Just like any business, charities occasionally need to look inward to ensure they’re operating in the right way and set up for future growth and strategic ambitions. Rebecca Ferguson, the lead for Cancer Research UK’s Fit for the Future programme, tells us why this is so important for the charity to keep moving towards its goal of three in four people surviving cancer by 2034.
What is the Fit for the Future programme?
It’s the name for a cross-charity initiative that we started in February 2015. It’s part of an organisational strategy aiming to maximise progress in the fight against cancer. The programme is focused on how we can be more effective as an organisation through our structures, processes and speed of decision making.
Why did Cancer Research UK decide to embark on this type of programme?
We know from our staff that it’s a great place to work, but they have also told us that – like many organisations – sometimes there are things that slow us down. We wanted to respond to that feedback and recognise that we need to up our game.
Where are you now in the programme?
We’ve done a lot of work with leadership to make shifts in how we manage – to achieve more of a coaching style that empowers staff and lets them take accountability and ownership for what they’re doing.
What are you hoping to achieve?
In the short term, we want to address the challenges that staff have told us about and make ourselves an even more effective workplace. Over the longer term, we hope that we will have created an environment that continues to improve. And as an organisation that’s entirely funded by the public, we owe it to people to make sure we’re in the best shape we can be.
What’s been the biggest challenge you have faced so far?
As with any big programme like this, it’s been a challenge to fit it in alongside everything else. But we’ve had the chief executive, Harpal Kumar offer his support and all of our executive board have played a major role – so that’s helped give it the focus it’s needed. Another challenge has been that change can at times be hard to implement. There’s been a lot of communication, staff engagement and training.
What has the reaction been like from the wider organisation?
Initially, one of intrigue. We started off the process by getting face-to-face input from about 20% of our staff on what needed to be simpler about working here. While some were initially apprehensive – now we’ve started to make changes, people have seen that we’ve responded to what they’ve been telling us.
Where do you see the charity going after Fit for the Future?
Our leadership teams are committed to keeping the focus on organisational effectiveness, so I think that we will keep asking ‘is there a better way of doing this’ or ‘could we simplify how this works’? The programme has laid a good foundation but it’s still early days in terms of shifting our approach to management, being clearer on our expectations of people and giving them the right sort of environment to be successful.
What opportunities could this programme give to people thinking about joining the charity?
If you’re a self-starter and want to work in an organisation that values impact, then Cancer Research UK is the right environment for you. The programme has helped us to focus on the areas that we need to grow and invest in, so if you’re looking to be part of our ambition you can be sure that we’re ready for you.
What advice would you give to someone thinking about moving to Cancer Research UK?
Do it. I came from a corporate background four years ago and honestly haven’t looked back. Having worked in two of the big four consultancies, I had a lot of preconceptions about moving into the charitable sector - none of which were well founded. More than anything, you need to care about what you’re doing, know why it’s important and recognise that you’re privileged to be doing it.
What do you like most about working for Cancer Research UK?
This may sound weird, but I like the complexity of what we are trying to achieve and the level of diversity that this brings. We’re trying to raise money from people without giving them anything directly in return, spend this wisely on world-class research, influence the government and the broader public and work in a range of partnerships both in the UK and internationally.
For me, this makes us more interesting than any organisation I’ve come across, and my own role here is all the more rewarding for it. It also offers a broad career path for people who choose to work here.
To find out more and apply for roles at Cancer Research UK, click here.
Content on this page is paid for and provided by Cancer Research UK, sponsor of the Guardian Voluntary Sector Network’s Careers hub.
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