Junior Director, Bargain Hunt

Job Title: Junior Director, Bargain Hunt

Junior Director, Bargain Hunt

Job Closing Date: 2 November 2025

JOB BAND: C
CONTRACT TYPE: Fixed term - 6 months
DEPARTMENT: Global Entertainment
LOCATION: Cardiff

APPLICATION CLOSE: Sunday 2nd November 2025

INTERVIEWS: November 2025

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.

A globally renowned media company borne of the BBC. We make and distribute the world's most sought-after TV, audio and digital content.

Our ambition is to be the home of the most powerful, entertaining, and inspiring stories for people all around the world.

Bargain Hunt are looking for a talented Junior Director to join the team. This unique developmental opportunity is aimed at candidates wishing to move into their first Director position, this role will be particularly suited to experienced Assistant Producers or similar level /experience who are looking to move up to directing and take the next step in their career.

BBC1's flagship daytime antiques series Bargain Hunt has been one of the nation's favourite TV shows for more than 25 years, regularly attracting up to 2 million viewers. Working from their base in Cardiff, the production team makes 96 new episodes of the programme each year, including specials, filming with presenters, experts and contributors at antiques fairs and auctions across the UK.

With the support of the senior team, the Junior Director will be responsible for scripting and directing episodes within a series and taking them through the edit at our post-production facility.

You will work closely with the Series Producer and Series Editor to make several programmes simultaneously. You will have substantial experience of working on fast turnaround factual productions and must be able to demonstrate creative visual flair. A passion for antiques and history is highly desirable and the successful candidates will already have some experience of script writing and directing simple sequences for television.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:

Supported by the Series Producer and Series Editor you will learn to:

• Be the key creative responsible for the visual look and feel of several episodes.
• Help develop the programme from the commissioned proposal into full production, ensuring that it achieves its stated aims across all platforms.
• Motivate a directorial, research and production management team, ensuring that the vision for the series is communicated and understood. You will inspire the directorial and wider production team to realise this vision by providing a strong sense of direction and a supportive environment in which to work.
• Work within financial constraints so as to be accountable for the construction of a full production schedule.
• Be responsible for the choice, negotiation, control and co-ordination of required production facilities, technical resources and staff, to ensure that they possess appropriate qualifications, experience and safety expertise.
• Work in conjunction with the senior editorial staff to ensure all scripts are accurate and finalised.
• Ensure that on-screen content reflects the diversity of British society, and that ethnic and other groups are portrayed appropriately, in line with BBC Producer Guidelines.
• Be responsible for the delivery to the Executive Producer of the finished programme within all BBC editorial guidelines.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• An understanding of how TV programmes are edited and ideally, some experience in the edit.
• Strong writing skills and the ability to originate creative programme ideas
• Ability to locate and clear suitable archive to enhance the programme
• Knowledge of the BBC's output, that of its competitors and the specific needs of our audience.
• Good editorial judgement and knowledge of BBC editorial and legal guidelines.
• A good understanding of our audiences to ensure we accurately reflect all under-represented communities.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS:

• Substantial experience as an assistant producer or similar level /experience in factual television production, dealing with on-screen talent and contributors on busy location filming days.
• Able to demonstrate creative visual flair and you will have some experience of writing scripts and directing simple sequences for television.
• Understand how to use appropriate tools - cameras, filming techniques, archive etc to realise the editorial visions.
• Understand narrative and be able to create entertaining and factually accurate scripts and direct crew to achieve your vision.

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.

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.

BBC Group and Public Services, Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London, United Kingdom, W1A 1AA. BBC Studios Distribution Limited, company no: , registered address: 1 Television Centre, 101 Wood Lane, London, United Kingdom W12 7FA.