Cancer Stories Senior Officer

Harnessing creativity, Setting strong challenges. Storytelling with impact.  

Cancer Stories Senior Officer  

£39,000 - £42,000 plus benefits 

Reports to: Senior Manager, Cancer Stories Team  

Grade: P2 

Directorate: ​Policy, Information and Communications​ 

Contract: ​Permanent​ 

Hours: ​Full time 35 hours per week​  

Location: Stratford, London. High Flex (1-2 days per week in office)  

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

External closing date: 22 November 2026, 23:55 

Internal closing date: 22 November 2026, 23:55 

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 fully complete the application questions and work history section of the online application form for us to be able to assess you quickly, fairly, and objectively. 

If you require more time to apply as part of a reasonable adjustment, please contact [email protected] as soon as possible. 

Recruitment process: 2 stage interview process consisting of role-based interview and presentation task at stage 2.  

Interview date: W/C 30th November or 7th December 2026

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. ​ 

Stories are at the heart of our work. As a Cancer Stories Senior Officer, you’ll play a vital role in ensuring the real experiences of people affected by cancer shape our campaigns, inspire our supporters and strengthen our brand. 

You’ll build relationships with people affected by cancer and develop powerful, impactful stories across national campaigns, media, social channels and fundraising activity, showing the human impact of cancer and why our work matters. 

What you’ll be doing 

• Identify and develop compelling, high-quality case studies for marketing and communications activity, including national campaigns, PR, social media and key fundraising events 

• Support and deliver strategic projects aligned to our marketing and communications priorities 

• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal teams to understand organisational needs and deliver stories with the greatest impact 

• Develop and manage a diverse pipeline of stories, sourcing contributors, conducting interviews, and maintaining accurate, compliant records 

• Recruit, support and steward people affected by cancer to become story volunteers, ensuring they feel valued, informed and empowered 

• Manage relationships with people affected by cancer, ensuring that story volunteers are supported, and their wellbeing prioritised, preparing and briefing volunteers thoroughly ahead of any events and accompanying them to media opportunities, events and filming as needed 

• Champion equality, diversity and inclusion, ensuring our stories reflect the communities we serve 

• Follow best practice in safeguarding, data privacy and health and safety 

• Contribute to team processes and continuous improvement, bringing fresh ideas and insight 

What we’re looking for? 

You’ll be a skilled communicator with a passion for storytelling and a strong sense of empathy. 

In addition, you’ll bring: 

• Communications expertise – Experience in journalism, PR or communications, with the ability to identify and develop powerful case studies that bring campaigns to life  

• Relationship-building skills – Confidence in working with and supporting volunteers, building trust and long-term engagement  

• Project management – Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality work to tight deadlines  

• Exceptional communication skills – Strong written and verbal skills, with the ability to handle sensitive topics with professionalism and care  

• Experience with sensitive issues – Confidence working with complex or emotive subject matter, particularly relating to health  

• Strong IT skills – Experience managing information and databases accurately and efficiently  

• Data awareness – Understanding of CRM systems and data protection principles (desirable) 
  

Our organisation 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 can believe in and embody these organisation values and can use them to drive forward progress against 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. 

Internal Eligibility criteria 

Internal candidates should ideally have completed their 6-month ‘getting started’ period before applying for other roles. You should also advise your current line manager at the point you make an internal application, or at the latest, at the point of being invited for an interview. 
 

All internal candidates applying for a secondment, must have: 

• completed their getting started period 

• discussed their intention to apply and gained approval to apply with their line manager  

• been in their substantive (home) role for at least 6 months (this is only applicable if you have previously been on secondment) 

If you do not confirm that you meet these requirements, we will not be able to progress your application. 

Additional information 

For more information about working with us please visit our website or contact us at [email protected].    

For more updates on our work and careers, follow us on: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.  

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. Please contact [email protected] or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible. 

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.

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. Please contact [email protected] or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible. 

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.