Digital Development Producer, Comedy

JOB DETAILS

JOB TITLE: Digital Development Producer, Comedy

JOB BAND: D

CONTRACT TYPE: 12 months Fixed Term Contract

DEPARTMENT: Scripted Digital

LOCATION: London Television Centre

PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: £42,000 - £52,000 + London Weighting at £5441

Salary 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 born of the BBC. We make and distribute some of 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

Following the launch of BBC Studios’ Scripted Digital label, we’re looking for an experienced Digital Development Producer, Comedy to find, shape, develop and pitch bold, scripted comedy ideas for digital audiences. You’ll work across original IP, new formats and opportunities around existing BBC Studios content and talent, taking projects from initial idea through development to pitch.

You’ll bring excellent comedy and editorial judgement, strong relationships with writers, performers and creators, a deep understanding of the digital landscape and established digital commissioner relationships. You’ll identify digital-native comedy creators, spotting emerging talent, developing repeatable social-first formats opportunities, shaping ideas specifically for digital platforms and audiences.

Alongside this core development remit, you’ll be comfortable developing, testing and managing projects through production as required, testing short-form comedy concepts and exploring how ideas can work across different digital formats and platforms.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

BBC Studios has a rich history of creating distinctive comedy and working with some of the UK’s most exciting writers, performers and creative talent. As audiences increasingly discover and share comedy across multiple platforms, there are new opportunities to find fresh voices, develop original formats and create comedy specifically for digital audiences.

This role presents an exciting opportunity to help shape the next generation of scripted comedy. You’ll develop original ideas and opportunities around existing IP and talent, identify emerging writers and creators, and explore short-form, social-first, vertical and platform-native storytelling, helping BBC Studios find new ways to make audiences laugh.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT

• Originate and develop bold digital-first comedy ideas, spanning new scripted IP, formats and opportunities around existing BBC Studios content and talent, including spin-offs and short-form concepts.

• Take projects from initial concept through development towards pitch or commission, creating compelling treatments, pitches and development materials tailored to different platforms and commissioners.

• Identify and build relationships with established and emerging comedy writers, performers, creators and digital talent, championing distinctive and inclusive voices that reflect the breadth of our audiences.

• Build strong relationships with digital commissioners, buyers and platforms, understanding their audiences and creative priorities and identifying new opportunities.

• Spot emerging comedy formats, audience behaviours and creative trends across short-form, vertical, social-first and platform-native content, developing and testing ideas for digital audiences. Use audience insight, platform analytics and performance data to shape creative decisions, refine content strategies and optimise performance across platforms.

• Collaborate with editorial, production and creative teams to turn strong ideas into deliverable propositions, ensuring projects meet relevant editorial, legal, copyright and compliance requirements. Identify opportunities to extend the reach and commercial value of scripted IP through digital distribution, platform partnerships, monetisation and new formats.

• Contribute to the management and growth of BBC Studios’ scripted social channels by creating and delivering digital content strategies that build audiences, strengthen engagement and maximise the impact of scripted IP.

• Produce and oversee short-form digital content, pilots and proof-of-concept projects, working with creative and production teams from initial development through to delivery.

• Work closely with BBC Studios' production teams and digital stakeholders to identify opportunities around existing and upcoming productions, ensuring digital activity supports wider brand and business objectives.

Requirements

• Proven experience of scripted comedy development, originating and shaping stories, characters, formats and ideas from initial concept through development to pitch, greenlight or commission.

• Expert knowledge of the digital landscape and how scripted comedy storytelling and audience behaviour differ across broadcast, short-form, social-first, vertical and platform-native content, including platforms, commissioners and emerging trends.

• Experience of developing and producing scripted comedy content for digital audiences, including pilots, short-form, social-first, vertical and/or platform-native content, with experience working with writers, cast and production teams to deliver creative ambitions within production, budget and schedule requirements.

• Strong writing and script-editing skills, with a track record of generating and developing comedy ideas and a good understanding of the comedy production lifecycle.

• Strong knowledge and established relationships across the digital comedy space, including commissioners, writers, creators and emerging talent, with an awareness of market and audience trends and new creative opportunities

• Proven experience of managing and growing social media channels, including content strategy, publishing, audience engagement and performance analysis across platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

• Strong understanding of social platform analytics and audience insights, with experience using data to inform content development, optimise performance and drive audience growth.

• Experience of producing and delivering digital-first content, from initial idea through to publication, working within budgets, schedules and platform requirements.

NON-ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

While not essential, we are particularly interested in those with experience in one or more of the following:

• Digital extensions or spin-offs from established comedy IP

• Original YouTube or platform-native comedy

• Short-form scripted comedy or sketches

• Vertical or mobile-first comedy

• Social-first comedy storytelling

• Creator-led scripted comedy commissioned specifically for digital audiences