Applications for this job are now closed
We are now recruiting for our Summer 2024 Internship programme!
We are now accepting applications for our July internship intake. We’re really excited to be recruiting interns and we have some great internships available across the charity. We will also be recruiting for our Autumn internships later this year. To be notified once these applications are live, please visit our website to sign up.
Are you looking for an exciting internship opportunity at one of the UK’s largest health charities?
Why we need you
Cancer Research UK is the world’s largest charity dedicated to beating all types of cancer. We now have an opportunity for you to join us as a Public Affairs Intern.
What will I be doing?
This role will sit across the Devolved Nations Public Affairs Team, supporting the work of colleagues across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We are a small team, committed to making change for people affected by cancer through working with politicians in the devolved parliaments to improve cancer services.
Role and purpose
You will be supported by the Public Affairs Officer for Wales, and gain experience of working in a public affairs role. Whilst you will either be home-based or based in our Cardiff or Edinburgh offices, you will be expected to develop your understanding of cancer services and CRUK’s presence in the devolved nations.
As our summer intern you will be given an opportunity to undertake a research project into cancer inequalities. In 2023 and 2022, Wales and Scotland’s public affairs teams published reports highlighting the stark health inequalities that exist within cancer services. The report’s identified that those from the poorest communities experience the worst cancer outcomes. We are looking for an intern to help support our review process of the inequalities reports aiming to identify key policy and influencing opportunities based on the report's recommendations and track progress made by the Welsh and Scottish Government’s.
As part of the internship the chosen candidate will also support with the Devolved Nations work in creating each Nations manifestos prior to the NI/Scot/Wales elections. For our intern this will involve in assisting the team with organising roundtables in each nation and other work relating to our manifestos.
As our Public Affairs Intern you will also be given the opportunity to support the wider Devolved Nations Public Affairs team in producing written briefings and supporting their wider influencing and engagement work with elected officials, such as helping organise charity shop visits. All of this valuable work will help improve our public affairs offer to politicians in the Devolved Nations and help strengthen CRUK’s relations.
Key responsibilities
Supporting the Devolved Nations Public Affairs team in their influencing activities.
- Undertake a research project into the progress made in addressing cancer inequalities in Wales/Scotland.
- Help all three devolved nations plan manifesto work prior to 2026 elections.
- Map out policy changes and progress that may address cancer inequalities.
- Conduct a RAG rating of the recommendations made in the Wales Inequalities report.
- Identify and explore key areas and strategic priorities for the Public Affairs teams to develop in 2024.
- Help support and contribute to written briefings where appropriate.
- Organise and support charity shop visits where elected officials visit their local CRUK shop.
- Help the Public Affairs teams organise CRUK lab visits for elected officials.
What skills are you looking for?
You’ll be able to bring to the role:
- Strong communication skills, able to communicate complex messages in engaging ways through written briefings.
- Strong interpersonal skills.
- Some political and policy knowledge of health systems across the devolved nations.
- Strong interest in public affairs and campaigning in the devolved nations.
- Experience of writing compelling communications.
- Ability to work as part of a team, while also working independently.
- Ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines.
- Ability to build relationships across multiple teams.
- Enthusiasm for learning.
- A strong commitment to helping CRUK address cancer inequalities and work towards our mission to ensure beating cancer means beating it for everyone.
What will I gain?
This role will add real value to Cancer Research UK so we want to ensure you’re getting a lot out of it too. As an intern you’ll go through a structured development programme with skills training in project management, CV writing and interview skills and you’ll have a buddy to help you settle in. You’ll be eligible for many of our benefits, including paid holiday, and you’ll gain key experience to help you launch your career.
How do I apply?
Please apply online by uploading your details and answering an application question. Please complete an application form for only one Internship role.
One of our values at CRUK is Being Human. We want to hear about why you’re interested in CRUK and what is motivating you to apply. So, we discourage the use of AI when completing your application form and throughout the process.
Application process
Stage 1: Online application
Complete an online application form – you’ll be asked to answer a motivational competency question and upload your CV.
In our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, we operate an anonymised shortlisting process. Please therefore ensure that you have completed the work history section of the application form in full and that you have answered all application questions, as this is the information we will be using to shortlist. CVs are required to be uploaded for all applications, as they will be collected for use later in the process. If you experience any problems submitting an application, please email earlycareers@cancer.org.uk
Stage 2: Assessment
If your initial application is successful you will then be invited to complete our new situational judgment test. The test poses real life scenarios that a CRUK intern might be met with in their day to day role and asks how you would tackle that scenario. This is un-timed and multiple choice. Please let us know if you think you might require adjustments for this assessment.
Stage 3: Audio Submission
If you are successful in the previous stage, you will be asked to complete an audio submission, answering competency-based questions. The questions will be emailed to you and you will have a few days to submit a response via an audio recording (no video required).
Stage 4: Interviews
If you are successful in the previous stage, you will then be invited to a face-to-face interview at our head office with representatives from the team you are applying to.
The Internship will start on Monday 1st July 2024.
