Strategic Programme Leads x2

About the roles

Last year we launched our most ambitious strategy yet - Change Happens Now. To deliver on its promise, we have identified a phased and prioritised pipeline of cross-cutting strategic programmes that will move us closer to a future where, by 2050, everyone diagnosed with breast cancer lives - and is supported to live well.

We’re now looking for 2 Strategic Programme Leads to help deliver our strategy. You’ll work in our Strategy, Planning & Innovation (SPI) team, which is responsible for strategic change programmes, planning, innovation and involvement.

Both posts share the same job description and grade and will work flexibly across SPI’s full portfolio. However, each role has a distinct focus area and differs in contract type:

• Role 1 - Health Systems and Improvement – Permanent: This role focus is in health systems and improvement, which will include leading place-based programmes, stewarding UK-wide health-improvement standards, and building the external relationships needed to deliver system-level change.
• Role 2 - Engagement at Scale – 2 year fixed term. This role focus is in ‘engagement at scale’ programmes, in its first year, it will include programme leadership of our universal offer, an organisation-wide programme aimed at delivering an accessible support offer for everyone affected by breast cancer. It will also include providing strategic partnership for other large-scale programmes, such as healthcare professional engagement initiatives and behaviour change.

While each role has a primary focus area, we expect both post-holders to be flexible and adaptable. Priorities change, and you'll need to be equally comfortable working across specialisms, seeing the focus areas as a starting point which will evolve with organisational priorities.

About you

Whilst both roles are the same, given the specialisms, for role 1, we're particularly interested in candidates with experience of external connectivity across the UK health system landscape and a working knowledge of NHS structures, integrated care systems, clinical pathways and health inequalities. For role 2, we're particularly interested in candidates with experience of scaled engagement work, such as leading public engagement, support or community programmes.

For both roles, you’ll be able to get into the detail when it matters, including the design and sequencing of the programme itself. On some programmes you'll be the strategic lead, owning the work from start to finish and being the trusted strategic advisor to expert leaders. On others you'll partner an expert team, bringing the wider organisation in behind their delivery and working through the barriers that hold progress back.

You'll be confident leading, designing and running pilots and prototypes, with clear measures of success and an evidence-led approach to learning and improvement, ensuring you keep lived experience of breast cancer at the heart of your work. You'll be comfortable with ambiguity, making progress at pace without losing rigour, and you'll bring an innovation mindset, creating the conditions, methods and permission for teams to test, scale and embed new ways of working.

Most importantly, you'll be able to be flexible in your workload, and motivated by the chance to lead change in an organisation that wants to be brave, determined and ambitious - one that backs innovation, challenges the status quo when it needs to, and is willing to commit to the big, multi-year work that real impact requires.

Job description and benefits

The job descriptions and our attractive benefits are available for you to download.

Primary location of role and hybrid working

These roles can be based in our London, Sheffield or Cardiff offices. Our hybrid working model allows you to work up to 3 days per week at home.   

The salary range is:

£49,000 to £53,000 per annum if Cardiff or Sheffield based

£53,000 to £57,000 per annum if London based

How to apply

We hope you choose to apply for this role. To support your application, you’ll be asked to submit your anonymised CV and a supporting statement online.

As there are 2 roles, you can either submit your application for 1 or both roles. To do this, please confirm in your application the role you’re applying for: Role 1, Role 2 or Both.

To help with your application, please refer to the essential criteria on the person specification of the job description/s and clearly provide as much information as you can with examples, to demonstrate how and where you meet the criteria.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

We’re committed to promoting equity, valuing diversity and creating an inclusive environment – for everyone who works for us, works with us, supports us and who
we support.

Closing date Thursday 30 July 2026 at 11:59pm

We reserve the right to close this advert early. Therefore, to avoid disappointment please submit your application as soon as possible, if you’re interested in this opportunity.

Interview date: Friday 14 August and Monday 17 August 2026