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Today, 12 children and young people will be diagnosed with cancer. We’ll stop at nothing to make sure they get the right care and support at the right time.
Change lives in a life-changing career
When a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer, their whole world can feel like it’s falling apart. Independence is taken and confidence is stolen. Stability no longer exists. The future suddenly feels uncertain.
The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical. And that impact can be felt by entire family. That’s why we exist. Our specialist social workers help children and young people with cancer and their families navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer.
We remove barriers, solve problems and prioritise well-being. And we stop at nothing to make their voices heard and their unique needs understood, so they can get the right care and support at the right time.
About the role
We’re looking for a Head of Research & Evidence to join our ambitious Research, Learning & Systems Change Team.
Young Lives vs Cancer has a strong and growing commitment to changing the system for children and young people with cancer, and their loved ones. Our North Star vision and Time is Now Strategy focus on influencing how the wider system works – from services and policy to practice on the ground – so that families get the support they need.
The Head of Research and Evidence sits in the Research, Learning & Systems Change team, within our Innovation, Policy & Systems Change Directorate. The role is responsible for ensuring our work is grounded in strong, credible and useful evidence, and that learning is actively used to shape decisions, practice and change across the system.
This is a leadership role within a small but ambitious team. You will set direction and provide thought leadership, but you will also be hands on – designing, commissioning, managing and using research alongside colleagues and partners.
Building trusted relationships and using evidence to influence thinking and action are central. You will work with colleagues, children and young people, families, and partner organisations (such as the North Star Cancer Collective) to learn, strengthen credibility and create change.
This role is subject to a Criminal Record Check. In the event of a successful application, a Basic Criminal Record Check will be completed. A previous conviction is not necessarily a barrier to employment. We encourage qualified applicants to apply, and we will consider each case individually.
What will I be doing?
No two days are the same at Young Lives vs Cancer. So, summarising your ‘day to day’ isn’t easy. You’ll work as part of a strong internal team, collaborating closely with colleagues across the organisation and with key external partners to generate, use and apply evidence that supports learning, influence and system change. Here are some of the main things you’ll be doing, but you’ll find more details in the job description and pack:
You’ll be setting the direction for research and learning, leading a clear and purposeful research programme focused on the psychosocial experiences of children and young people with cancer. You’ll ensure research is high‑quality, ethical and impactful, including commissioning work with partners and contributing to research funding bids.
You’ll be understanding needs and experiences to grow a strong, credible evidence base, building and using robust evidence on need, inequality, impact and progress to inform strategy, services, policy and system change. You’ll ensure children, young people and families meaningfully shape research and that insight is shared in clear, practical ways.
You’ll be providing system insight and leadership, analysing how the system works, identifying trends and pressures, and using evidence to guide where change is most needed. You’ll build trusted relationships across the voluntary sector, NHS and research community, sharing learning and strengthening our credibility and influence.
You’ll be turning learning into action and influence, helping teams apply research to real‑world practice and supporting testing, learning and improvement over time. You’ll put feedback and learning loops in place and assess how research‑informed change is affecting practice and outcomes.
What do I need?
Diverse perspectives and unique skill sets are at the heart of Young Lives vs Cancer. If you're passionate about making a positive impact and eager to learn, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet the criteria and person specification fully. Your potential is what matters most to us, and we’re committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment to help you develop.
The key skills we’re looking for in this role are:
Experience leading and delivering research, including setting direction, choosing methods, commissioning or carrying out research, analysing data, and ensuring high quality and ethical practice.
Strong research and analytical skills, with confidence working with both qualitative and quantitative data and evidence, and turning insight into practical action.
Experience using evidence to support change, such as shaping strategy, influencing policy, improving services or supporting system change.
Experience working across organisations, building trusted relationships with colleagues, partners, and where appropriate, children, young people and families.
Ability to communicate complex research clearly and accessibly to different audiences, in writing and in conversation.
A collaborative way of working, with strong people skills, curiosity and a learning mindset, and a clear commitment to equity, inclusion and anti‑oppressive practice.
What will I gain?
