Northern Cancer Alliance Delivery Lead

Job overview

Are you passionate about transforming cancer care and making a real impact for patients? The Northern Cancer Alliance is seeking a dynamic Delivery Lead (AFC Band 7) to drive innovation and value for money in planning, commissioning, and service provision. You'll collaborate with partners to design and improve services, manage Alliance projects, and champion the interests of patients and the public as part of a forward-thinking team.

This role requires strong project management skills, the ability to build relationships across organisations, and a background in management studies or equivalent experience. You'll implement best practice, oversee budgets and ensure compliance with standards while leading strategic initiatives within a complex healthcare environment.

This is a North East and Cumbria-wide hybrid role, combining home working with attendance at our base sites (Northumbria House at Cobalt or North Ormesby Health Village), as well as attendance at provider and service partner sites across the North East and North Cumbria. The post holder will be expected to work flexibly, balancing home working with in‑person engagement as required to support delivery of the programme.

Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the closing date once the required number of suitable applications have been received.

Main duties of the job

The role supports the Cancer Alliance business in driving transformation as well as value for money in planning, commissioning and service provision. The role is designed to build a combination of subject matter expertise and technical skills to develop a strong service delivery. The role will work with partners in service design and improvement.

As a Delivery Lead, the post holder will work as part of a dynamic team in delivering an effective service supporting managers and staff across the Northern Cancer Alliance to improve pathways of care for cancer patients.

The post-holder will support the Programme Manager and the team to ensure that their work stream of projects are planned and managed effectively and take the lead in assisting in their successful delivery:

• To lead the delivery and coordination of designated projects and workstreams in line with national cancer priorities and local objectives.
• Be a champion for service delivery efficiency, innovation and best practice across cancer pathways.
• Support evaluation, benefits realisation and continuous improvement activities associated with programme delivery.
• Day to day liaison with the many stakeholders involved in the NCA projects.
• To work autonomously and flexibly with the needs of the NCA.
• Evidencing effective involvement of the public at all levels of the NCA work plan.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This Delivery Lead role within the Northern Cancer Alliance is responsible for leading and managing a portfolio of projects to support the delivery of cancer service transformation and improvement. The post holder works closely with programme managers, teams and system partners to plan, coordinate and deliver projects effectively, ensuring risks, issues, performance and finances are actively monitored and managed. The role involves building strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, providing expert advice, analysing performance data, and presenting complex information to support decision-making. It also contributes to strategic and operational planning, ensuring alignment with wider organisational priorities and improving cancer care pathways.

A key element of the role is championing patient and public involvement, addressing health inequalities, and ensuring patient experience informs service development. In addition, the Delivery Lead supports budget oversight, policy and service development, team leadership, and governance requirements, while working with a high level of autonomy to manage competing priorities and deliver outcomes in a complex and changing environment