Playout Planning Assistant

London, GB, W1A 1AA
- BBC PUBLIC SERVICE B'CAST
- Job Closing Date: 12/05/2025

**THE ROLE**:
**Package Description**:
**Job Reference**: 23361

**Band**: B

**Salary**:£25,400 - £30,550 plus London Weighting, depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

**Contract type**: 5 month attachment/FTC

**Excellent career progression** - the BBC offers great opportunities for employees to seek new challenges and work in different areas of the organisation.

**Unrivalled training and development opportunities** - our in-house Academy hosts a wide range of internal and external courses and certification.

If they are unsure which contract they are on, they can speak to their booker or the HR BP, however if it helps - both a PAYE freelance or Modus Gross contract is considered a Worker contract and covered by the Worker terms found here.

**Job Introduction**:
The BBC News Scheduling & Planning team support the channels by planning and creating the most competitive and imaginative Programme & Playout schedules to deliver the individual channel and overall Television News strategies. This role is responsible for planning & coordinating one or more of the BBC television News channels. The role is responsible for ensuring that all planning aspects of the Playout schedule have been editorially and operationally approved and to liaise with other business areas to resolve issues and ensure Playout Planning delivers an accurate and transmission ready schedule.

**Main Responsibilities**:

- To process and check all programme and junction data required for the final transmission schedule as required, liaising closely with the Playout Programme Planners to ensure the accuracy of the schedule.
- To act as a first point of enquiry for the Playout Planning Unit.
- To use discretion to identify and resolve first line issues, referring to supervisor/manager for assistance as necessary.
- To liaise with Marketing and Programme Commissioning teams to organise continuity record lists whilst maintaining accurate and easily locatable data in What’sON scheduling system.
- To prepare forward schedules well in advance of transmission by templating slots and adding interstitial items. Adjusting and revising when necessary.
- To ensure smooth running of the playout planning process for their respective channel and develop new processes as required. To act on all reports of playout planning issues with transmitted schedules, to examine causes and to progress solutions with business areas and the channel.
- To maintain good working relationships with internal and external data & media suppliers..
- To be aware of the impact of changes to programme/junction elements in the schedule and their effect on billed times guidelines.
- To provide clerical and administrative assistance for the Playout Programme Planner.
- To establish, maintain and develop as appropriate, efficient administration systems and processes, to ensure the smooth running of the department at all times.
- To be aware of and operate within the relevant policies and BBC Editorial Policy guidelines.
- To build and maintain good relationships with scheduling teams, developing an in-depth understanding of their roles and challenges and supporting them as required
- A good understanding of the structure of transmission schedules, the significance of programme detail, junction points, commercial breaks, opt-out points and the requirements of associated systems.
- Previous experience of Media Planning and\or Presentation Planning would be an advantage.
- Good working knowledge of the commissioning, presentation planning and scheduling processes.
- Good IT Skills, and experience of Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) with experience of using scheduling broadcast systems, (MediaGenix WhatsOn or equivalent would be an advantage)
- An eye for detail, able to manage large volumes of information and data, demonstrating an understanding of the importance of data quality and accuracy.
- An interest in television News channels & current affairs programming and a keen appreciation of the changeable nature of a live news schedule.
- Interpersonal and communication skills sufficient to establish and maintain effective relations with a wide range of internal and external contacts.
- Experience of working effectively in an administrative team, preferably a television scheduling, interactive or marketing environment, with an understanding of the potential impact on transmission schedules of financial, delivery and planning changes.
- Multi-project and time management, planning and prioritising skills and the ability to meet fixed deadlines under pressure.

**About the BBC**:
We don’t focus simply on what we do - we also care how we do it. Our values and the way we behave are important to us. Please make sure you’ve read about our values and behaviours here.

Diversity matters at the BBC. We