Product Lead (Corporate Operations)

Recruitment process: Two competency-based interviews (potentially with a telephone interview and/ or exercise, depending on applications) 
 

Interview date: From the week commencing 13 July 2026. We will be shortlisting on a rolling basis, so please do not delay in applying. 

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

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer. 

We are professionals with purpose, beating cancer every day. But we need to go much further and much faster. That’s why we’re looking for someone talented, someone who wants to develop their skills, someone like you. 

The Chief Finance Office (COO) is Cancer Research UK’s hub for operational management, bringing together several functions (Finance & Procurement, General Counsel & Legal, Governance & Assurance). Collaborating across the charity, CFO ensures we deliver sustainable value while maximising benefit from transformation enabling us to be an inclusive, well-governed, agile, and sustainable organisation. 

As a Product Lead, you’ll take ownership of the CFO’s technology estate and partner with colleagues in our Finance, Procurement, General Counsel & Company Secretariat functions who use a range of products, SaaS solutions, and cloud-based technologies. This will involve leading teams, influencing stakeholders and senior leaders in navigating change, shaping product strategies, and driving technology‑enabled transformation and operational improvements. 

You will be accountable for delivering tangible improvements to user experience, increased resilience, and more efficient performance, enabling Cancer Research UK to achieve our mission and strategic goals. If you’re an experienced technology leader with a track record of transforming products in complex corporate environments, we would love for you to join our mission. 

What will I be doing? 

• Leading the design, delivery, and transformation of technology products and services for Cancer Research UK’s Finance, Procurement, General Counsel & Company Secretariat functions (including Legal and Risk). 

• Providing leadership across the portfolio of tech-enabled work, including:   

• Two established product teams (with line management of product managers).  

• In-flight programmes and projects such as:, Migrating our finance system Unit4 Business World to the cloud, process digitisation and automation, and Finance system integrations. 

• Partnering collaboratively with senior business leaders across the Chief Finance Office (CFO) to: 

• Shape strategy and deliver Cancer Research UK’s ambitious programme of change. 

• Drive key business outcomes, operational efficiency, resilience, and optimisation of corporate systems. 

• Leading the creation of a roadmap that is strategically aligned, technically viable, and widely understood.  

• Setting, forecasting, and managing budgets and resources. 

• Ensuring that Cancer Research UK has the right culture, skills, and processes for successful delivery and transformation. 

• Line managing two Product Managers, and matrix managing project teams. This includes: 

• Leading and motivating your teams, contributing to a culture of high performance, acting as a role model, and setting high professional standards for performance and behaviour.  

• Defining and ensuring the high-quality, fast-paced delivery of product outcomes across your teams.  

• Providing coaching and skills development. 

• Managing supplier relationships, ensuring that technology partnerships deliver value and meet internal users’ business needs. 

• Collaborating with others to ensure that your products are appropriately supported, minimise performance risks, and adhere to SLAs and other operational requirements.  

What skills will I need? 

• Experienced technology leader with a strong record of delivering transformation and technology‑enabled operational improvements in complex enterprise environments. 

• Candidates may come from roles such as Product Lead, Delivery Lead, Transformation Lead, Change Manager, Programme Manager, ERP Manager, or similar. 

• Has effectively balanced user needs, strategic and technical requirements, and operational demand in large, complex organisations with constrained resources.  

• Knowledge of corporate operations and systems (including ERP and Finance systems). 

• Has successfully built credible and collaborative internal and external stakeholder relationships with strong interpersonal, communication, influencing, and negotiating skills (including senior leadership). 

• Experience partnering with Finance and Legal teams would be advantageous. 

• Commercially minded with a successful track record of managing supplier relationships and driving value from technology partnerships. 

• A resilient and adaptable leader with experience driving change and leading and motivating teams and stakeholders in navigating ambiguity and responding to evolving business needs. 

• A proactive, solutions-focused approach to problem-solving, encouraging innovation, promoting best practices, and challenging conventional organisational approaches and thinking.