For people to reach their full potential, they need the right environment. As a member of Team Young Lives, you’ll be made to feel supported, valued and appreciated. Here’s how we do it:
To find out more about our benefits package, have a look on our website.
Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
At Young Lives vs Cancer, we recognise that opportunities for too many people remain a condition of their sex, ethnicity, class, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation – or a combination. This has never been acceptable to us as an organisation. We don’t just accept difference, we value it, celebrate it, nurture it and we thrive because of it.
We’re on a journey to be reflective of the diverse children, young people and families we support. We know we aren’t there yet, and we’re passionately committed to taking actions and making changes to be a truly diverse, inclusive and equitable organisation. This includes taking anti-oppressive action and removing barriers in our recruitment practices. Our Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging strategy will tell you more.
To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value AI adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to tell us about your skills and experiences in your own voice.
Accessibility
We’re committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always aim to be as accommodating as possible. Please let us know in your application form of any adjustments or access requirements we could make to help you with the application process and interview.
To hear more about this role, please sign up to one of our informal drop in sessions taking place at 12:30pm on Tuesday 26th May and 17:30pm on Monday 01st June.
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Join Us in Making a Difference at Marie Curie
Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end-of-life charity, dedicated to ensuring that everyone facing the end of life has access to the care, support, and dignity they deserve. We are the largest non-NHS provider of end-of-life care in the UK and the only organisation to operate across all four nations. Through our network of community nursing, hospice care, and comprehensive information and support, we are here for people and families when they need us most.
Job DescriptionYour Role in Our Vision
The Stories Officer is a pivotal role within our high-performing Stories team, helping ensure authentic lived experiences sit at the heart of everything we do at Marie Curie.
In this role you’ll work with people at some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Not only patients, but families, carers and volunteers, and people affected by poor end-of-life experiences, financial instability and inequality. Some of these stories are hopeful and life-affirming; others are complex, emotional and challenging. You’ll also work with our nurses and healthcare assistants to showcase the dedication and pride they bring to the expert care they provide every day across the UK.
You’ll seek out, gather and steward powerful lived experiences, ensuring they are handled with care, dignity and responsibility, and used ethically and impactfully across our campaigns and communications.
This is a role for someone who combines excellent storytelling skills with deep empathy, resilience and strong organisational ability. You’ll be trusted with people’s stories at a time when trust really matters.
What you’ll be doing
What you’ll bring
You’ll have experience from a stories, content, PR or fundraising role within a charity or purpose-driven organisation, alongside a strong instinct for human-centred storytelling.
You’re emotionally intelligent and resilient, able to manage boundaries while working with people going through difficult times, while also managing competing priorities and demands.
You’ll also bring:
This role is deeply rewarding, but it isn’t always easy. You’ll hear difficult stories and work at pace during high-profile campaigns. We’re looking for someone who shares our values, understands the realities of end-of-life inequality, and is committed to telling human stories with honesty, compassion and purpose.
Please see full job description
Application Process
As part of your online application, you will be asked for a CV and to fill out our application questions. Please review both the advert and job description and outline your most relevant skills, experience and knowledge for the role.
Close date for applications: Friday 29th May 2026 (We anticipate strong interest in this role and may close the vacancy early, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.)
Salary: £29,000 (plus London Weighting £3,500 were applicable)
Contract: Full time, perm
Based: Homebased role or Hyrbid remote if London based.
Benefits you’ll LOVE:
At Marie Curie, our values are central to everything we do. They guide how we care for people, how we work together, and how we make decisions every day. We are committed to creating a workplace that is safe for everyone — staff and volunteers alike — supportive, inclusive and rewarding. We take stringent steps to ensure that anyone who joins our organisation are suitable for their roles and are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. We actively consider our impact on the planet, embedding sustainability into everyday decisions to create a lasting, positive difference for the individuals we care for and the world we share.
We believe everyone should have the opportunity to thrive and fulfil their potential. Marie Curie is deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, recognising both the social justice imperative and the strength a diverse workforce brings. We actively encourage applications from people of all cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.
We are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. If you require any support, please contact us at .
Every application we receive is personally reviewed by a member of our Talent Acquisition team, and in return, we ask that your application authentically reflects you — your experience, perspective and voice.