Job description

FM caters for audiences who want to access and interact with BBC programmes and services through the internet. By bringing technology and design teams together to work in partnership with the BBC's editorial teams, we create products like BBC News Online and BBC iPlayer. The majority of FM staff work in engineering, design, product, distribution and business development. The working environment is fast-paced, creative and results-driven.

As a member of the Future Media Group Board (‘FMGB’), the COO provides operational leadership, acting as deputy to the Director of FM (as necessary) to ensure:

• 
  FM is running effectively and efficiently
  
• 
  Delivery of the commitments in the BBC Online Service Licence
  
• 
  Editorial strategy meets all BBC editorial standards and guidelines
  
• 
  Provision of specialist TV, Radio and Online support for interactive voting and engagement
  
• 
  Maintenance of an efficient and effective decision-making structure for FM, and where appropriate, across the BBC’s digital business units
  
• 
  BBC’s Executive Board, Finance Committee and the Trust are kept across the development and progress of the FM division and that suitable permissions are sort as and when necessary
  
• 
  FMGB and the Online Leadership Group (‘OLG’) are effective and efficient
  
• 
  Accurate business planning and prioritisation processes for FM and across the BBC’s digital businesses, including objective setting, annual planning, and performance reviews
  
• 
  Provision of objective analysis of business performance, highlighting key issues and problem areas as well as making appropriate recommendations for action
  

The COO leads one of 12 departments in FM, the Business Operations Department. The COO provides operational leadership across a number of domains, including: Editorial, ITACU, Governance or decision-making, Business internal communications, Business finance, Third party engagement, Business HR, Workplace, Workplace IT, Risk and business continuity, Health and Safety.

• 
  Lead the editorial teams FM’s products and services such as the BBC Homepage and the central moderation team
  
• 
  Play a leading role in ensuring the BBC’s wider editorial standards are updated to reflect the opportunities and risks afford by the internet
  
• 
  Ensure delivery against the Service Licences for BBC Online
  
• 
  Play a leading role in developing the culture across FM and across the BBC’s digital businesses based on
  
• 
  Be accountable for FM’s business plans, ensuring they are up-to-date, tested frequently and suitable budget is set aside to deliver on them
  
• 
  Ensure health and safety plans and arrangements are in place within FM and that they comply with legal and regulatory requirements
  
• 
  Oversee risk management for the FM. Delivering alignment across business planning, risk management, risk tracking, health & safety and business continuity
  
• 
  Ensure appropriate compliance reporting is put in place and is reviewed by the FMGB
  
• 
  Play a leading role in ensuring FM’s workplace, IT and accommodation is fit for purpose
  
• 
  Ensure FM teams are located appropriately to ensure synergies with other parts of the business
  
• 
  Work with colleagues across the BBC to ensure the strategy for BBC’s workplace and IT fits with FM’s ambitions
  

• 
  Ensure collective leadership and development of FM as a division, developing and running an integrated FM service for the whole BBC, greater than the sum of its parts – and built on a broadcast-quality platform fit for the BBC’s global ambitions
  
• 
  Lead and develop direct reports and the wider team, driving a collaborative, high performance team culture.
  
• 
  Keep abreast of industry trends, competitor activity & performance, and internal and external best practice, using analytical frameworks, strategic business models and tools to interpret and translate the results.
  
• 
  Drive efficiency and effectiveness in everything the BBC delivers to provide value for money for BBC licence fee payers.
  
• 
  Comply with all relevant BBC safety rules, procedures and guidelines, and be aware of responsibilities under the BBC safety policy.
  
• 
  Comply with the BBC’s policies on Diversity and to apply the principles of the policy when carrying out the role.
  
• 
  Contribute to making FM a fantastic place to work and to attract and motivate the best people.
  
• 
  There is a requirement for all staff to work flexibly across all media and genres. This includes contributing to ad hoc projects or providing longer term support in a different area. Any changes will be discussed with the individual concerned taking into account their interests and abilities
  

• 
  Breadth of experience of working within complex functions with extensive exposure to successfully managing conflicting priorities
  
• 
  Substantial experience of leading change projects at scale in a large and complex matrix environment.
  
