Head of Development - Whisper North

We are looking for an experienced Head of Development to join our team in Whisper North and take responsibility for driving development across entertainment and factual entertainment formats.

Whisper is a leading global production company, specialising in sports, unscripted and branded entertainment.

Our diverse team of over 270 work in offices across the UK and beyond, producing sports such as Formula One, UEFA and The Paralympics, as well as branded content, prime-time documentaries and entertainment quiz shows for a raft of broadcasters.

In 2023 Whisper won a BAFTA and was nominated for an International EMMY.

It's co-owned by Sony Pictures Television and is a seven-times Broadcast Best Places to Work.

The position would suit a Head of Development who is self-motivated and creative with a desire to develop brilliant original content.

Must have a proven track record of developing successful formats and winning commissions across various networks.

Must have established relationships in the industry with commissioners at streamers and broadcasters.

Must have experience working with a range of different funding models, including brand funding.

Key Responsibilities:

To drive development of Whisper North’s slate – across entertainment, factual entertainment and reality formats
Lead a collaborative development culture working closely with the Managing Director and Head of Production to bring ambitious, globally relevant formats to life
Work on a range of different funding models and actively seek out brand-funded opportunities
Ensure the development slate remains responsive to cultural, audience, and platform trends.
Build and deliver creative, engaging pitch decks in a variety of styles and tones to sell ideas and meet briefs
Demonstrate a good level of technical competency, including Keynote, Photoshop and InDesign.

Please note that responsibilities may be amended, added to, or removed to reflect the changing needs of the production or organisation.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience:

5+ years of experience of working at a senior level in development teams
Proven track record of developing, packaging and producing successful entertainment and factual entertainment content with broadcasters, streamers and distributors around the world
Reality programming experience desirable
Proven track record of gaining access to different companies and organisations.
Must have established relationships in the industry – streamers, broadcasters and production companies
Experience working with brands is desirable
Originality of thought, clear creative thinking, alongside practical understanding of how ideas can be formatted for production
First-class literacy and copywriting skills, with a real attention to detail
Background in producing network programmes, demonstrating a solid understanding and experience of production, along with relevant legal and compliance considerations
A real understanding of and passion for entertainment and factual entertainment formats
Capability in handling varied workloads, prioritising and delivering to deadlines, whilst reacting positively to changes and conflicts
Strong communication, collaboration, organisation and problem-solving skills.

Location:

The base for this position is Salford.

Working Days:

5 day week, x4 days in office and x1 day WFH
You will be expected to work with the team to plan a schedule based on production requirements
Lieu days will be given for any days worked over a five-day work week
Whisper offers the option of flexitime hours, subject to production requirements.

Start:

April 2026 on a 6-month FTC.

Salary:

Based on experience.

How to apply:

Please upload your CV and tell us in your own way why you are the right candidate for this role.

Closing date: 3rd April 2026.

Whisper is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, communities, and lived experiences. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and supported.