4creative is the multi-awarded, highly respected, in-house creative agency of Channel 4 Television.
The department is responsible for developing and delivering all advertising campaigns and channel branding for C4 in every media, playing a key role in projecting a coherent sense of the 4-brand.
4creative's vision is to make risky, culturally potent, innovative work across the C4 portfolio, with production taking place in-house for added flexibility and proximity to the brand.
JOB PURPOSE

The Head of Operations ensures that 4creative achieves its mission, by overseeing all operational aspects, and working as the business partner to the ECD of 4creative. This job oversees production and operations in the department, managing people, processes, and finances to ensure 4creative delivers high quality, timely, on budget output. It will also play a key role in the leadership of the Channel 4 marketing and creative teams, and help ensure the smooth set-up and running of the new Digital Creative Unit (DCU).

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Partner with the ECD of 4creative, acting as the business lead, to deliver the mission of 4creative, delivering outstanding creative work, and playing a leading role in setting the culture of 4creative.
• Operationally responsible for 4creative output, including the production and financial control of all on-air and off-air (print, digital-out-of-home, radio, cinema, online and social) campaigns and any other ad hoc content production.
• Play a key role in the marketing and creative direction & output of Channel 4, as part of the brand leadership team, comprising senior leaders of 4creative, marketing and the DCU.
• Enable the success of the new DCU by partnering with the Head of DCU to ensure operational effectiveness.
• Lead the 4creative production team in all aspects, including management of department finances, workflows, processes and controls, to deliver ground-breaking creative work that is both effective and resource-efficient. As part of this, responsible for department overheads and freelancer budget, health and safety compliance and production insurance policies.
• Ensure compliance across the department with all C4 policies & practices (Finance, HR, Legal, IT etc.) including the design and implementation of 4creative financial, operational and production policies and procedures with regular ongoing reviews to ensure efficiency and audit compliance.
• Maintain and review relationships with external suppliers, including formal procurement processes where appropriate.
• Liaison and relationship building with key internal stakeholders and departments across the C4 business.


Essential Experience & Skills

Technical & Professional Skills
• Significant experience of leadership, team and individual management in a fast-moving and creative environment
• Significant experience and knowledge in advertising, short form and print production processes and operations (a background in broadcast TV would be highly valuable, but is not mandatory)
• Ability to deal with a high volume of projects at any one time with challenging deadlines, requiring financial acumen, and an ability to embrace the details
• Extensive experience in contractual negotiation and knowledge of contractual agreements and usage/rights across both production and general business needs
• Experience of engaging freelancers and knowledge of, for example, BECTU and APA agreements, the Film & TV Guidelines and HMRC rules
Management Skills
• Be able to act with autonomy, with clear and consistent direction-setting, to ensure the end goals are delivered
• Be able to set and manage your own and your team's priorities and workflows to deliver many large scale production projects simultaneously by deploying team resources & budgets effectively
• Collaboration and flexibility under pressure, maintaining excellent relationships and the ability to influence multiple departments with competing desires
• Organisational agility and problem-solving skills, with a focus on solutions and "getting things done"

Other
Please note that although this role will be based in London, the DCU will be based in Leeds, so frequent travel to Leeds is expected, at least in the first year.