Lead Commissioning Editor

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Permanent - Full Time

GB

BBC PUBLIC SERVICE B'CAST

Job Closing Date: 08/04/2025

THE ROLE

Step into a world of storytelling excellence with the Specialist Factual department at BBC Television. Home to four genres-Natural History, Science, History, and Religion & Ethics-this dynamic team is at the heart of captivating audiences and shaping thought-provoking content that resonates globally. Reporting directly to the Head of Specialist Factual commissioning, this is where creativity and purpose converge.

As the Lead Commissioning Editor for Natural History, you will spearhead the BBC's Natural History strategy, harnessing your deep expertise to craft groundbreaking narratives that inform, educate, and entertain. Working hand-in-hand with world-class suppliers, you'll bring this vision to life while collaborating with fellow commissioners across the Specialist Factual department, also working on projects across Science, History, and Religion & Ethics.

At the BBC, Specialist Factual is more than a department-it's a gateway to impactful, unscripted storytelling within the Content division. Join us and be part of a team that thrives on creativity, innovation, and delivering content that shapes the way we see the world.

Main Responsibilities

1. You'll be responsible for working closely with the Head of Specialist Factual to develop a commissioning strategy for Natural History at the BBC. You'll also engage with the commissioning strategies for other genres in Specialist Factual: Science, History, and Religion & Ethics.
2. You'll take the lead on commissioning Natural History projects, liaising regularly with suppliers to develop ideas and ensure the best projects come to the BBC. You'll deliver Natural History projects, as well as programmes in other Specialist Factual genres, ensuring they meet the highest possible editorial standards and provide value for money.
3. You'll work closely with Channels, Schedules and iPlayer, liaise with Press and Marketing to make sure your content is promoted in the most effective way possible, and connect with others parts of the BBC to identify opportunities which may enhance your programmes.
4. You'll work with international co-production partners and understand the issues facing the Natural History sector on a global scale. You'll also work with commissioning editors in the Nations to find the best projects to co-commission. You'll need to acquire a strong understanding of BBC values and represent the BBC at public events and in the press.

Are You The Right Candidate?

• The ideal candidate will have a strong track record in either delivering or developing Specialist Factual content at a high level. Direct experience of working on Natural History titles is not essential.

• A keen interest in the genre combined with a knowledge of key creatives in the sector and a deep understanding of recent commissions, both at the BBC and across the industry.

• Experience in working across a range of Specialist Factual content, from access-driven to presenter-led.

• Experience in spotting, growing and working with onscreen talent.

• Ability to demonstrate awareness of the department's commissioning priorities, and have a keen sense of changing audience behaviours and how these impact our needs.

• You'll need a good knowledge of Specialist Factual content both on the BBC and other broadcasters.

• You'll need to know how to identify and work with international co-production partners, and have a sense of what BBC commissioning editors in the Nations are looking to co-commission.

• You'll be curious and analytical, able to identify key trends but also anticipate challenges and overcome them. As a strong communicator you will be able to engage and inspire our external and internal stakeholders, particularly when presenting and speaking in public.

This is a fantastic opportunity to shape the future of public service broadcasting.

Package Description

Band: F
Contract: Permanent
Location: London, note that this role will involve travel, both overseas and around the UK.

We're happy to discuss flexible working. Please indicate your choice under the flexible working question in the application. There is no obligation to raise this at the application stage but if you wish to do so, you are welcome to. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

Excellent career progression - the BBC offers great opportunities for employees to seek new challenges and work in different areas of the organisation.

Unrivalled training and development opportunities - our in-house Academy hosts a wide range of internal and external courses and certification.

Benefits - we offer a competitive salary package, a flexible 35-hour working week for work-life balance and 26 days (1 of which is a corporation day) with the option to buy an extra 5 days, a defined pension scheme and discounted dental, health care, gym and much more.

We don't focus simply on what we do - we also care how we do it. Our values and the way we behave are important to us. Please make sure you've read about our values and behaviours in the below document:

BBC Values

Diversity matters at the BBC. We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, enabling all of our employees to thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to be part of the BBC - whether that's to contribute to our programming or our wide range of non-production roles. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles, unless operational requirements prevent otherwise.

To find out more about Diversity and Inclusion at the BBC, please visit Diversity and Inclusion

DISCLAIMER

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.

BBC Group and Public Services, Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London, United Kingdom, W1A 1AA. BBC Studios Distribution Limited, company no: , registered address: 1 Television Centre, 101 Wood Lane, London, United Kingdom W12 7FA.