Head of Documentary - Film Director

Head of Documentary Department – Film Director

Wasl Channel

Role Overview

The Head of Documentary Department is a senior creative leadership role responsible for overseeing all documentary films and high-production video content at Wasl Channel. This role combines creative direction, strategic oversight, and hands-on execution, ensuring that all documentary and premium productions meet the highest storytelling and production standards.

The role leads the documentary department, manages a small creative team, and works closely with the Head of Production while operating independently from the Content Department.

Final creative decisions are made in alignment with the Channel Lead’s direction.

Key Responsibilities

Creative Direction & Vision

●      Define the creative vision, storytelling approach, and visual style for all documentary productions.

●      Decide on:

○      Narrative structure

○      Storytelling approach

○      Visual tone and direction

○      Duration and format of each film

●      Select the most appropriate style per topic (cinematic, realistic, investigative, etc.).

Documentary Production Oversight

●      Oversee the development and production of:

○      Short documentaries

○      Investigative documentaries

○      High-production content

○      Premium social media documentary formats

●      Manage multiple documentary projects simultaneously.

●      Ensure all outputs meet Wasl’s quality, ethical, and cultural standards.

Pre-Production Leadership

●      Lead idea development and concept refinement.

●      Review and guide research outcomes.

●      Develop and approve treatments, story outlines, and narrative angles.

●      Work closely with researchers to ensure depth, accuracy, and integrity.

Production & Direction

●      Direct selected projects personally when required.

●      Supervise and guide the Junior Director and other crews on parallel projects.

●      Provide clear creative direction to filming teams.

●      Be present on set when necessary and involved in critical production moments.

Post-Production & Editing

●      Review edits, narrative flow, pacing, and final structure.

●      Work closely with editors.

●      Personally edit projects when needed — this role is hands-on and not purely supervisory.

●      Ensure the final cut aligns with the approved vision and message.

Team Management

●      Lead and manage:

○      2 Researchers

○      1 Junior Director

●      Mentor and develop team members.

●      Assign tasks, review outputs, and ensure collaboration.

●      Participate in future hiring and team growth as the department expands.

Cross-Department Coordination

●      Act as the main point of contact between the Documentary Department and the Head of Production.

●      Align timelines, resources, and production plans.

●      Coordinate execution while maintaining creative independence from the Content Department.

Language & Content Scope

●      All productions are Arabic only.

●      Responsible for choosing the most suitable storytelling style per topic.

●      Ensure cultural sensitivity, accuracy, and community alignment.

Required Skills & Experience

●      Proven experience as a Film Director or Documentary Director.

●      Strong background in documentary storytelling and investigative formats.

●      Ability to lead creatively while remaining hands-on.

●      Strong editorial judgment and visual storytelling skills.

●      Experience managing creative teams.

●      Comfortable working on multiple high-pressure projects simultaneously.

●      Fluent in Arabic.

This Role Is Ideal For Someone Who

●      Can lead vision while executing details.

●      Is equally comfortable directing and editing.

●      Understands both cinematic quality and real-world storytelling.

●      Thrives in high-standard, fast-moving environments.

●      Can balance creative ambition with practical execution.

This Role Is NOT

●      A purely administrative or managerial role.

●      A traditional TV-only or non-hands-on director role.