Deputy Programme Manager - Early Diagnosis

Job summary

Are you passionate about Early Diagnosis? We're looking for an experienced programme manager to join South East London Cancer Alliance to cover maternity leave for a 1 year fixed term post.

The SELCA Deputy Programme Manager will be responsible for working with and supporting the team and wider stakeholders to implement an early diagnosis work programme across primary and secondary care working closely with the ICB, Place Based Teams, other Cancer Alliances and charities.

They will deliver transformational change, quality improvements, and value using effective and sustainable approaches to improve the early diagnosis of cancer patients across SE London. This role will involve complex negotiation and influence with senior service directors, clinicians and managers at both an operational and strategic level across primary and secondary care Trusts.

The job holder will have the ability to think, act and respond quickly to changing circumstances whilst maintaining a clear view of overall priorities. They will need to be able to work at a senior level in a cross-cutting multi-organisational setting, to facilitate organisational and culture change and the delivery of outcomes is vital to the success of this role. The job holder will be based in the SEL Cancer Alliance Team's London office but will be expected to travel to trusts or meetings within SEL as agreed with the Senior Programme Manager - Early Diagnosis.

Main duties of the job

1. Participate in the work of SELCA to support delivery of the SEL Cancer Five Year and national cancer programme deliverables with a lead role focusing on early diagnosis of cancer.
2. Improve the underlying knowledge and understanding of the challenges to improve early diagnosis and to work effectively with senior leaders and patients on plans to address these.
3. Work with partners to develop a robust work programme to drive improvements in the proportion of cancers diagnosed at an early stage.
4. Participate in local and regional work to improve uptake to the national bowel, breast and cervical screening programmes.
5. Identify strategies to address inequalities and reduce variation in the early diagnosis of cancers across different population groups.
6. Work closely with primary care through lead GPs, Place Teams, Federations and Primary Care Networks (PCNs) to support education and training and the local population focused work on early diagnosis.
7. Support population-based service and cancer pathway transformation through collaborative work across the SE London health system and promoting a sense of collective responsibility across partners.
8. Maximise the opportunities for research and training across the system, linked to the early diagnosis agenda.

About us

South East London Cancer Alliance's vision is to provide the very best in cancer service to our patients by improving access, clinical outcomes, patient experience and quality of life for the population of SE London based upon national and international standards and evidence. SELCA works to strengthen collaborative working to:

1. Share learning
2. Develop a unified vision for cancer services in SE London
3. Establish consistency of standards for pathway management, clinical protocols and provision of cancer treatments
4. Reduce unwarranted variation and address health inequalities
5. Optimise use of diagnostic capacity across the system
6. Improve patient engagement and experience

Cancer Alliances are the driving force for change, providing dedicated focus and capacity to deliver improvements in cancer outcomes locally. One of the Alliance's key objectives is to implement a robust early diagnosis programme with the aim of increasing the proportion of cancers diagnosed at an early stage to 75% by 2028 in SEL. The SEL Cancer Alliance is seeking to appoint an experienced Early Diagnosis Deputy Programme Manager with experience of cancer pathways and cancer early diagnosis agenda.

Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust will host the Deputy Programme Manager on behalf of the SE London Cancer Alliance.

Date posted: 17 April 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 8b

Salary: £70,387 to £80,465 a year inc HCA

Contract: Fixed term

Duration: 12 months

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 196-COF10704-T

Job locations: 200 Great Dover St, London, SE1 4YB