Job summary
Are you passionate about improving the lives of people with cancer? Do you want to ensure more people survive cancer than ever before? Working in the NHS Cancer Programme, that's exactly what you'll do.
The NHS Cancer Programme sets the agenda for cancer services in England. Working with patients, clinicians, charities and across the public sector, our aim is to reduce preventable cancers, diagnose cancer earlier, increase survival and improve the quality of life and experience for cancer patients. We develop national policy and strategy, and work with Cancer Alliances across the country to transform services for patients.
This is an exciting time for the NHS Cancer Programme as we drive improvements in performance against the cancer waiting times standards; and developing a National Cancer Plan.
The Cancer Programme team takes its responsibility to promote equality and diversity seriously. We respect colleagues from different backgrounds and embrace different cultural preferences in everything we do.
We're recruiting a Programme Manager to join our Cancer Alliances Strategy & Engagement (CASE) team. The post holder will work as part of an exciting, cross-cutting team within the NHS Cancer Programme to deliver an efficient, effective and high quality Cancer Alliances strategy and engagement service.
This vacancy is offered as a fixed term maternity cover position until September 2026.
Main duties of the job
The role focuses on local strategy and delivery, through Cancer Alliances, working in the NHS Cancer Programme's Delivery team, managing projects that support the local delivery of the national cancer agenda.
Primary responsibilities:
- Design and deliver products and initiatives to support Cancer Alliances to plan, deliver and report on local service transformation locally;
- Build effective and impactful working relationships with Cancer Alliances, Regional teams, and across the National Cancer team, to drive successful planning, delivery and assurance of cancer priorities;
- Implementation of the operating model for local delivery, to ensure our work with regional teams and Cancer Alliances aligns with the wider policy and NHS environment;
- Cancer Alliance leadership development and capability support.Development of and reporting on Cancer Alliances annual plans and financial allocations to senior delivery forums;
- Work collaboratively with senior stakeholders, both internally and externally, to deliver projects in a way that meets the needs of the NHS Cancer Programme and its stakeholders;
- Develop and manage member(s) of the CASE team to ensure appropriate project support of CASE priorities.
- Represent the Cancer Programme at a range of internal and external forums and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders and delivery partners.
- Work flexibly across the team's portfolio and within tight timescales.
About us
The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose by:
- Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
- Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
- Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
- Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
- Delivering value for money.
If you would like to know more or require further information, please visithttps://www.england.nhs.uk/.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
If you are successful at interview, we will run an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) in the Electronic Staff Record system (ESR). This transfer gathers valuable information from a previous or current NHS employer to support the onboarding process, including; statutory and mandatory competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You will have the opportunity throughout the recruitment process to inform us if you do not consent.
Details
Date posted
02 October 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 8a
Salary
£55,690 to £62,682 a year (exclusive of London Weighting)
Contract
Fixed term
Duration
12 months
Working pattern
Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number
990-ECC&D-17520-E
Job locations
Wellington Place/ Wellington House
Leeds / London
SE1 8UG
Employer details
Employer name
NHS England
Address
Wellington Place/ Wellington House
Leeds / London
SE1 8UG
Employer's website
https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/working-for/ (Opens in a new tab)
Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
