Research Funding Manager (12-month maternity cover contract)

The role

We re seeking a Research Funding Manager to join our fantastic research team on a 12-month contract to cover for our Research Funding Manager who will be going on maternity leave. The ideal start date for this role will be between 6-13th April 2026 to ensure a handover with our Research Funding Manager.

Key responsibilities of the role include:

• Leading on the development, delivery and oversight of Pancreatic Cancer UK s research funding schemes including our Project Grants, Fellowships and Research Innovation Fund.

• Managing the governance of our funding schemes, ensuring applications are peer reviewed by technical experts and people with lived experience, and working with our Scientific Advisory Board to support them to make recommendations to our Board of Trustees on fundable applications.

• Supporting current patient and public involvement activities and shaping potential future activities by working with our Research Involvement Network made up of people affected by pancreatic cancer.

About You

• You bring a strong biomedical background with experience of navigating the full life-cycle of research funding from running grant rounds to working with external committees and have a proven track record of successful grant management.

• You understand the importance of patient and public involvement and can embed this thinking into research processes.

• You re familiar with the UK cancer research landscape and/or research funding and the charity sector.

If this sounds like you we d love to hear from you!

About working for us

This is a fast-paced organisation that is committed to making a difference.

Being a part of our team is being part of a thriving, positive, dynamic, successful, and welcoming community that is making an impact. We will support you and develop you should you wish this, and you get the opportunity to be involved in activities outside the scope of your immediate role. We care about your health and well-being and your work-life balance, and you will feel that your contribution is valued and matters.

About us

We are Pancreatic Cancer UK. We go above and beyond for everyone affected by this disease.

Right now, half of people with pancreatic cancer die within three months of diagnosis. Families are left with only hope to hold onto. They need more. So we do more.

We bring more break throughs through research, more change through campaigning and more support through our expert nurses.

We make more noise because people have gone unheard. We are relentless because the disease is ruthless. We care more because people feel forgotten.

Because people with pancreatic cancer need more than hope.

Underpinning this vision are our three values:

• Courage
• Compassion
• Community

We cannot achieve our vision without employing people who are committed to our vision, strategy, and values.

At Pancreatic Cancer UK (PCUK) our ambition is to create an inclusive working environment that reflects the communities and audiences that we engage with and where everyone can be their true selves, where they feel respected, championed, heard, and supported. We want our workforce to achieve their potential, understand their contribution and feel proud of their impact by creating a culture and organisation that is genuinely inclusive by advancing equality, diversity, inclusion, and belonging through our policies and practices.

We believe diversity drives great outcomes by encouraging the different points of view that come from a diverse workforce. We want to hear from and engage with people whose experience of dealing with this disease may be very different depending on their individual circumstances and background. We can think of no better way to do this than by making sure this role fully represents our intent; therefore, we are especially keen to consider applications from suitable applicants who consider themselves to be in areas that appear underrepresented within the charity sector.

Safeguarding

PCUK is committed to safe and fair recruitment processes that safeguard and protect those we work with, support and serve. We make sure all our staff are selected, vetted (DBS/Criminal record checks where appropriate), trained, and supervised fairly and to a high standard so that they can provide safe, effective and compassionate care. Where we work with volunteers, we extend the same support in order to ensure that they are working within our ethos and standards.

Hybrid-working:

Our London office is a place to connect, collaborate and celebrate with colleagues, we recognise that flexibility around where you work is just as important. We are currently working hybrid with a minimum of 2-3 days in the office. This is an office-based role where you may be required to be in the office more frequently to attend activities and meetings depending on the needs of the role.

How to apply

• You can download the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of the role on our website. If you have any questions about this role that we ve not answered, please get in touch by contacting our team (contact details are on our website).
• To apply, please complete the online application form, setting out why you are interested in the role and how you meet the person specification criteria. This information will be used to select candidates for interviews.
• You will need to have the right to work in the UK as we are not able to provide sponsorship for this role.
• Please note that interviews will be held on the 10 March 2026.

No agencies/sales call please as a charity we work hard to keep our costs down and therefore will not be engaging agencies to support this recruitment.