Accelerate scheme

Develop your talents, strengths and experience with our emerging talent scheme, Accelerate. Gain valuable cross-organisational insight as you rotate through placements across the charity, while earning a competitive salary in a supportive environment.
Applications are now closed and will re-open in the Autumn.
Find the area that most interests you
The rotational element of the scheme means you will be provided with the opportunity to work in a variety of roles across a chosen business area. When applying, you can choose the business area that appeals to you:
The Research and Innovation directorate plays a key role in helping the organisation deliver its goal to beat cancer. It’s responsible for ensuring that scientists and clinicians are free to develop ground-breaking ideas, are equipped to undertake their research and have every support possible in realising the patient and population benefit that their research could have. The directorate works with researchers to help find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer patients. The Research and Innovation Accelerate stream will give you an insight into exciting teams such as Research Communications, Funding, Science Strategy and Partnerships, and will leave you with a broad understanding of cancer research funding.
The Technology directorate’s ambition is to drive change across the organisation and deliver better outcomes more quickly while leaving stakeholders, partners and colleagues more fulfilled and more deeply engaged. The Technology Accelerate stream will give you exposure to key areas of technology. You will be a part of a Product Portfolio team, which is a multi-disciplinary product-centric team responsible for the end-to-end delivery of tasks. Roles within these teams work in collaboration to deliver a variety of products, projects and initiatives. You will have the chance to work in a range of areas including Agile Delivery, Business Analysis, Project Management, Production, UX, Data and Engineering.
The Marketing, Fundraising and Engagement directorate drives brand awareness, generates income and engages our audiences. The directorate inspires people to support our cause to ensure we can raise funds for our life-saving research. We do this in a number of ways, by encouraging our supporters to:
- Give – helping us beat cancer through donations
- Do – getting involved in events or committing to doing something for us to collect sponsorship money and raise awareness, such as taking part in a Race For Life, hosting a quiz night or shaving their head.
- Buy – donating and shopping in our stores help us find lifesaving research.
- Pledge – our Legacies team has conversations with supporters about leaving gifts in wills and supporting them throughout this process.
The Marketing, Fundraising and Engagement Accelerate stream will give you exposure to key areas across Marketing, Trading, Partnerships, Product Teams, Insight and Communities.
The Policy, Information and Communications directorate works on a range of vital core purpose activities. It is responsible for national and local level influencing by developing evidence-based policy to inform government decisions relating to cancer and research. It uses a range of communication channels such as press and social media to support all aspects of Cancer Research UK’s work. It also supports and empowers patients and the public through our cancer and health information products such as our Cancer Chat forum and our Cancer Awareness Roadshow. The Policy, information and Communications Accelerate stream will give you the chance to work in a variety of roles within these areas and add value to the directorate for years to come.