Job Introduction

The BBC Board has a number of sub-committees to help it fulfil its functions and duties under the Charter.  The Board has established a committee of the Board, known as the Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee, to oversee the development of the BBC’s editorial standards and ensure compliance.

In response  to Serota Review recommendations , the remit of the Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee will be expanded and the BBC Board has decided it would benefit from additional editorial advice from editorial experts, with significant experience outside the BBC. These advisers would be independent from the Board and provide an external perspective to the work of the Committee and help it deliver on its expanded remit.

Role Responsibility

The current core responsibilities of the Committee are to:

• Oversee editorial standards, complaints and editorial compliance
• Oversee and approve the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines, and commission and approve Guidance when appropriate
• Approve the Guidelines for each UK election and referendum
• Ensure party political and referendum broadcasts are offered to appropriate parties or organisations at each election and referendum
• Oversee the BBC’s complaints processes and ensure that key themes and issues arising out of the process are dealt with appropriately
• Keep under review the BBC’s Complaints Framework and to make any recommendations to the Board on any proposed changes to monitor and review the BBC’s editorial compliance systems.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking to appoint two external editorial advisers.  All candidates must be able to demonstrate a commitment to the independence, mission and public purposes of the BBC, as well as demonstrating they meet a majority of the following criteria to a high degree:

• Senior experience in commissioning or production of media content, either in television, radio, news or online; and/or
• Editorial responsibility at a senior level, including running editorial operations and/or maintaining standards
• Knowledge of the UK’s public service broadcast and regulatory environment
• Ability to challenge and vigorously scrutinise in the public interest, the editorial output of the BBC, including delivery of the BBC’s impartiality obligations.

Other Requirements

Candidates will need to be demonstrably independent of the BBC at the point of appointment. The criteria by which independence will be assessed will include whether a candidate:

• Has been an employee of the BBC, or BBC Group within the last five years
• Has or has had within the last three years a material business relationship with the BBC either directly, or as a partner, shareholder, director or senior employee of a body that has such a relationship with the BBC
• Has received or receives additional remuneration from the BBC apart from a Director’s fee or an appearance fee for media interviews; or has close family ties with any of the BBC’s advisers, directors or senior employees

Time Commitment and Salary

The time commitment will be approximately 15 days per year, during an estimated two-year engagement with the potential to extend.    This will include:

• Committee meetings and preparation for meetings. There are currently five formal meetings scheduled per year. These will be held in London or virtually.
• Studying Committee papers and other written material, and providing advice.
• Ad-hoc meetings with members of BBC management, audiences and stakeholders.
• The fees for Editorial Experts have been set by the Board and are competitive.

For more information please contact: sam.hassall@bbc.co.uk

Package Description

Band: External-Contractor
Contract type: Fixed Term Part Time 15 Days Per Year
Location: UK, Flexible

The situation regarding the coronavirus outbreak is developing quickly and the BBC is keen to continue to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people across the BBC, while continuing to protect our services. To reduce the risk access to BBC buildings is limited to those essential to our broadcast output. From Wednesday 18th March 2020 until further notice all assessments and interviews will be conducted remotely. For more information go to https://www.bbc.co.uk/careers/

Mae’r sefyllfa gyda’r coronafeirws yn datblygu’n gyflym, ac mae’r BBC yn awyddus i barhau i sicrhau diogelwch a lles pobl ar draws y BBC, gan barhau i warchod ein gwasanaethau hefyd. I leihau’r risg, dim ond y bobl sy’n hanfodol i’n hallbwn darlledu fydd yn cael mynediad i adeiladau’r BBC. O ddydd Mercher 18fed Mawrth 2020 ymlaen, bydd pob asesiad a chyfweliad yn cael ei gynnal o bell, nes rhoddir gwybod yn wahanol. I gael mwy o wybodaeth, ewch i https://www.bbc.co.uk/careers/

About the Company

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 document attached below.

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 click here