by a generous 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.
We don't forget people have lives outside of work too and so we actively encourage a flexible working culture.
Our work - from funding cutting-edge research to developing public policy - will change the world. It's exciting to be part of our team.
How do I apply?
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 be able to assess you quickly, fairly and objectively.
