At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead HR strategy and foster a thriving workplace culture at BBC Studios.
- Company: Join BBC Studios, a global leader in media and creativity with a diverse workforce.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, competitive salary, and extensive training opportunities.
- Why this job: Be part of a visionary team shaping the future of talent management in a renowned organization.
- Qualifications: Proven HR leadership experience with strong communication and commercial acumen required.
- Other info: Diversity and inclusion are core values; all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 100000 £ per year.
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Package Description & How To Apply
Band: Senior Leader
Contract type: 1 x continuing (permanent) role
Location: London
Important – Application Process
The BBC has engaged an executive search firm, Egon Zehnder, to manage the selection process for this role. Please be aware that your application will be managed by Egon Zehnder, who will have access to your CV and personal details for the purpose of this vacancy only.
Should you want any further information about the role, please contact the team at Egon Zehnder at the following email address:
Job Introduction
Are you a visionary HR leader with a passion for nurturing talent? BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC, is seeking a dynamic and strategic Human Resources Director to lead its HR function.
BBC Studios is a growing commercial business with £1.9bn in revenue and around 3,500 – 7,000 (including freelance) employees worldwide. A world-renowned content studio and media and streaming business – powered by British creativity, with a reach that touches audiences in every corner of the globe.
As the BBC Studios HR Director, you will have responsibility for a global HR team within commercial subsidiaries of the BBC, and lead and foster a best-in-class people function, ensuring optimal HR processes are well executed across talent acquisition and management, succession, reward, employee engagement, employee relations, learning and development, and diversity and inclusion. You will lead the global strategic people agenda across multiple commercial lines of business and markets / regions, to help deliver the BBC’s commercial goals with a particular focus on growth and ensuring that our diverse and talented workforce thrives.
Main Responsibilities
Key responsibilities will include:
People Strategy
- Act as a strategic partner to the CEO, Commercial Executive Committee(s), Commercial Board and BBC Chief People Officer to shape and develop HR strategy, initiatives, policies and processes delivering commercial growth through world class organisation culture and employee engagement.
- Lead the development and delivery of the BBC Studios HR strategy grounded in the operational context and business objectives.
Business Partnering
- Manage the relationship between the business and HR to ensure that there is a mutual understanding of needs, challenges and business plan objectives.
- Keep up to date with external trends and best practice, sharing knowledge and best practice with colleagues.
- Represent BBC Studios as needed at BBC Group Committees, and externally.
- Act as the conduit to effective communication and influence down the management hierarchy. Communicate frequently and personally through uncertainty.
Talent Development and Performance Management
- Provide professional HR leadership and support to optimise, diverse critical talent attraction and retention, and support career development.
- Improve onboarding, training, and development practices to support and grow talent at all levels.
- Ensure teams feel supported and receive timely, honest and regular feedback via the MyConversation process.
Compensation and Rewards
In conjunction with Group Reward Director:
- Ensure data-driven, fair, and competitive compensation practices. Lead a structured annual compensation planning process with proper governance.
- Ensure appropriate rewards for performance, attracting and retaining talent.
Compliance
- Ensure that HR policies and processes are fully communicated, understood and complied with and that all HR-related activity is legally compliant.
- Develop/manage relationships with recognised trade unions, employee representation groups, other external partners/professional organisations and networks.
- Act as a point of escalation for issues that cannot be resolved by the wider HR team, including disciplinary, grievance and dismissal processes to ensure compliance with legal requirements and BBC values.
HR Operations
- Develop HR analytics capability to deliver evidence-based people insights and research. Use this to develop and implement innovative people solutions that directly support the organisation to deliver its objectives.
- Accurate and timely mandatory reporting.
- Manage the HR budget and prudently control resources within that budget so that financial targets are met.
Culture and Employee Engagement
- Integrate BBC Values throughout the employee lifecycle.
- Build on reputation as a great place to work, further enhance the company brand and employee value proposition.
- Reinforce principles of accountability, integrity, and teamwork, shifting the mindset towards collective success.
- Create a culture and environment for teams to test, develop and innovate ideas, taking smart risks as appropriate.
