Head of Data Technology & Operations, Cancer Research
£83-93k
1-2 days a week in office (Stratford, London)
Cancer prevention, awareness and research charity
Be an early applicant
Cancer prevention, awareness and research charity
1001+ employees
Be an early applicant
£83-93k
1-2 days a week in office (Stratford, London)
1001+ employees
Company mission
To prevent, control and cure cancer through ground-breaking research.
Role
Who you are
- Proven track record of building, leading and developing cross-functional teams to drive value from data in large complex organisations
- Strong understanding of data management principles and practices, data engineering and modelling, and analytics and insight delivery and their ability to enable organisational value
- Significant experience in creating and embedding new systems and processes which support improved fact-based decision making, digital marketing and operational engagement
- Proven full-lifecycle experience across full-suite data landscapes which may include data warehouse and data lakehouse solutions (e.g. Snowflake,) associated data ingestion, migration and management components, data visualisation tools, machine learning and AI applications in data management, and MDM, CRM and enterprise applications such as Salesforce
- Strong understanding of cloud-based and on-premise system architectures, incorporating modern cloud-based as well as legacy components
- Demonstrates strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Highly developed people skills, with extensive experience of building inclusive environments, ability to coach and support development of data skills in various capabilities, including working with and delivering outcomes through third parties
- Able to build networks and relationships internally and externally, acting as a trusted technical support to key stakeholders across the charity, with ability to create momentum, balance short & long-term focus, and provide challenge whilst maintaining trusted relationship
- Excellent communication skills, with an ability to convey complex information and concepts to technical and non-technical audiences, valuing challenge and ideas and learning from experimentation
What the job involves
- We’re looking for a Head of Data Technology & Operations to join our Technology leadership team
- In this crucial role, you will be accountable for the design, implementation, roll out and continuous improvement of fit-for-purpose data and data technology services and solutions
- You’ll provide leadership, direction, coaching and functional support to our data teams, and you’ll work closely with senior data directors across CRUK to ensure that our data initiatives can support and enable the direction and execution of CRUK’s data strategies and ultimately maximise the value of our contribution to Cancer Research UK’s mission to beat cancer
- Prioritise and guide day to day activities of the data engineering, data management, data governance and analytics and insight enablement teams, including setting direction and objectives, focus, and managing progress
- Ensure all data needs are accurately captured, prioritised and incorporated into data platforms and products, and that service delivery meets required levels throughout
- Collaborate across Technology teams, other CRUK directorate stakeholders and external partners, to design, implement and optimise a coherent data and analytics architecture, artefacts, platforms, solutions and infrastructure that will underpin and support CRUK’s move to more data-driven decision-making, and enable the organisation to meet its strategic objectives
- Accountable for design, delivery and support of CRUK’s data foundations and platforms, including Technology-led initiatives underpinning / enabling key programmes
- Work closely with the Chief Technology Officer and senior data directors across CRUK to support the evolution and realisation of CRUK’s data strategies
- Organisational advocate and owner of the Data Governance framework, including responsibility for delivery of Organisation-Wide adoption of the framework
- Shape and own the delivery roadmap and pipeline for data-related work, including delivery governance, and influence and drive direction on current and future approach to data within deliveries across CRUK teams and partners
- Department: Chief Operating Office
- Hours: Full time 35 hours per week
Application process
- End Date: July 2, 2025
- This vacancy may close earlier if a high volume of applications are received or once a suitable candidate is found
Salary benchmarks
Our take
The world’s largest independent cancer research charity, Cancer Research UK (CRUK) was founded from a merger between the Cancer Research Campaign and the Cancer Research Fund in 2002. CRC and ICRF had been longstanding pinnacles of the British medical institution, their work dating back to 1902 and 1923 respectively, and the merger signalled a strong step forward for UK medical institutes’ global influence.
A multi-armed charity, CRUK uses both grant-funded researchers and its own employed staff to research the treatments and causes of cancer, whilst its striking advertising and marketing campaigns are responsible for influencing public policy on the causes, prevention, and treatment of the disease. An example of a significant public campaign was Stoptober, which appeared to have triggered a third of a million smokers at the time to try quit tobacco throughout the month of October.
Alongside its pharmaceutical efforts, in 2023 CRUK funded clinical trials for the first-ever proton beam therapy for breast cancer, indicating a focus on technological innovations in the fight against cancer. On this subject, CRUK has also taken part in a billion-pound investment in the Francis Crick Institute, a biomedical research institute that is aiming to make England an international leader in the industry.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
9% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Company benefits
- Health & Wellbeing - Health and wellbeing are important to us. We want our people to have time away from work to support their different commitments, needs and interests
- Our occupational health and mental wellbeing support are accompanied by online health assessment tools, Our confidential employee assistance programme is available to all to provide support for any concerns in your work or personal life for ongoing everyday support or free counselling if you need it. We also have a team of Mental Health First Aiders supporting across the organisation
- Our occupational health and mental wellbeing support are accompanied by online health assessment tools, Our confidential employee assistance programme is available to all to provide support for any concerns in your work or personal life for ongoing everyday support or free counselling if you need it
- We also have a team of Mental Health First Aiders supporting across the organisation
- UK-wide savings - Our staff have access to a wide range of discounts, benefits and cashback deals to support you with your financial wellbeing, through our Rewards platform. We offer an online savings and discounts portal covering many widely recognised retailers and brands from electronics, groceries, home and leisure, holidays and more
- Cancer Research UK staff can take advantage of savings through a cycle to work scheme, or an interest free loan to help spread the cost of travel season tickets. Staff also enjoy great benefits in and around our head office in Stratford, London with deals at local shops, bars and restaurants
- Income Protection and Life Assurance - We provide all staff with free insurance policies, paying 50% of your salary if you are unable to work through illness, and up to 4 times your salary for your beneficiaries should the unthinkable happen and you die while in our employment
- Flexible Working - We want our people to have time away from work to support their different commitments, needs and interests. We encourage a flexible working culture, including options such as home-working, reduced or flexi-hours, job shares, job-splits, compressed and core hours
- We offer a high level of flexibility for the vast majority of our office-based roles, meaning that you’ll only be required to work from a specific location for 1 or 2 days a week on average
- Annual Leave - For the majority of our roles we offer 25 days holiday a year plus bank holidays, and an extra day for Christmas Eve. You can choose to use the religious bank holidays flexibly. On top of this, you can choose to buy up to 1 week’s additional holiday each year
Company HQ
Stratford, London, UK
Leadership
Previously Non-Executive Director of NHS England for 4 years, and Chief Executive of the MS Society for 5 years.
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