Macmillan Cancer Support has confirmed that it made 156 roles redundant this year after a review of its services to identify cost-saving measures. 

The charity, which employs more than 2,000 people, announced in March that it would make job cuts across the organisation in a bid to save about £7m per year. 

A spokesperson for the charity has confirmed that it has made 156 roles redundant, saying that Macmillan has “felt the impact of a difficult financial environment”.

They said: “It’s getting harder to raise money, and inflation means it now costs more to do the same work we did just a few years ago.

“No organisation wants to make redundancies but we are making these difficult decisions to ensure Macmillan is in the best possible position to support people living with cancer into the future.”

After several members of Macmillan’s executive team left for new opportunities, it has restructured the team to “reflect our evolving strategy”, the spokesperson said.

The number of roles in the charity’s executive team has been reduced from seven to six posts.

Last month, the charity appointed Francesca Okosi, who was previously chief people and culture officer at an Integrated Care Board, as its first chief people and culture officer. 

The charity said she will “play a critical role in shaping and driving its people and culture strategy to help Macmillan reach the rapidly growing number of people with cancer in the UK”. 

It also appointed Karen Watson, former chief finance officer at the English National Opera, as the charity’s first chief finance and operations officer in February, bringing together responsibility for finances and operations, which were previously separate.

The charity’s former executive director of advocacy and communications, Steven McIntosh, is moving into a new role of chief partnerships officer. 

Macmillan is also due to announce the appointment of a chief engagement officer shortly, following the departure of its former executive director of fundraising, marketing and innovation, Claire Rowney – who has taken on the chief executive job at Breast Cancer Now.

Macmillan’s most recent accounts recorded total income of £232.5m in the financial year to the end of December 2023, up from £227.1m in 2022. 

It recorded total expenditure of £265.2m in 2023, a 5 per cent increase on the previous year. 

Macmillan said this increased spending was part of its push to spend down on its reserves so it can hold an appropriate level of liquidity cover. The charity has spent about £100m more than it has raised since 2018, when this model was adopted.