BBC Children’s In House Drama team is responsible for a wide range of multi-platform drama and comedy including Get Even, The Dumping Ground, 4 O’Clock Club, Hetty Feather, The Worst Witch, Molly and Mack, My Mum Tracy Beaker, and The Demon Headmaster as well as upcoming new dramas Biff and Chip, Princess Mirror-Belle, Lagging, The Beaker Girls and Phoenix Park.

The BBC Children’s In House Scripted Development team finds and develops new drama and comedy projects for children for broadcast on CBeebies, CBBC and BBC iPlayer.  We’re looking for an experienced script editor to join the team until the end of September 2022.

Role Responsibility

You will develop and script edit new drama and comedy ideas, help generate new ideas with writers, and work on potential adaptations.  You will use your experience and expertise to suggest writers for projects.   You’ll ensure scripts are of the highest quality, conform to editorial briefs and are completed and delivered on schedule.  You will be able to produce script schedules to plan both the development and production script process. The script editor will also give detailed notes on book and script submissions, on ideas in development, story-lines, story arcs and scripts, write up meeting notes, and will also work on the sales documents to accompany new projects in development when sharing with potential co-production partners.  You’ll also help plan materials for pitching projects both internally and externally.  

The Ideal Candidate

Essential

• You will have substantial experience of working in script editor role or equivalent in both development and production in live action drama or comedy. This will include considerable experience of working directly with writers, knowing how to support and challenge them to get the best out of each project.
• You can show a thorough awareness and passion for Children’s content across drama, comedy and digital content for UK and international audiences, as well as a knowledge and interest in Children’s books.
• You can demonstrate a good knowledge of writers currently working in TV, and ideas about where and how to source and support new writers for the department, as well as the ability to articulate their writing strengths and to champion diversity.
• You have the ability to write succinct and clear notes for writers, and have experience of writing story conference notes, script and book reports, synopses, and editorial analysis of projects. 
• You will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, strong problem solving and organizational capabilities, and a keen eye for detail, the ability to act on your own initiative and apply sound editorial judgement.
• You will also have a good working knowledge of Final Draft as well as Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

Desirable

• Experience of preparing projects for pitching, whether this is internally at the BBC or externally for potential co-production partners. As the team work on several co-production projects at any one time, experience of working with external partners is also an advantage.
• Experience of sensitively dealing with authors on the adaptations of their original work, and to have experience of managing the relationship between the writer and the author.
• An awareness of BBC editorial guidelines and other compliance policies.
• A broad understanding of writers’ contracts and experience liaising with Business Affairs to commission writers’ work.

Package Description

Band: C
Contract type:  FTC/attachment - 10th January to 30th September 2022
Location: MediaCityUK (with some remote working)

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 â€“ the BBC offers great opportunities for employees to seek new challenges and work in different areas of the organisation.
• Unrivalled training and development opportunities â€“ 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.