Head of Unscripted Development in London

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Role Purpose: To lead Wall to Wall’s unscripted development team. To generate, develop and help secure commissions for commercially ambitious programmes in the UK and US, with a strong focus on returning series. To manage and inspire the development team, ensuring they are able to do their best work and deliver a strong pipeline of ideas. To work closely with the Creative Director UK and Creative Director International to build and deliver Wall to Wall’s UK and US unscripted strategy and a slate of new programmes. To manage a significant annual development budget.

Your New Role: Wall to Wall is looking for an exceptional Head of Unscripted Development to lead the company’s day‑to‑day development operation across the entire range of non‑scripted genres – with a focus on returnable factual and entertainment formats. Wall to Wall is known for delivering elevated storytelling with mass appeal and is behind a range of long running unscripted brands. We are creatively respected by broadcasters and critics, while also having a track record in producing returning mainstream hits. We develop and make programmes for a broad range of platforms and broadcasters in both the UK and US. The Head of Unscripted Development is an exciting new creative role at the heart of the company. Working to the Creative Director UK and Creative Director International, the role will be responsible for managing a sizeable team of developers, driving ideas generation and ensuring a consistent flow of high‑quality ideas into the UK, US and global streamer market. The successful candidate will play a central role in identifying opportunities, responding to commissioning priorities and helping shape Wall to Wall’s future. You will be expected to combine strong editorial instincts with excellent organisational and leadership skills, overseeing projects from initial concept through to pitch and greenlight stage. The role requires someone highly collaborative, commercially aware and deeply connected to the unscripted market – someone capable of motivating teams, nurturing talent and developing ambitious, ideally returnable ideas with broad appeal.

Key Internal Relationships:

• Managing Director
• Creative Director UK
• Creative Director International
• Unscripted development team (approx. six people)
• In‑house Executive Producers
• Director of Production and Production Executives
• WBITVP Formats and Sales teams

Key External Relationships:

• A wide range of commissioners across UK and US broadcasters and streamers
• On‑screen talent and agents
• Freelance development execs, producers, APs and other potential development talent

Your Role Accountabilities:

• Lead and manage Wall to Wall’s unscripted development team
• Build and maintain a strong slate of unscripted shows across all genres but with a focus on returnable, scalable formats
• Generate original ideas and support the wider team in developing sellable projects
• Work closely with the Creative Directors to identify strategic priorities and development opportunities
• Manage development workflows, ensuring projects move efficiently through the pipeline
• Oversee the preparation of pitch materials, decks, sizzles and written proposals
• Track commissioning trends and broadcaster priorities across UK and US markets
• Help package projects with talent, access and editorial hooks that increase competitiveness
• Work with in‑house Production Execs and Production Managers to create development budgets
• Build and maintain strong relationships with commissioners, agents, talent and freelance creatives
• Identify and nurture emerging development talent
• Support Executive Producers in developing new ideas and spin‑offs of existing brands
• Champion Wall to Wall’s inclusivity and diversity priorities

Qualifications and Experience:

• Strong and demonstrable track record in unscripted television development across a range of genres – from specialist factual, history and documentary, through factual entertainment, competition, reality and studio shows
• Proven success in developing shows to greenlight across this broad range of genres
• Excellent understanding of the UK commissioning landscape, the US commissioning landscape and the global streaming market
• Strong editorial judgement and highly developed creative instincts
• Experience managing development teams and multiple simultaneous projects
• Excellent communication and pitching skills
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Strong existing relationships with commissioners in both the UK and US, and with talent and agents
• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to motivate and support teams
• Passion for unscripted storytelling and format creation
• Ability to thrive and energise teams within a fast‑paced and evolving creative environment

This is a full‑time role, based in the London office for a minimum of three days a week. Hybrid Working – This role is advertised as a hybrid work model, that combines remote and in‑office work, following our current company policy and to be agreed with your line manager. Subject to any applicable laws, WBD / your line manager reserves the right to change this working agreement where this is essential to business needs and upon reasonable notice to you.

Championing Inclusion at WBD: Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects a wide array of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, disability or any other category protected by law. If you’re a qualified candidate with a disability and you require adjustments or accommodations during the job application and/or recruitment process, please visit our accessibility page for instructions to submit your request.