The Head of Production is responsible for managing the programmes under development and production in Boundless and Boundless West from a delivery, financial, and results perspective. The purpose of this role is to work with the Managing Director and Senior Editorial team (Creative Director, Director of Development, Director of Programmes, Head of Factual Entertainment and Head of Boundless West & Factual Features) to ensure that the genre is well run and efficient and that ideas are being worked on and prioritised correctly. The individual must work across the development, production and delivery stages of all the productions. The role needs to manage the production staff involved on the relevant productions and communicate effectively with the operational management, finance, HR and legal teams. The role will work as a very senior production executive across the entire genre and will be responsible for monitoring progress, development, budgets, overspends production issues, staffing and delivery.

Key Responsibilities:

Development
Track all projects in development including research, taster tapes, and speculative ideas, talent trawls etc.
Debrief after broadcaster meetings to ensure that all development projects are logged and that the team are aware of broadcaster requirements and communicate necessary information to the rest of the Company as required.
Track the costs of all development spend and report such costs to the Managing Director, Director of Development and COO, Finance Director as may be required.
Liaise with Legal and Business Affairs to ensure timely acquisition of underlying rights in all development projects and establish/contract any internal or third party format entitlement.
Inform the Managing Director of all new ideas which could lead to exploitation opportunities within FremantleMedia or elsewhere
Identify those programme ideas that could be made regionally.
Set up Budgeting Process and Broadcaster Sign off.


The Head of Production has particular responsibility for:

Together with the key editorial and Business Affairs executives, ensure that appropriate paperwork is prepared for the commissioning process i.e. editorial specs and treatments. These should be prepared in a timely manner and with appropriate detail.
Prepare and supervise the preparation of budgets in line with Fremantle UK guidelines and get appropriate sign-off from Managing Director and Head of Production Finance before submission to broadcasters.
Manage the submission of budgets to and discussion with the broadcasters as appropriate and as agreed with all key stakeholders.
Involvement in negotiations with broadcasters and key stakeholders on a project by project basis. Ensuring effective collaboration between production/editorial and legal teams and other third parties as appropriate.
Involvement (or lead) in talent negotiations as appropriate liaising where appropriate with Legal and Business Affairs to establish key deal terms eg residual structure, options and ensure compliance with obligations under broadcaster agreement.
Ensure that Health and Safety is involved in production planning process as appropriate.
Oversee all operational functions at Boundless West office in High Wycombe, including the smooth running and financial reporting and forecasting of the regional post production facility, headed by the Edit Facility Manager.
Working closely with Facilities Management to ensure all the space requirements are forecast and met to support the smooth running of Boundless productions within Fremantle's offices.


Programme Management

To balance editorial aims and delivery requirements with financial and resource constraints through effective planning, monitoring and control of the production portfolio.
Seek to continually provide increased margin by reviewing production processes and shaping and implementing improved ways of working.
Ensure that set up and close down of productions is managed effectively including from a regional base if required.
Ensure compliance on all programmes with broadcaster guidelines and other regulations, liaising where appropriate with Legal and Business Affairs, senior editorial staff and broadcaster compliance departments.
Promote understanding of and ensure effective compliance on all productions in line with Fremantle best practice and industry terms of trade.
Recruiting and managing staff.
Assist in sourcing the appropriate freelance workers for programmes and development (in liaison with Fremantle Talent Management and HR).
Ensure that all the required individuals are in place for productions and properly contracted.
Management of Production Execs/Line Producers/Production Managers on each programme including specific line management of Fremantle UK Post Production Supervisor (in conjunction with other UK HoPs) and Boundless West Edit Facility Manager. Work in conjunction with HR Department as required.
Participating and collaborating on corporate initiatives at Fremantle, specifically those to encourage production best practice and knowledge sharing with other Heads of Production across all global territories.
Liaise with and seek support/guidance as appropriate from Director of Production, UK Unscripted as required on any production related matters.


Financial Control

Work towards meeting and exceeding the department's annual financial targets.
Work to department objectives, to formulate viable, strategic production plans to inform staff and resource requirements, local business plans and financial forecast requirements.
Ensure timely provision of accurate expenditure forecasts and progress reports, establishing and setting cost/forecasting priorities with the production team to enable cost/schedule risks to be identified and managed effectively.
Seek to take advantage of the combined spending power of productions and working to local policy and agreements to manage the negotiation and delivery of best value contracts with internal/external suppliers.
To monitor and control productions through to post delivery, ensuring that production teams adhere to agreed budgets, times and delivery dates
With the production finance manager deliver monthly cost to complete on a programme by programme basis to Director of Finance and Managing Director, Boundless.
To challenge actual or potential risks and to work with the production team to drive efficiencies, resolve cost/schedule issues and keep costs to a minimum.
To maintain effective financial control of the production portfolio including authorising production spend within financial authority limits and ensuring that the production team understand their own delegated limits and work within them.
Work with the Managing Director, COO and Finance Director on related financial issues such as deficit funding, ancillary rights, distribution potential etc.


Communicating within the Company

Be available to update other production execs and operational management about programmes and development within the divisions as appropriate.
Act as a central point of contact for progress on programmes.


New Business

Help develop and nurture relationships with new presenters, performers channels and brand partnerships.
Keep up to date with new technology and programming opportunities that such presents.


Core Experience

Worked as a Production Executive managing multiple projects.
Financial planning experience.
Senior Management experience.
Experience with Post Production.


Skills

Strong communication skills with internal teams, broadcasters and suppliers
Collaborative across company and programme teams
Strong commercial awareness
Business acumen
Client minded
Focused on results
Planning and organising of multiple projects
Ability to manage processes
Managing others
Networking with strong industry contacts
Flexible
Pro-active Problem Solver