📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Content Strategy Manager
🔹 Company: Cancer Research UK (CRUK)
🔹 Location: Stratford, London (2 Redman Place)
🔹 Job Type: Full-time, 12-month fixed-term contract
🔹 Category: Marketing & Communications
🔹 Date Posted: 2025-07-20
🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years
🔹 Remote Status: Hybrid (1-2 days per week in the office)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Leading the development of structured content and content models within the new CMS (Contentful).
- Collaborating across the organisation to align structured content with brand objectives and support the migration to a new content management system.
- Managing content projects in alignment with CMS migration workstreams, collaborating across technology, digital, and marketing teams.
- Driving a collaborative website content audit that builds and fosters a culture of content ownership and accountability.
- Partnering with stakeholders to evolve brand-focused content models that align with audience needs and business goals and identify business opportunities.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic and user-focused mindset with experience translating content strategies and user insights into omnichannel delivery and personalisation. Strong interpersonal, communication, influencing, and coaching skills are essential for success in this position.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Lead the development of structured content and content models within the new CMS (Contentful).
✅ Collaborate across the organisation to align structured content with brand objectives and support the migration to a new content management system.
✅ Manage content projects in alignment with CMS migration workstreams, collaborating across technology, digital, and marketing teams.
✅ Drive a collaborative website content audit that builds and fosters a culture of content ownership and accountability.
✅ Partner with stakeholders to evolve brand-focused content models that align with audience needs and business goals and identify business opportunities.
✅ Establish and evolve strong content model foundations that support omnichannel delivery and personalisation in line with Cancer Research UK’s ambitions.
✅ Plan how enterprise-wide knowledge is connected and delivered as structured content.
✅ Support Contentful integrations (including future AI capabilities) and ongoing enhancements to the taxonomy and information architecture.
✅ Plan ongoing resourcing for structured content.
✅ Champion equality and diversity in decision-making and embed accessibility and inclusion across content and technology processes.
✅ Support new solutions for managing assets and content inventory across the organisation.
ASSUMPTION: This role involves a high level of collaboration and stakeholder management, requiring strong communication, influencing, and coaching skills. The successful candidate will be able to work autonomously and coordinate multiple deliverables and projects simultaneously.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Marketing, Communications, or a related discipline) or equivalent experience.
Experience: Proven experience delivering structured and reusable content and content modelling in a large, complex organisation with a headless CMS (preferably Contentful).
Required Skills:
- Proven experience delivering content management and technical projects (including CMS migrations).
- Strategic and user-focused mindset with experience translating content strategies and user insights into omnichannel delivery and personalisation.
- Strong interpersonal, communication, influencing, and coaching skills.
- Strong organisational, prioritisation, and planning skills.
- Ability to work autonomously and coordinate multiple deliverables and projects simultaneously.
- Familiarity with Contentful or similar headless CMS.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience working in the non-profit sector.
- Fluency in additional languages.
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should have a solutions-driven and continuous improvement mindset, with experience delivering content management and technical projects (including CMS migrations).
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: £45,000 - £50,000 per year
Benefits:
- Generous benefits package, including pension, private medical insurance, and life assurance.
- Flexible working options, including remote work and flexible hours.
- 25 days' holiday (pro-rata for part-time employees) plus bank holidays and the option to buy an additional 5 days.
- On-site gym and subsidised canteen.
- Employee assistance programme.
Working Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is based on industry standards for a role of this level and experience in the non-profit sector in London. However, the actual salary may vary depending on the candidate's skills and experience.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Cancer Research UK is the world's leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research, influence, and information. They carry out scientific research to help prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer and fundraise to support their work.
Company Size: Cancer Research UK has 1,001-5,000 employees, making it a large organisation with significant resources and impact.
Founded: Cancer Research UK was founded in 2002, following the merger of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund and the Cancer Research Campaign.
Company Description:
- Cancer Research UK is the world's leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research, influence, and information.
- The charity carries out scientific research to help prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer and fundsraise to support its work.
- Cancer Research UK is a registered charity (No. 1089464).
Company Specialties:
- Cancer research
- Fundraising
- Volunteering
- Charity events
Company Website: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org
ASSUMPTION: Cancer Research UK is a well-established charity with a strong brand and significant impact on cancer research and treatment worldwide.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: This role is at the senior manager level, requiring a high level of strategic thinking, leadership, and project management skills.
Reporting Structure: The Content Strategy Manager reports directly to the Senior Content Manager.
Work Arrangement: This role is a hybrid position, with 1-2 days per week required in the office. The remaining workdays can be performed remotely.
Growth Opportunities:
- Upon successful completion of this 12-month fixed-term contract, there may be opportunities for the role to become permanent or for the candidate to take on additional responsibilities within the organisation.
- Cancer Research UK offers a wide range of career and personal development opportunities, including training and mentoring programmes.
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential for the right candidate, with the opportunity to make a real impact on the organisation's content strategy and digital presence.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Cancer Research UK's headquarters is located in Stratford, London, with additional offices in other parts of the UK and internationally.