- Champion employee engagement at all levels, increasing satisfaction, wellbeing and reducing unwanted turnover of top talent.
Diversity and Inclusion
- Contribute to the wider development and leadership of BBC Studios, promoting and championing inclusion, collaboration, creativity, diversity and engagement.
- Ensure inclusivity and fairness in how we hire, manage, grow, celebrate and reward talent and everyone in the team feels equally and fairly treated.
Are You The Right Candidate?
The ideal candidate will have demonstrable experience in leading an HR organisation of scale and complexity and be an excellent communicator, with exceptional commercial acumen, and the emotional intelligence to operate successfully within a politically sensitive environment. In particular, they will evidence the following key skills and experience:
- Deep Human Resources experience, knowledge and insight including current trends and future developments and their contribution to business success.
- Experience working for an organisation with a large and diverse employee base, including significant UK presence.
- A proven track record of operating as part of a senior leadership team, across a global base.
- International and intercultural experience.
- Track record of leading and implementing change.
- Adept at managing numerous, senior and executive level stakeholders, often operating under tight timescales and managing numerous competing priorities.
- An inspiring communicator, required to influence beliefs and opinions of stakeholders and teams with emotional intelligence, empathy and understanding, and able to establish effective and collaborative relations across BBC departments, and external agencies/stakeholders where required.
- Extensive experience in managing significant budgets and understanding key financial drivers.
- Ability and resilience to operate in a politically sensitive environment open to public scrutiny.
About The BBC
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 – the BBC offers great opportunities for employees to seek new challenges and work in different areas of the organisation.
- Unrivalled training and development opportunities – 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 pension scheme and discounted dental, health care, gym and much more.
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 visit
HR Director, BBC Studios employer: ENGINEERINGUK
Contact Detail:
ENGINEERINGUK Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land HR Director, BBC Studios
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarize yourself with the BBC's values and culture. As an HR Director, you'll need to embody and promote these values within the organization. Understanding how the BBC operates will help you align your strategies with their goals.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of BBC Studios. Engaging with them can provide you with insights into the company’s HR practices and challenges, which can be invaluable during discussions with the executive search firm.
✨Tip Number 3
Stay updated on the latest trends in HR, especially those relevant to large organizations. Being able to discuss contemporary issues and solutions will demonstrate your expertise and readiness to lead the HR function at BBC Studios.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss your experience with diversity and inclusion initiatives. Given the emphasis on these areas in the job description, showcasing your past successes in fostering an inclusive workplace will set you apart from other candidates.
We think you need these skills to ace HR Director, BBC Studios
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities and expectations of the HR Director position at BBC Studios. Tailor your application to highlight how your experience aligns with their needs.
Highlight Relevant Experience: In your CV and cover letter, emphasize your experience in leading HR organizations, particularly in complex environments. Showcase your ability to manage diverse teams and your track record in talent development and performance management.
Demonstrate Strategic Thinking: Illustrate your strategic approach to HR by providing examples of how you've shaped HR policies and initiatives that contributed to business growth. Mention any experience you have in working closely with senior leadership teams.
Showcase Communication Skills: As an HR leader, effective communication is key. Use your application to demonstrate your ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels. Provide examples of how you've successfully navigated politically sensitive situations.
How to prepare for a job interview at ENGINEERINGUK
✨Understand the BBC's Values
Familiarize yourself with the BBC's core values and how they integrate into the workplace culture. Be prepared to discuss how you can embody these values in your role as HR Director, especially in promoting diversity and inclusion.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Vision
Prepare to articulate your vision for the HR function at BBC Studios. Highlight your experience in developing HR strategies that align with business objectives and demonstrate how you can drive commercial growth through effective people management.
✨Demonstrate Emotional Intelligence
As an HR leader, emotional intelligence is crucial. Be ready to provide examples of how you've successfully navigated politically sensitive environments and managed relationships with diverse stakeholders, showcasing your ability to influence and communicate effectively.
✨Highlight Your Change Management Experience
Discuss your track record in leading and implementing change within large organizations. Provide specific examples of challenges you've faced and how you overcame them, emphasizing your resilience and adaptability in dynamic environments.