MI/26/09 Associate Director for Strategy and Partnerships

Key Details

Job ID:
MI/26/09
Role:
Associate Director for Strategy and Partnerships
Area:
Salary:
Circa £80,000 per annum, dependent upon experience
Closing date:
26th May 2026

About the role

We are currently looking for an Associate Director for Strategy and Partnerships within the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute. This is a highly visible role requiring strategic judgement, relationship leadership, negotiation at senior level, and delivery of complex institutional initiatives. As an Associate Director for Strategy and Partnerships you will play a pivotal role in shaping and driving to deliver an ambitious institutional strategy that strengthens CRUK MI’s partnerships, funding base, academic integration, and research positioning nationally and internationally.

About you

You should be educated to degree level in a scientific discipline (or equivalent relevant experience) and have senior-level experience in biomedical research or a related field along with a strong understanding of the UK and international cancer research funding landscape.  You will have significant experience in strategic partnership development within academic, research, charitable or health systems along with outstanding negotiation, influencing and relationship management skills.

A PhD or MBA (or equivalent) in a relevant subject and/or a project management qualification would be desirable.  Previous experience of working within or closely with CRUK, major UKRI funders, or large research charities would be an advantage.

 

Having the Institute all together on one site – alongside our colleagues at the Christie and in the Division of Cancer Sciences – in a building that is designed to maximise collaborations, makes driving innovative cancer research easier and paves the way for breakthroughs in our discovery science and translational research.

Professor Samra Turajlić

Director, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute

Photograph of Professor Samra Turajlić
Professor Samra Turajlić
The Paterson Building as seen from Maggies Centre

More information

The power of partnerships

The Withington Cancer Campus comprises the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, the Christie NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Manchester Division of Cancer Sciences and co-locates scientists, clinicians and support staff to drive transformative breakthroughs in cancer research and treatment.

The Paterson Building is home to the largest concentration of scientists, doctors and nurses in Europe. With around 300 scientists and 400 clinicians and operational staff, we practice ‘team science’, working together to ultimately deliver clinical trials covering the full extent of the patient pathway, from prevention and novel treatments to living with and beyond cancer.

About CRUK Manchester Institute

Our aim is to understand the fundamental basis of cancer and apply that knowledge to developing new treatment strategies for cancer patients. Our advanced research programmes span a spectrum of cancer research, from the molecular and cellular basis of cancer through to drug discovery, translational research and clinical trials. rnThe Institute has access to outstanding laboratory facilities and exceptional core services, including next generation sequencing, microarrays, confocal microscopy, bioinformatics, histology and mass-spectrometry.

The power of partnerships
About CRUK Manchester Institute

How to apply

To apply for this position please complete the online application via ‘Apply Now’. Please ensure you detail the names of three referees and ensure you submit your application before the closing date specified.

For any informal enquiries about this post, please contact Samra Turajlić: email: samra.turajlic@cruk.manchester.ac.uk

Closing date: Tuesday 26 May 2026

Please note this vacancy will close for applications at 18:00 hours on the closing date specified.

As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, nationality, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marital or transgender status.  All appointments are made on merit.

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