Office Location(s): 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ, GB
Geographic Context:
- Stratford is a vibrant, multicultural neighbourhood in East London, known for its bustling markets, street art, and the 2012 Olympic Park.
- The office is located near the Stratford International train station, providing easy access to central London and other parts of the UK.
- London is a global hub for culture, finance, and technology, offering a wide range of amenities and opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Work Schedule: The working hours for this role are full-time, with 35 hours per week. The role is a hybrid position, with 1-2 days per week required in the office and the remaining workdays to be performed remotely.
ASSUMPTION: The hybrid work arrangement offers a good balance between on-site collaboration and remote flexibility, allowing employees to enjoy the best of both worlds.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application and CV submission.
- Competency-based interview with an exercise.
Key Assessment Areas:
- Content strategy and planning skills.
- Stakeholder management and communication skills.
- Project management and organisational skills.
- Technical proficiency with Contentful or similar headless CMS.
Application Tips:
- Tailor your CV and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role.
- Demonstrate your understanding of Cancer Research UK's mission and values in your application.
- Prepare for the competency-based interview by reflecting on your past experiences and accomplishments that showcase your skills and qualifications for this role.
ATS Keywords: Content Strategy, Content Modelling, CMS Migration, User Insights, Stakeholder Management, Project Management, Content Strategy, Collaboration, Training, Coaching, Accessibility, Technical Solutions, Organisational Skills, Prioritisation, Communication, Influencing, Contentful, Headless CMS
ASSUMPTION: The application process for this role is designed to be fair, objective, and inclusive. Applicants are encouraged to highlight their relevant skills and experiences in their application and interview to demonstrate their fit for the role.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Contentful (headless CMS)
- Google Workspace (G Suite)
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello, or Jira)
- Content management tools (e.g., Adobe Experience Manager, Sitecore, or SDL Tridion)
ASSUMPTION: The successful candidate will have experience working with a headless CMS (preferably Contentful) and be comfortable using a range of content management and project management tools.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- 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.
Work Style:
- Cancer Research UK values a collaborative and inclusive work environment, with a focus on teamwork and open communication.
- The organisation encourages innovation, creativity, and continuous learning.
- Cancer Research UK is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of its work.
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do you align with Cancer Research UK's organisational values, particularly 'Bold' and 'Together'?
- Are you comfortable working in a hybrid environment, balancing remote work and on-site collaboration?
- Do you have strong interpersonal, communication, and influencing skills, with the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders?
ASSUMPTION: Candidates who share Cancer Research UK's organisational values and are comfortable working in a hybrid environment will be most successful in this role.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- The role requires managing multiple projects and deliverables simultaneously, which can be challenging at times.
- The organisation is undergoing a significant transformation programme, which may present additional challenges and require adaptability and flexibility.
- The role involves working with a wide range of stakeholders, which can be complex and demanding at times.
- The role requires a high level of strategic thinking and leadership, which can be challenging for candidates new to senior management positions.
ASSUMPTION: The successful candidate will be able to manage multiple priorities effectively, work well under pressure, and navigate complex stakeholder relationships with confidence and diplomacy.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- This role is similar to other content strategy manager positions in the non-profit sector, with a focus on digital content and user experience.
- However, this role is unique in its focus on structured content and content modelling within a headless CMS (Contentful) and its alignment with a large-scale organisational transformation programme.
- Candidates with experience in similar roles in the commercial sector may find the non-profit context and organisational structure to be different from what they are accustomed to.
ASSUMPTION: Candidates with relevant experience in the non-profit sector or a strong understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities presented by the non-profit context will be best suited to this role.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and implementing a comprehensive content strategy for Cancer Research UK's website, ensuring a coherent brand and user experience across the content ecosystem.
- Leading the migration of Cancer Research UK's websites to Contentful, ensuring the successful transfer of all content and the preservation of the organisation's brand and user experience.
- Collaborating with stakeholders to evolve brand-focused content models that align with audience needs and business goals, identifying business opportunities and driving growth.
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects illustrate the strategic and collaborative nature of the role, requiring strong stakeholder management, project management, and content strategy skills.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the organisation's content strategy and how this role fits into its overall digital transformation programme?
- How does the organisation support the professional development and growth of its employees, particularly in relation to this role?
- Can you provide an example of a successful content strategy project that the organisation has implemented recently, and what were the key challenges and learnings from that project?
- How does the organisation measure the success of its content strategy, and what key performance indicators (KPIs) does it track?
- Can you describe the organisation's approach to accessibility and inclusion in its content and technology processes, and how this role contributes to that approach?
ASSUMPTION: These key questions will help candidates better understand the organisation's content strategy, digital transformation programme, and commitment to accessibility and inclusion, allowing them to assess their fit for the role and the organisation's culture.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through the link.
- Tailor your CV and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role, demonstrating your understanding of Cancer Research UK's mission and values.
- Prepare for the competency-based interview by reflecting on your past experiences and accomplishments that showcase your skills and qualifications for this role.
- If invited for an interview, complete the work history section of the online application form thoroughly to enable the organisation to assess you quickly, fairly, and objectively.
- Follow up with the organisation after your interview to express your interest in the role and reiterate your qualifications and fit for the position.
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
