Principal Technical Operator

JOB DETAILS

JOB BAND: D Principal Technical Operator (Shoot /Edit)
CONTRACT TYPE: Attachment - Ending January 2027
DEPARTMENT: Media Operations, Birmingham 
LOCATION: BBC Birmingham, The Mailbox
PROPOSED SALARY RANGE: Up to £45k depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Operations Team in Birmingham provide technical services to our daily news output. This includes Midlands Today, Politics Midlands and our Online and Audio offerings in the West Midlands.
We are looking for a Principal Technical Operator as part of our multi skilled team. We provide location shoot/edit crewing, media management, varied studio operations and Satellite truck operations.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM:

Our team in the West Midlands serves diverse audiences spread across the heart of the country. We have nationally important stories to tell and also get into the lives of our smaller communities both in our urban centres and rural areas.
As a member of Media Operations you’ll be part of a national family of technical staff. You’ll be supported by experienced staff and encouraged to fulfil your potential and continually learn new things. Our award winning team is quite small, so we expect a high degree of personal responsibility, which for some can seem daunting, but is really rewarding.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:
- You will have a high level of location filming, lighting and quick turn round editing, working in every imaginable environment, producing on the day filmed packages and live broadcasts.
- You will staff Outside Broadcasts using bonded cellular equipment or working with a satellite truck.
- You will have at least one other technical skill alongside your camerawork.
- You will work days, lates and weekends, your base will be BBC Birmingham.
- You will be able to demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills and a high level of personal responsibility.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Proficiency in camera operation, lighting, and visual composition across a wide range of locations, often under tight production deadlines.


• Ability to capture high‑quality audio using equipment appropriate to varied environments and editorial needs.


• Experience in crafting engaging, editorially sound video content that aligns with the style and standards of Midlands Today.


• Working knowledge of conducting and applying Risk Assessments in production settings.


• Strong understanding of target audiences and the ability to tailor content accordingly.

DESIRED BUT NOT REQUIRED:
- Media Management
- Live Sound Mixing
- Vision Mixing

If you can bring some of these skills and experience, along with transferable strengths, we’d love to hear from you and encourage you to apply.

Before your start date, you may need to disclose any unspent convictions or police charges, in line with our Contracts of Employment policy. This allows us to discuss any support you may need and assess any risks. Failure to disclose may result in the withdrawal of your offer.