Publicist - EXTEND

BBC; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading media company in London is seeking a Publicist to create and implement engaging publicity campaigns across various genres. The candidate should have a robust background in television publicity, excellent media contacts, and proven creativity in campaign development. This full-time role offers a salary of around £40,000 with the opportunity to work in a supportive Communications team that values innovation and initiative.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in television publicity with successful high-profile campaigns.
• Strong understanding of media landscape and digital trends.
• Exceptional news judgement and engaging copywriting ability.

Responsibilities

• Lead and implement innovative communications strategies.
• Generate media coverage and manage potential issues.
• Write clear media information for programming.

Skills

Television publicity

Stakeholder management

Copywriting

Crisis communications

Creativity

Job description

JOB DETAILS

JOB BAND: C CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent, Full-time DEPARTMENT: BBC Studios Communications LOCATION: London - Television Centre. Office base is flexible with regular travel to London required. PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: Circa £40,000 plus £5,441 London Weighting depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

BBC EXTEND

This role is advertised as part of our BBC Extend programme for disabled people. To apply for this role you should identify as deaf, disabled or neurodivergent and must meet either the definition of disability in the Equality Act (2010), or the definition of disability in the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) if applying in Northern Ireland. You're broadly defined as disabled under both acts if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative or adverse effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. This definition includes both apparent and non‑apparent conditions and impairments, and medical conditions such as Cancer, HIV or Multiple Sclerosis.

We are committed to making the process of applying for this role as accessible as possible. If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the application process, or have any questions about our Extend programme, please contact [e-mail].

The BBC are fully committed to providing workplace adjustments to help eliminate barriers in the workplace that disabled people face. To do this, we have our own dedicated BBC Access and Disability Service that provides assessments and support throughout employment with us. If you are successful in applying for this role and require workplace adjustments, we will work with you to get your adjustments in place.

If you'd like more information on BBC Extend, please visit the BBC Extend webpage (EXTEND code: EX2324).

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

We have an exciting opportunity for a Publicist to join the Communications team in Productions. You'll create and deliver ambitious consumer and trade publicity campaigns, including programme publicity, interactive content, and issues management.

Reporting into the Genre Communications Managers, you'll work across internationally recognised shows spanning audio, factual, drama, comedy entertainment and kids & family. You'll bring strong television publicity experience, excellent contacts, confident stakeholder management and sound crisis‑comms judgement, with creativity at the heart of your work.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

You'll join a fast‑moving, supportive Communications team where enthusiasm, creativity and a can‑do attitude are genuinely valued. Working across iconic titles, you'll collaborate with a wide range of media and see your ideas come to life on a global stage. You'll grow quickly, build strong industry relationships, travel for key moments and thrive in a dynamic environment that rewards initiative, flexibility and confident decision‑making.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT

• Lead and take full responsibility for devising and implementing ambitious communications strategies; working across a number of genres in the productions communication team to deliver exceptional publicity campaigns.
• Generate innovative ways of increasing favourable media coverage and raising the profile of our shows, anticipating and managing issues with potentially negative impact; handling reactive issues as required.
• Write clear, concise media information for programming and associated online and interactive content.
• Collaborate and form good working relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders; establish and maintain a network of contacts with the media, national and regional newspapers and magazines, websites, TV, radio, and online outlets.
• Evaluate work, collecting and examining evidence to assess the impact of communications work, and distributing lessons to the wider team.
• Coordinate press conferences, screenings, stunts, launches and briefings, always thinking creatively about how to make an impact.
• Work closely with other BBC Studios departments to maximise global impression at key identified moments, such as MIPCOM and Showcase.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• Proven experience in television publicity, demonstrating successful delivery of high‑profile campaigns.
• Strong understanding of the contemporary media landscape, including social platforms, digital trends, and the newsgathering processes across broadcast, print, and online outlets.
• Exceptional news judgement and copywriting ability, with a talent for producing clear, engaging, and compelling content that captures media and public interest.
• Demonstrated creativity in campaign development, with a track record of experimenting with new ideas and approaches to reach diverse and emerging audiences, particularly through digital channels.
• Outstanding interpersonal and relationship‑building skills, with the ability to establish credibility and collaborate effectively with contacts at all levels.
• Extensive media contacts and strong understanding of digital publicity opportunities, including the ability to leverage online and social platforms to maximise campaign impact.
• Proven organisational and planning capability, including managing multiple concurrent campaigns, coordinating and delivering events, and handling issues or crises under pressure.

If you can bring some of these skills and experience, along with transferable strengths, we'd love to hear from you and encourage you to apply.

We appreciate your interest in this position and understand how important this opportunity is to you. Due to the high volume of interest, we may need to close the application period earlier than anticipated. This step is necessary to ensure we can provide a high level of attention and service to all applicants. Thank you for your understanding.

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.

Please note: If you were to be offered this role, the BBC will conduct Employment screening checks which include Reference checks; Eligibility to work checks; and if applicable to the role, Safeguarding and Adverse media/Social media checks. Any offer made is conditional on these checks being satisfactory.

Redeployment

The BBC is committed to redeploying employees seeking suitable alternative employment within the BBC and they will be given priority consideration ahead of other applicants. Priority consideration means for those employees seeking redeployment their application will be considered alongside anyone else at risk of redundancy, prior to any individuals being considered who are not at risk.

Information at a Glance

… (additional information as applicable).

This is your BBC

At the BBC you can create and innovate in an inclusive environment while contributing to some of the world's best loved content, and the BBC's mission to inform, educate and entertain.