Policy Advisor - Cancer Prevention

Responsibilities

• Monitoring the policy landscape to spot opportunities to drive change in cancer prevention
• Developing clear, evidence-based policy positions, with a focus on key areas like tobacco control
• Producing high-quality briefings, consultation responses and policy statements
• Communicating our positions to government, policymakers and stakeholders to influence real-world decisions
• Building strong relationships with researchers, healthcare professionals and policy partners
• Supporting organisational strategy and keeping internal teams informed of key developments

Requirements

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the confidence to work independently
• Excellent writing ability, from rapid briefings to detailed policy reports
• A solid understanding of the UK political and policy environment
• The ability to manage competing priorities and deliver to tight deadlines
• Clear and compelling communication and influencing skills
• A collaborative approach, with experience working across teams and stakeholders
• Why this role matters
• This is your opportunity to shape policies that prevent cancer and protect future generations. From reducing smoking rates to influencing national prevention strategies, your work will have a lasting, life-saving impact.
• 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?
• 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 recruitment@cancer.org.uk .
• 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

Benefits

Additional Information

Community spirit. Ceaseless ambition. Passion that just keeps growing. Policy Advisor - Cancer Prevention £35,000 - £42,000 per annum plus benefits Reports to: Prevention Policy Manager Grade: P2 Directorate : Policy, Information and Communications Contract : Fixed Term Contract- till May 2027 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. Closing date: 5 July 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 recruitment@cancer.org.uk as soon as possible. Recruitment process: 1 stage interview process consisting of task and role-based competency questions. Interview date: From 13 July 2026 At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer. At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer. And we know prevention is one of the most powerful ways to do it. We're looking for a talented policy professional to help shape the policies that reduce cancer risk and save lives. In this role, you'll be at the heart of our cancer prevention work-turning evidence into action and influencing decision-makers across government and beyond.

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