Senior Scheduling Planner

JOB DETAILS

Job Band: E
Contract Type: Full Time Attachment/Fixed Term Contract Until March 2027
Department: BBC Children’s & Education
Location: Salford – Hybrid
Proposed Salary Range: £60,000 - £74,000 depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

We're happy to discuss flexible working. If you'd like to, please indicate your preference in the application – though there's no obligation to do so now. Flexible working will be part of the discussion at offer stage.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

BBC Children’s & Education is looking for a fixed-term Senior Planning Manager to play a critical role in shaping and delivering our digital-first commissioning ambitions.
This is a high-impact role at the centre of planning, rights, and digital distribution—supporting how world-class children’s content reaches audiences in a fast-evolving media landscape.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM
The BBC is the leading Children's broadcaster in the UK, reaching millions of kids aged 0-12 each week with some of the biggest and best-loved global brands; from pre-school animations like Hey Duggee and Bluey, to stand-out dramas The Next Step and Jamie Johnson FC and award-winning Factual Entertainment like Operation Ouch! and Horrible Histories. 

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT: 

• Translate the department’s strategy into detailed digital-first commissioning plans and slates, ensuring alignment with editorial priorities and platform needs.


• Manage the digital-first commissioning slate and associated budgets, including forecasting, tracking and financial reporting.


• Lead the set-up of a digital-first commissioning framework, including submissions and rights models.


• Define and oversee YouTube scheduling strategy, working with Senior Channel Managers to deliver publishing plans.


• Drive and implement windowing strategies across platforms in collaboration with senior stakeholders, ensuring content performance against competitors.


• Own and manage the holdback release process and tracking across all content (catalogue and new commissions), working closely with Rights, Business Affairs and partners.


• Build and manage international co-production relationships with global public broadcasters and children’s content partners.


• Lead significant cross-functional projects within the team.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE 
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA 

• Strong experience managing complex commissioning plans, budgets and financial reporting in a digital video environment.


• A deep understanding of children’s content commissioning, rights management and distribution across digital and linear platforms.


• Knowledge of windowing strategies, platforms and audience behaviour for children’s content.


• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at senior levels across editorial, commercial and operational teams.


• A strategic mindset, balancing long-term planning with day-to-day delivery and operational detail.

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

• Knowledge and experience working with YouTube, including platform functionality and optimisation strategies.