Life-saving research. Trustworthy digital news. Storytelling with impact.
Digital News Senior Officer
£37,000 - £42,000 per annum plus benefits
Reports to: Digital News Manager
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: 15 July 2026, 23:55
Internal closing date: 19 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 [email protected] as soon as possible.
Recruitment process: 2 stage interview process consisting of role-based competency questions and a pre-interview task.
Interview date: From 27 July 2026
At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.
Cancer Research UK’s Policy, Information & Communications (PIC) directorate plays a vital role in breaking down barriers to the adoption and availability of new innovations in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and care. By leveraging their influence and expertise, they strive to support everyone affected by cancer, no matter who they are or where they live, to ensure the benefits of our research reach the public and position the UK as a global leader in cancer care, policies, and innovation. The PIC team connects with millions of people by providing high quality information across multiple channels, including our trusted Cancer News site and That Cancer Conversation podcast.
Every day, scientists around the world are making discoveries that bring us closer to beating cancer. As our Digital News Senior Officer, you’ll be at the heart of sharing these breakthroughs, transforming complex science into stories that inform, inspire and empower millions. Your words will help people understand the progress we’re making and why it matters, driving support for life-saving research.
What you’ll be doing
You’ll help bring Cancer Research UK’s work to life, sharing the latest breakthroughs and trusted health information in ways that inform, inspire and empower people.
- Spot the stories that matter in cancer research and turn them into engaging, accessible and scientifically accurate content for our Cancer News website, social channels and That Cancer Conversation podcast.
- Play a key role in producing That Cancer Conversation , working closely with social media colleagues. You’ll help shape the content plan, find and interview guests, and write scripts. You’ll also have the opportunity to host episodes.
- Collaborate with experts across and beyond CRUK to tell the ongoing story of our research and support priority campaigns.
- Contribute to a range of science communications, including newsletters and the ‘Our Research’ section of our website.
- Stay on top of emerging research and media trends to ensure our content is timely, relevant and audience-focused.
- Monitor and evaluate performance across our channels, using insights to continuously improve our work and grow its impact.
- Support and guide colleagues and contributors, helping maintain high editorial standards across the team.
What you’ll bring
You’re a skilled storyteller who can make complex science understandable and engaging for everyone.
- Exceptional writing and communication skills, with meticulous attention to accuracy, clarity and tone.
- Proven experience translating complex information into compelling content for public audiences.
- A strong interest in cancer research and the curiosity to stay up to date with new developments.
- Experience creating multimedia content, particularly podcasts, and the ability to adapt content for different formats and channels.
- Confidence in sourcing, interviewing and working with a range of contributors and experts.
- A creative, strategic mindset focused on reaching and growing audiences.
- The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
- Strong relationship building skills, with experience working across teams and with external partners.
- Confidence in researching and interpreting scientific evidence from multiple sources.
- Experience in science communication, or a background in biology or cancer research, would be an advantage.
Why this role matters
This is your chance to help people understand cancer and the progress being made against it. By telling powerful, evidence-based stories, you’ll support people to make informed choices, build trust in science and bring us closer to a world where everybody lives longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.
Our organisational 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 organisational values and can use them to drive forward progress in 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 0 20 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.
