My Breakthrough
Departments
- Research Management Team
- Public Affairs and Campaigns
- Fundraising
- Marketing & Communications
- Resource Management
Research Management Team
Breakthrough’s research portfolio is being expanded substantially, building on the success of the Breakthrough Research Centre in London. New research units are being set up and clinical researchers are being appointed, all with the aim of tackling breast cancer through research in a collaborative manner. As our portfolio expands, the Research Management Department will support communication and collaboration between Breakthrough-funded scientists. Being the main point of contact with all grant holders, the department also supports the accurate communication of scientific progress and advances to our generous supporters and the public, by working with Breakthrough’s Fundraising, Marketing and Communications teams.
 Breakthrough Staff on a social event last December |
Public Affairs and Campaigns
You will find working in this department to be varied and rewarding, working in partnership with parliamentarians, health professionals and people affected by breast cancer to achieve change. Our Campaigns and Advocacy Network (CAN) is an important part of the way we achieve change and is a network of individuals and organisations that work to improve breast cancer research, services and treatments. The recruitment of members and their training in key issues and skills gives strength and power to the organisation and many of our members also take part in fundraising and other events.
Our highly motivated team is 17 strong with a wide and diverse range of talents, spanning all ranges of professional and academic experience. The department is hardworking and focussed on achieving challenging goals and maintains a good humoured team atmosphere.
 Staff taking part in the Great City Race 2006 |
Fundraising
Breakthrough is entirely dependent on the support it receives from the public, companies and charitable trusts to fund its research, influencing and education work. This means the Fundraising Department has to meet its targets in order for Breakthrough to continue to meet its funding commitments.
The Department has created many well known fundraising campaigns. The most well known campaigns are Fashion Targets Breast Cancer featuring the iconic target T-shirt and Breast Cancer Awareness Month symbolized by the pink ribbon. We are also supported by a range of large high profile companies including Avon Cosmetics, Marks & Spencer, The Bingo Association, ghd, Nissan, Norwich Union and Aviva. Nationwide we are supported by 42 regional groups and over 5,000 £1,000 Challengers
The Department has won many awards; most recently in July 2006 we won the Institute of Fundraising’s Most Effective Corporate Partnership for our partnership with the Bingo Association while in the same month Marks & Spencer won the Business in the Community Cause Related Marketing Award for our partnership with them.
Alongside the Fundraising Department, the Breakthrough Generations Appeal Board is aiming to raise £13 million to pay for the first ten years of the Breakthrough Generations Study. Chaired by Mervyn Davies the CEO of Standard Chartered Bank, the Board is well on its way to achieving that target.
 Barbecue on the terrace with staff and volunteers |
Marketing & Communications
Staffed by award-winning marketing, PR and communications specialists, the new department is responsible for supporter and external communications; brand development & management; advertising; market research & database analysis; education and information; science communications; public relations; celebrity liaison; print publications and on-line communications.
The Marketing & Communications department is the ambassador of the Breakthrough brand, ensuring consistency of messages to both internal and external audiences. Our role is to communicate the difference we make to the lives of people affected by breast cancer and ensure people are clear about the ways in which they can support our work. We manage Breakthrough’s relationship with celebrity supporters and patrons and provide an effective and efficient service to the media.
Resource Management
We are customer focused, aiming to deliver high quality proactive services to the organisation through ensuring that day to day facilities are managed smoothly, and that we are well resourced to continue to develop as a dynamic organisation.
Breakthrough places great value on its stakeholders and we work, in partnership with the rest of the staff at Breakthrough, to ensure that they are well supported.
