Junior Systems Thinking Practitioner

Today, 12 children and young people will be diagnosed with cancer. We’ll stop at nothing to make sure they get the right care and support at the right time.  

• £31,646 (Outside of London) / £33,318 (Inside of London)
• 35 hours per week
• Permanent
• Flexible on home-based or hybrid, linked to our London or Bristol offices
• Closing date: 27th July 2025
• Interview date: 7th August 2025

Change lives in a life-changing career

When a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer, their whole world can feel like it’s falling apart. Independence is taken and confidence is stolen. Stability no longer exists. The future suddenly feels uncertain.

The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical. That’s why we exist. Our specialist social workers help children and young people with cancer and their families navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer. We remove barriers, solve problems and prioritise wellbeing. And we stop at nothing to make sure they get the right care and support at the right time.

We challenge the systems and policies that surround children and young people, we highlight gaps and campaign for change. Because we know what a better future could look like. And we know what we need to do to make that future a reality. We need to push harder, reach further and work smarter. And we need the right people on our team to help us get there. People like you.

About the role

Young Lives vs Cancer has a growing and ambitious commitment to change the system with and for children and young people with cancer and their families. Our North Star vision and the Time Is Now Strategy involve working across the system to shape a better future for children and young people with cancer, and their families. 

This post – Junior Systems Thinking Practitioner – will support our systems change work across and beyond Young Lives vs Cancer. It will support us to deepen our understanding of the system, to translate research and learning into action, and shape a better system for young cancer patients.    

Being led by impact, curiosity and embracing complexity is crucial to this role. You will work within a dynamic team, supporting systems thinking, convening and listening. Together, we will explore what is happening within our system, and design programmes of work to shape a better future for children and young people with cancer, and their families. 

This role is subject to a criminal record check. In the event of a successful application a basic check will be carried out.

What will I be doing?

No two days are the same at Young Lives vs Cancer. So, summarising your ‘day to day’ isn’t easy. Here are some of the main things you’ll be doing, but you’ll find more details in the job description and job pack.

• You will support the use of systems thinking to drive change across organisations and communities.   
• You will work with people from across the system to: 
  • explore what is happening in our system 
  • use insight to reframe system problems as opportunities to create change 
  • centre equity, and lived experience, to work towards a more equitable future.  
• You will support the development of a programme of learning events, guided by what matters most to children, young people and families.    
• You will be part of a team that brings people together, to make sense of complex information, explore what is happening within our system, and generate learning.
• Working in collaboration with people from across the system, including children, young people and family members, you will support real world experimentation and testing to understand how the system could be different—continuously testing hypotheses, gathering data, and learning from the results.
• You will support the design of new projects and programmes, starting small and seeking opportunities to adapt and scale based on research, learning and feedback.
• You will support Young Lives vs Cancer – and the wider system - to explore how we can collect the information we need to learn, e.g. via regular surveys, testing, experimentation, embedded feedback mechanisms.
• You will support wider research and learning activity, including desk research, user research, co-design, managing and conducting data analysis and creating and disseminating outputs in varied, accessible form.

What do I need? 

Diverse perspectives and unique skillsets are at the heart of Young Lives vs Cancer. If you're passionate about making a positive impact and eager to learn, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet the criteria and person specification fully. Your potential is what matters most to us, and we’re committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment to help you develop.

The key skills we’re looking for in this role are:

• Some experience of using systems thinking and/or systemic change approaches.
• Some experience of working collaboratively across organisations and/or communities to enable change.  
• Knowledge of the ideas and practices of systems thinking/ systems change and/or systemic design – potentially including data analysis, feedback loops, systems analysis, critical thinking, complexity, interconnectedness. 
• Some experience in supporting bringing people together / event facilitation.
• Organisation skills and/or knowledge of project management/ support.
• Agility and flexibility - being comfortable with changing circumstances and learning through doing, able to adjust as new information emerges. 
• Able to work at fast pace, able to manage own time and prioritise work effectively.
• Strong IT skills in all MS Office packages, including Excel, software such as Visio/Miro and Microsoft Teams/Zoom. 
• Pro-active with an ambition to learn 
• Inclusive with a dedication to welcoming diversity of experience, opinion and backgrounds and actively challenging injustice and inequality (as per Young Lives vs Cancer's Diversity, Equity, Belonging & Inclusion strategy).
• Demonstrate that Young Lives vs Cancer’s values are at the heart of everything you 

What will I gain?

 For people to reach their full potential, they need the right environment. As a member of Team Young Lives, you’ll be made to feel supported, valued and appreciated. Here’s how we do it:

• Flexible working: we’re open to working hours outside of 9 - 5 and we can talk through your flexibility requirements at interview stage
• Wellbeing days: four days a year to do what works for you – from catching up on training to going for a walk
• Generous annual leave allowance
• Great family/caring leave entitlements
• Enhanced pension
• Access to our employee savings scheme

To find out more about our benefits package, have a look on our website: https://www.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/careers/our-benefits/  

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

At Young Lives vs Cancer, we recognise that opportunities for too many people remain a condition of their sex, ethnicity, class, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation – or a combination. This has never been acceptable to us as an organisation. We don’t just accept difference, we value it, celebrate it, nurture it and we thrive because of it.

We’re on a journey to be reflective of the diverse children, young people and families we support. We know we aren’t there yet, and we’re passionately committed to taking actions and making changes to be a truly diverse, inclusive and equitable organisation. This includes taking anti-oppressive action and removing barriers in our recruitment practices. We particularly welcome applications from members of minoritised communities. Our Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging strategy will tell you more.

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. CVs can be uploaded, but we won't be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to fully complete the work history sections of the online application form for us to be able to assess you quickly, fairly and objectively.

Accessibility

We’re committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always aim to be as accommodating as possible.  Please let us know in your application form of any adjustments or access requirements we could make to help you with the application process and interview.

We'll also be holding some informal information sessions at 6pm Tuesday 22nd July and ​1pm Friday 25th July – find out how to sign up in the job pack. The job pack is uploaded as a PDF, please just drop us a line at recruitment@younglivesvscancer.org.uk if you would prefer it in Powerpoint form.

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