• 
  Proven experience of establishing rapport, credibility and collaborative relationships with key stakeholders and regulatory bodies at all levels both internally and externally
  
• 
  A strategic thinker with experience of successfully influencing and directing strategic development in a complex stakeholder environment
  
• 
  Excellent understanding of audiences and FM, and how new technologies can deliver to audience needs and to the BBC’s wider aims and aspirations
  
• 
  Ability to lead, plan and thrive in an evolving and a fast-paced environment
  

• 
  Excellent communication and influencing skills, in particular the ability to distil complex ideas into clear reports and compelling presentations
  
• 
  Excellent quality of judgement, an understanding of ‘what’s important’ and the ability to facilitate key decisions quickly and clearly 
  
• 
  Ability to trade risks and benefits to achieve effective outcomes
  
• 
  Ability to ‘make things happen’ in an uncertain and increasingly complex world
  
• 
  Able to demonstrate a high level of political and business awareness, including dealing with information with a high degree of confidentiality
  
• 
  Sound judgement and the flexibility of thought and approach to produce effective results in a matrix environment
  
• 
  Familiarity of financial planning and establishing and monitoring KPIs at a senior level
  
• 
  Ability to lead large multi-disciplinary teams, developing talent and a high-performance culture
  
• 
  Able to demonstrate a high level of political and business awareness
  
• 
  Knowledge of the key principles underpinning the business, commissioning and administrative process of FM, News Group, TV and Radio
  
• 
  Passionate about the technological developments in digital media, and their potential to enrich the experience of audiences
  
• 
  Detailed understanding of wider industry developments and the ability to respond effectively to changes in audience needs, competitor strategy and the regulatory environment
  
• 
  Ability to remain confident and assured in difficult circumstances, proven resilience and stamina to sustain performance when under continuous pressure
  
• 
  Operationally proficient with evidence of ability to manage substantial budgets and complex processes involving multiple stakeholders
  

• 
  Contributes to and inspires brilliant results and output – in whatever area
  
• 
  Nurtures, grows and retains talent – a great coach
  

• 
  Gives regular, skilled feedback
  
• 
  Sets clear and stretching objectives, lines of authority and accountability for the team related to finance, budgets, people & time. Measures and reviews
  
• 
  Resourceful - makes the best use of skills, expertise and budgets
  
• 
  Takes action when the management basics are not delivered – how we manage people is as important as how we manage our output
  

• 
  Sets clear vision and direction for the team
  
• 
  Communicates the strategy in a simple, compelling way – conceives realistic plans linking strategy to activity, team and individual
  
• 
  Understands and anticipates the changing audiences, customers, technologies and competition and what needs to be delivered
  
• 
  Creates clarity when issues are ambiguous – making them tangible, logical and coherent
  
• 
  Consistently aligns words and actions with the agreed strategy and way forward
  
• 
  Thinks about what is right for the whole BBC rather than just own patch
  

• 
  Builds trust in the team, with colleagues and with the audience – through integrity and delivery of commitments
  
• 
  Seeks opportunities to share content across platforms and programmes to meet audience needs fast and flexibly
  
• 
  Collaborates, shares and seeks diverse opinions and ideas across the BBC
  

• 
  Makes exceptional things happen through resilience, pace and energy
  
• 
  Always delivers wherever possible
  
• 
  Makes difficult choices about priorities
  
• 
  Uses a range of influencing strategies appropriate to audience / situation
  
• 
  Positive about change and receptive to ideas, adapts to changing situation
  

• 
  TRUST is the foundation of the BBC, we are independent, impartial and honest
  
• 
  AUDIENCES are at the heart of everything we do
  
• 
  We take pride in delivering QUALITY and value for money
  
• 
  CREATIVITY is the lifeblood of our organisation We RESPECT each other and celebrate our diversity so that everyone can give their best
  
• 
  We are one BBC; great things happen when we WORK TOGETHER