Design Production Manager (EastEnders)

WORKING HOURS: Full time - 5 days per week in the office at Elstree

PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: £55,000 - £60,000 (including London weighting). 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

The UK's most popular soap, EastEnders, is looking for a Design Production Manager to support the effective running of the Art and Design Department. Overseeing operational requirements for a large and complex department, you will work to the Series Designer and alongside Construction and Props managers to improve communication, coordination, administrative & budgetary processes. Gatekeeper for the Series Designer, you will manage non-design queries, oversee departmental support staff, track crew, budgets, and reporting systems, and ensure compliance with BBC policies.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM?

The EastEnders Art & Design Department supports the show to deliver 4 x 30m episodes every week. The scale and ambition is unparalleled and demands fastidious organisation, planning and team management to keep the show on track, fresh and exciting. The Design Production Manager is fundamental to the success of the team and a conduit between the department and the rest of production. This role would suit an experienced PM looking for a fresh challenge and an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to excel in a fast-moving, multi faced, creative environment. Given the focus of this role, the PM is not required to work shoot hours.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT

• Oversee production support for the Art & Design Department; ensuring alignment with the wider schedule and budget, robust and efficient processes, excellent communication, team wellbeing, workforce planning and accurate filing and maintenance of all production paperwork and BBC reporting systems
• Line manage of Production support staff, overseeing performance management, training and development, mandatory training compliance, crew tracking, and staff records (leave, sickness, working hours)
• Source and book a diverse range of multi skilled freelance talent, maintaining the talent pool and approving additional resourcing within budget and workforce guidelines
• Provide specialist operational insight and extensive budgetary support to the Series Designer, working closely with team managers, Accounts, and Production to manage costs, constraints, and efficiencies
• Ensure compliance with BBC policies, legal and regulatory requirements, rights acquisition, health and safety standards, and escalation of risks or issues to protect the production and organisation
• Drive efficiency, sustainability, and innovation across Art & Design by supporting change management, environmental impact reduction, and effective deployment of new technologies

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• Significant Production Manager experience in broadcast TV - preferably drama but open to other genre backgrounds (unscripted, news etc)
• Experience managing production operations, resource scheduling, with strong project management skills and a track record of delivering complex projects
• Demonstrable experience as a line manager; ability to lead, motivate, and develop production teams, while managing relationships effectively across diverse teams and stakeholders
• Evidence of strong business and financial skills, including analysing, forecasting, and managing multiple and significant production budgets, negotiating deals and contracts
• Experience of working in a fast paced environment and delivering to tight deadlines with multiple, competing demands. Evidence of striving to improve processes and identify more efficient ways of working
• Evidence of advanced technical skills and appetite for learning new technologies and ways of working - as well as encouraging and leading others to embrace change
• Knowledge, passion and interest in drama and, specifically, EastEnders

DESIRABLE

• Recognised formal health and safety training (including risk assessment)

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.

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.

Before your start date, you may need to disclose any unspent convictions or police charges, in line with our Recruitment policy. This allows us to discuss any support you may need and assess any risks. Failure to disclose may result in the withdrawal of your offer.

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.

Benefits

• A flexible 35 hour working week with 26 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) and the option to buy an extra five days
• Defined pension (up to 10% employer contributions)
• Caring and parenting support, 24/7 remote GP access, life assurance and accident benefit
• BBC Studios is a world leader in operating sustainably both on and off screen. Find out more about BBC Group's science based Net Zero targets here
• Career development in a values led purpose driven culture
• Benefits may vary if you are joining on an FTC basis.

Diversity, inclusion & belonging strategy

We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, so all our employees feel that they can belong, thrive and achieve their full potential. We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to join us. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity. We welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio economic background, religion and/or belief. Find out more about diversity, inclusion and belonging in our strategy below.

Disability confident

We are a disability confident employer. If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the interview process, or to carry out this role, please contact us via email:

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.