Head of Production, Scripted

Grapevinejobs; Harrow; Hybrid; GBP 124,000 - 144,000; Full time

Job summary

BBC Studios in London is seeking a Head of Production to lead a portfolio of scripted drama across development, production and post. You will partner with BBC Studios’ scripted labels to optimize production management and financial performance.

You will drive strategic planning, governance and risk management while supporting creative ambition across multiple productions, ensuring delivery on budget and schedule with strong stakeholder collaboration.

Qualifications

• Experience at Head of Production or Production Executive level within scripted television.
• Proven track record of managing multiple productions or a slate with complex budgets.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across a portfolio of drama productions, ensuring delivery across development, production and post is aligned with creative ambition, budget and schedule.
• Work with BBCS editorial leadership to support the creative vision of slates and long‑term planning.
• Collaborate with wholly owned scripted labels to deliver production management benefits across the portfolio.
• Ensure production resources, planning and editorial ambitions are aligned ahead of greenlight with clear visibility of feasibility and financial implications.
• Lead financial performance, including budgeting, forecasting and cost control across multiple productions to deliver margins.
• Create finance plans, negotiate budgets and ensure margins are built in with accountability for outcomes.
• Support Production Executives in managing productions with strong governance and best practice.
• Ensure development teams receive up‑to‑date financial and operational insight for broadcaster expectations and delivery requirements.
• Drive risk management with robust planning and mitigation across the slate.
• Foster relationships across BBC Studios with Business Affairs, Finance, HR, Commercial and Talent teams.
• Represent BBC Studios in relationships with broadcasters, streamers and distributors.
• Champion inclusive practices and contribute to BBC Studios’ Diversity & Inclusion strategy.
• Support sustainable production practices aligned with environmental targets.
• Drive consistency and efficiency in production management processes with best practice and innovation.

Skills

Production leadership

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Governance & safety

Strategic planning

People leadership

Job description

• Salary is dependent on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

• CONTRACT TYPE: Continuing
• DEPARTMENT: Scripted
• BASE: Television Centre, London W12
• WORKING PATTERN: Hybrid
• SALARY: Salary: £124-£144k pa + London weighting @£5441 + bonus
• Salary is dependent on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

WE ARE BBC STUDIOS

A globally renowned media company borne of the BBC. We make and distribute the world’s most sought‑after TV, audio and digital content.

Our ambition is to be the home of the most powerful, entertaining, and inspiring stories for people all around the world.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

Reporting to the Director of Production, Scripted, the Head of Production is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of in house production labels within BBC Studios Scripted, overseeing a diverse portfolio of productions across development, production and post, as well as partnering with BBC Studios’ wholly owned scripted labels to deliver production management benefits across the portfolio.

This role requires an experienced and strategic production leader, capable of working with multiple labels and a complex production portfolio, while delivering operational excellence, strong financial performance and supporting creative ambition across BBC Studios Scripted.

Your Key Responsibilities And Impact

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across a portfolio of drama productions, ensuring delivery across development, production and post is aligned with creative ambition, budget and schedule
• Work in close partnership with BBCS editorial leadership to support the creative vision of slates, contributing to long‑term planning, prioritisation and sustainability of the production pipeline
• Work in close partnership with the wholly owned scripted labels to deliver production management benefits across the portfolio
• Ensure production resources, operational planning and editorial ambitions are aligned ahead of greenlight, providing clear visibility of production feasibility, financial implications and delivery requirements
• Lead financial performance, with responsibility for finance plans, budgeting, forecasting and cost control across multiple productions, ensuring effective management of spend and delivery of margin
• Create finance plans, negotiate and oversee budgets ensuring margins are built in and delivered, with clear accountability for financial outcomes
• Support Production Executives in the management of their productions, ensuring consistency of approach, strong governance and the sharing of best practice
• Ensure development teams are supported with up‑to‑date financial and operational insight, enabling proposals to be aligned with broadcaster expectations, budget parameters and delivery requirements
• Jointly accountable with editorial and senior stakeholders for compliance with BBC policies, legal and regulatory requirements, including Health & Safety, Risk Management, Editorial Policy, Duty of Care and Safeguarding, in order to minimise the risk to BBC Studios
• Drive effective risk management across productions, implementing robust planning and mitigation strategies across a varied and evolving slate
• Foster strong working relationships across BBC Studios, including Business Affairs, Finance, HR, Commercial and Talent teams
• Represent BBC Studios in relationships with broadcasters, streamers and distributors, while maintaining strong partnerships with key suppliers, facilities and external production partners
• Champion inclusive working practices and contribute to BBC Studios’ Diversity & Inclusion strategy, ensuring it is embedded across all productions and teams
• Support and implement sustainable production practices, ensuring alignment with environmental targets and carbon reduction initiatives across the slate
• Work with the Director of Production to drive consistency and efficiency in production management processes, embedding best practice, innovation and continuous improvement across the portfolio.

Leadership & Strategy

• Play a key role in shaping the strategic direction of BBC Studios Scripted production, contributing to slate planning, growth and long‑term business objectives
• Lead and support senior production management teams, ensuring clear accountability and strong performance management
• Drive a culture of consistency and continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to enhance operational efficiency, innovation and collaboration across productions
• Lead with a calm and pragmatic approach to problem‑solving, ensuring solutions are proportionate, timely and delivered collaboratively across teams
• Foster a culture of ownership and professionalism, where individuals take accountability for outcomes, remain composed under pressure and prioritise solutions over problems
• Act as a senior operational voice within BBC Studios Scripted, contributing to wider production management discussions, sharing knowledge and best practice across productions
• Drive continuous improvement through the adoption of production systems, workflows and emerging technologies that enhance efficiency, consistency and production delivery.

Essential Criteria

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Experience at Head of Production or Production Executive level within scripted television, with experience across development, production and post in different budget bands
• Proven track record of managing multiple productions or a slate, with responsibility for complex budgets, schedules and delivery across varying scales
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, with experience of overseeing P&L performance, forecasting, cost control and delivering margin across a portfolio
• Demonstrable leadership experience managing senior production management teams
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with editorial teams, corporate departments and external partners
• In‑depth understanding of production governance, compliance, Health & Safety and risk management
• Strong strategic capability, with the ability to balance creative ambition with operational delivery across a diverse and evolving slate
• Commitment to embedding BBC Studios’ values and behaviours, including inclusive leadership, respectful team cultures and continuous development.