Director of Development, Comedy, Scripted Content

Position Title:

Director of Development, Comedy, Scripted Content (English Services) (Hybrid)

Status of Employment:

Permanent

Position Language Requirement:

English

Language Skills:

English (First Official Language), English (Reading), English (Speaking), English (Writing)

Work at CBC/Radio-Canada

At CBC/Radio-Canada, we create content that informs, entertains and connects Canadians on multiple platforms. Our successes and accomplishments are driven by embodying and upholding values, which include creativity, integrity, inclusiveness and relevance. 
 
Do you think you have the ability and drive to keep up with this exciting, ever-changing industry? Whether it be in front of the camera, on air, online or behind the scenes, you would be joining a team that thrives on making connections and telling stories that are important to Canadians.

Unposting Date:

:59 PM

Your role:

This position is a pivotal creative role that works closely with and reports to the Executive Director (ED), Scripted Content to select, guide and shape development of scripted comedy at CBC. The Director of Development is responsible for driving high standards of quality, originality and diversity of the comedy development slate. It requires analysing relevant market data and audience consumer trends to achieve relevance and excellence.This is a senior level job that requires proactive engagement with the Independent Production community, the ability to manage and inspire a team and work effectively within a complex large organization. You will  drive collaboration and partnerships both internally and externally to help fulfil our creative ambitions. 

Key activities:

• Evaluates opportunities, pitches and proposals for new series and specials: their ability to draw wide audiences to our platforms; distinctiveness and diversity; their related cost factors; their potential creative risks and rewards.

• Oversees Development Executive, Comedy, and Development Manager, Scripted, in the assessment of competing proposals for development based on: comedic strengths; uniqueness; series design qualities; overall "doability" (producer, writers, cast, budget).

• Develops, with the Executive Director and the development team, new comedic series and specials from the concept proposal stage to final deliveries of scripts and series bibles ready for production.

• Advises on and contributes to project creative team building, including the selecting of writers and story editors and consultants for development projects. 

• Reviews and recommends development budgets for ED approval. Works closely with the CBC Business and Rights team.

•  Participates in greenlight preparation meetings and process and advises ED and General Manager, EFS, of the strengths and merits of various projects vis a vis suitability for order.

• Works closely with Director, Current Production, Comedy and Production Planning to ensure the smooth transfer of projects successfully greenlit into production. Participates collaboratively in key creative decisions and feedback after greenlight.

Incumbent will need strong industry relationships and a track record of successfully bringing ideas from early to completed development. Participates in pitch sessions, conferences, committee meetings, department planning meetings, workshops.  Represents the corporation as required on juries and panels. Gives or participates in workshops for film schools and seminars. Keeps abreast of all relevant competing network television programming, Canadian talent, and issues in culture, broadcasting and current affairs.

We are looking for a candidate with the following:

•  University degree or equivalent

• 10 years relevant experience.

• Strong knowledge and understanding of, and/or connection to Canada's regions and underrepresented communities.

• Cultural awareness and sensitivity.

• Senior level experience required in delivering written and verbal notes to shape, elevate and strengthen comedy series scripts and concepts – with sensitivity and clarity.

• Experience finding and developing new comedic voices, talent spotting

• High level development work – idea generation, knowledge on IP sourcing and creative team building.

• Managing and mentoring others

• Maintaining a deep network of professional relationships

• Production experience of high quality comedy series.

• Creative decision-making under rigorous timelines with multiple stakeholders, leading communication within groups of stakeholders.

Other knowledge required:

• Knowledge of Comedy Programming in Canada and around the world as well as films, books, etc.

• Canadian screenwriters and potential screenwriters (such as playwrights), actors, comedians, story editors, directors, producers, editors, etc.

• Network creative mandates and audience targets; in order to evaluate potential and ongoing projects.

• Network business parameters and practices: working with in-house departments in order to monitor cost related factors and possible legal issues in scripts (e.g. copyright issues, sponsorship).

• Canadian Television, Digital & Film industry; production companies and industry stakeholders; past and current Canadian television series, movies, short films; broadcast industry policy such as CRTC guidelines and CBC broadcast license requirements; some familiarity with funding issues such as tax credits, etc.

• Marketing and promotions techniques and campaigns.

• Experience speaking at public functions such as press conferences, professional juries and seminars, etc.

• Must be able to communicate effectively and diplomatically with a very wide range of individuals such as producers, writers, directors, bearing in mind the sensitivity of creative issues, especially in the rushed and often stressful environment of television production.

Candidates may be subject to skills and knowledge testing.
 

We thank all applicants for their interest, but only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

As part of our recruitment process, candidates who advance to the next

step will be asked to complete a background check. This includes:  

• A mandatory Criminal record check. 

• Other background checks may be conducted based on the operational requirements of the position.

CBC/Radio-Canada is committed to being a leader in reflecting our country's diversity. That's because we can only create and tell the stories that connect Canadians, by having a workforce that mirrors the ever-changing makeup of our country. That's why we, as an employer, value equal opportunity and nurture an inclusive workplace where our individual differences are not only recognized and valued, but also extend to and pervade all the services we provide as Canada's public broadcaster. For more information, visit the Diversity and Inclusion section of our website. If you have accommodation needs at this stage of the recruitment process, please inform us as soon as possible by sending an e-mail to
 
You are invited to consult and familiarize yourself with our Code of Conduct, which can be found on our corporate website. All employees must adhere to the Code as a condition of employment. We also invite you to take a look at our policy on conflicts of interest. In the event that you become an employee, it will be important to inform us, as quickly as possible, of any situation that, because of your hiring, constitutes or could appear to constitute a conflict of interest.

Primary Location:

Broadcast Centre 205 Wellington St. W., Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3G7

Number of Openings:

1

Work Schedule:

Full time

---