Senior Director, Content Development

Job Description

Senior Director, Content Development (Hybrid)

Department: Content

Corporate Area: PBS KIDS

Status: Full-time/Regular/Exempt

Supervisor: Vice President and Head of Content, PBS KIDS

Position Overview:

The Senior Director of Content Development is responsible for cultivating PBS KIDS' content pipelines across broadcast and digital channels. Working closely with the Vice President and Head of Content, the PBS KIDS Content Development team, and department leaders, the Senior Director sets, manages, and executes PBS KIDS' editorial priorities for curriculum-driven, half-hour multiplatform series; shorts series; specials; podcasts; and more.

The Senior Director is committed to developing projects that celebrate and give voice to the broad variety of children's lived experiences in the United States; he/she/they identify, nurture, and collaborate with creative and industry talent to achieve this goal. In essence, the incumbent leads a high-performing team who will shepherd projects in development through PBS KIDS' greenlighting and pilot processes, reviews and evaluates proposals and programs, provides editorial notes and guidelines through early stages of production, and works with content creators and producers to ensure that all PBS KIDS programs successfully serve the cognitive and developmental needs of children between the ages of 2 and 8.

Key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
• Grow and expand PBS KIDS' robust multi-platform content strategy by supporting high-performing properties, sourcing new talent across broadcast TV, streaming video, and games production, developing new and experimental approaches to content production, and considering new content types for emerging platforms (mobile devices, streaming platforms, and more).

• Support the Vice President of Content and collaborate with the Content leadership team to develop and execute multiplatform content strategies to advance the PBS KIDS mission to entertain, educate, and authentically represent all of America's children.

• Manage the team that provides editorial oversight of PBS KIDS content in development along with related movie specials, short-form videos, and podcasts.

• Contribute to the strategic vision and direction of PBS KIDS content, ensuring that existing development and production projects are in alignment with current and future initiatives, audience trends and emerging content platforms.

• Evaluate and greenlight multiplatform content, pitches, and proposals for new series.

• Work with producers, co-production partners, and distributors throughout development, production, post-production, and launch. Guide the development and production of a variety of PBS KIDS original, co-production and producer-led projects from concept to launch.

• Sustain ongoing relationships with external stakeholders and other strategic and funding partners.

• Develop and maintain strong relationships within the creative community; identifying and building partnerships with new producers/talent/writers toward the development of projects that appeal and are useful to children and the adults who care for them.

• Stay on top of children content releases in books, games, movies, podcasts and other platforms, constantly updating the landscape overview to the Content team and other internal stakeholders.

• Manage development and updates of PBS KIDS Content editorial policies.

• Represent PBS KIDS projects and priorities at industry events and in media appearances that elevate PBS KIDS as a thought leader in the education and digital media space.

• Contribute to overall strategic PBS KIDS Content development including the writing and issuing of Requests for Proposals and evaluation of grant or other funding opportunities that support and expand PBS KIDS educational mission.

• Find ways to operationalize our new approaches, fill content gaps, and meet performance metric goals on various PBS KIDS-owned and -distributed platforms.

• Review and provide editorial feedback in a timely manner to program producers on all stages of development and production on scripted series content, including short video.

• Adhere to, and be accountable for, all aspects of PBS's editorial, budgetary and production standards, as well as contractual and deliverable requirements for PBS KIDS content.

Requirements for success:
• 10+ years of experience in children's media programming, development, production, and acquisition.

• Respect for children, their interests, and their emerging understanding of the world around them.

• A clear understanding of the PBS KIDS mission and a passion for creating media that can support children's learning and development.

• Demonstrated track record of managing a team and coaching and developing staff.

• Deep familiarity with PBS KIDS' content library and knowledge of the children's media landscape, industry, and emerging media trends.

• Strong development and program creation track record of success.

• Strong writing skills encompassing grant requests, formal proposals or creative notes.

• Collaborative, empathetic leader and relationship builder; knows how to nurture and support people's creative ideas.

• Superior communication and interpersonal skills; diplomacy is a must.

• Excellent creative instincts and ability to provide constructive feedback.

• Must be comfortable working with multiple projects in numerous stages of development and completion, juggling a variety of tasks, and adjusting priorities on short notice, while consistently meeting production deadlines.

• Keen attention to detail.

• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-departmental teams.

• Responsible and flexible person who can perform effectively under stress.

• Goal- and deadline-oriented.

• Sound judgment and professional maturity.

• Knowledge of, or experience in, public media is a strong plus.

• Self-motivated with the ability to work both independently and within a team.

• Innovative, versatile, intuitive, and driven; mission oriented.

PBS is an Equal Opportunity Employer in accordance with the EEOC and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-dy9n2k-18-206-92-240-42 in your application.