Prospect Development Specialist

Cancer Research UK -
Stratford

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Job details

Full-time
£45,000 - £52,000 a year
14 hours ago

Qualifications

Fundraising
Leadership
Communication skills

Full job description

Prospect Development Specialist (International & Key Priority Areas)

£45,000 - £52,000 plus benefits

Reports to: Senior Prospect Development Manager
Directorate: Strategy & Philanthropy
Contract: Fixed Term ( 18-month fixed-term contract )
Hours: Full time 35 hours per week
Location: Stratford, London Office-based with high flexibility (1-2 days per week in the office)
Closing date: Sunday 19 th Ju ly 23:55
Recruitment process: Multiple stage interview process – initial s creening call followed by a competency - based interview via MS Teams with a f inal s tage competency interview with a presentation task.
Interview date: w/c 6 th July 2026

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.

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.

The Prospect Development Specialist (International & Key Priority Areas) plays a key role in informing and supporting Cancer Research UK’s emerging international philanthropy approach as strategy and structures evolve.

Sitting within the Prospect Development function, this role brings senior ‑ level specialist expertise , insight and judgement to inform pipeline strategy, prioritisation and high ‑ value engagement across both priority international markets and key priority areas.

Working closely with Associate Directors and fundraisers, the post holder will lead international market scoping, build and manage high ‑ value prospect pipelines, and generate high ‑ quality intelligence to support major philanthropy growth. The role will also provide strategic prospect development input to key priority areas, ensuring opportunities are identified , prioritised and progressed effectively.

As a part of the wider CRUK fundraising efforts, the Philanthropy Directorate is one of the largest and most successful high - value fundraising teams in the UK. An ambitious and innovative team of 60 talented philanthropy professionals, our focus is the £400m ‘ More Research, Less Cancer’ (MRLC) campaign which has four key priorities: the Francis Crick Institute, Cancer Grand Challenges, Translation & Innovation, and our Future Leaders’ programme. We’ve recently reached the milestone of £200m.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced prospect development professional to contribute to the foundation of CRUK’s international ambition by surfacing opportunities, informing strategic decisions and enabling fundraisers to confidently engage high ‑ potential global audiences.

What will you be doing?

Strategic Insight & Market Scoping

Lead research into priority international markets (e.g. Hong Kong, Singapore, US, India, UAE), identifying trends, risks and opportunities.

Produce clear, data-led insights and recommendations to inform strategy and decision-making.

Support the development of an international prospect development strategy, identifying key priorities and gaps.

Prospecting & Pipeline Development

Build and manage high-value prospect pipelines across HNWIs, trusts and foundations.

Ensure consistent qualification, rating and prioritisation of prospects.

Align pipeline activity with fundraising priorities and organisational strategy.

Identify new prospecting opportunities using external intelligence and market insights.

Stakeholder Collaboration

Partner closely with senior fundraisers and Associate Directors as the lead prospect development contact.

Provide actionable insight to support prospect strategy and engagement.

Help develop new ways of working for international philanthropy, driving collaboration across teams.

Strategic Support for Priority Areas

Deliver targeted prospect development support for key campaigns and priority programmes.

Identify high-value opportunities and support long-term pipeline growth.

Team Leadership

Line manage and coach a small team (up to 3 lin e reports), setting clear objectives and driving high performance.

Foster a collaborative, accountable and high-quality team culture.

Support individual development and contribute to wider team initiatives.

Analysis & Knowledge Management

Produce high-quality briefings, profiles and research outputs.

Monitor global giving trends and maintain strong market awareness.

Ensure accurate prospect data and contribute to a shared knowledge base.

What are we looking for?

Significant experience in prospect development, fundraising intelligence or strategic research within a complex organisation.

Proven ability to operate at a senior or specialist level, influencing strategy, priorities and decision ‑ making.

Strong understanding of high ‑ value fundraising, HNWIs, trusts & foundations and/or international philanthropy.

Demonstrable experience of market scoping, pipeline development and prospect strategy.

Excellent stakeholder management skills, with experience working with senior stakeholders and fundraisers.

Experience contributing to or leading new initiatives, frameworks or ways of working.

Strong strategic thinker with long-term planning skills and the ability to contribute to the development and execution of departmental strategy.

Experience managing or supporting others, contributing to team development and delivery quality.

Highly professional, flexible and proactive, with a “can do” attitude, strong problem-solving skills and the ability to anticipate and address challenges quickly.

Ability to work both independently and collaboratively; well organised, focused and able to prioritise a varied workload effectively.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Desirable skills

Proficiency in one or more additional languages, particularly those relevant to international philanthropy markets, is an advantage.

Experience working within international fundraising, global markets or cross ‑ cultural environments.

Understanding of global wealth trends and international regulatory considerations relating to philanthropy.

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.

If you’re interested in applying and excited about working with us but are unsure if you have the right skills and experience we’d still love to hear from you.

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 .

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 complete the work history section of the online application form for us to be able to assess you fairly and objectively.

For more information on this career opportunity please visit our website or contact us at [email protected] .

For more updates on our work and careers, follow us on: Linked In , 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.

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