Acquisitions Officer II; Documentary Programming

Acquisitions Officer II (Documentary Programming)

Job Category
:
Acquisitions

Requisition Number
: ACQUI
002201

• Full-Time
• On-site

Toronto, ON, CAN

Position Title: Acquisitions Officer II (Documentary Programming)

Employment Type: Full-time Staff | Union

Salary range: $80,125.52 - $87,918.29

Division: Media

Reports To: Commissioning Editor, Documentaries

Reason for Vacancy: Existing Vacancy

TVO Media Education Group (TVO) is a social impact organization devoted to inspiring learning that changes lives and enriches communities. We are an internationally recognized digital learning organization that strives to engage, inform, and educate Ontarians of all ages.

TVO is an agency of the Ontario Ministry of Education and a registered charity funded primarily by the Province of Ontario and supported by thousands of sponsors and donors. Through our brands, TVO Kids, TVO Today, TVO ILC and TVO Learn, we provide multi-platform educational programming; groundbreaking original documentaries; in-depth public affairs content; the largest online secondary school in Ontario; and award-winning digital‑learning resources that support Ontario’s curriculum.

This position will be responsible for the acquisition of TVO’s documentary programming as well as scheduling and content executive duties. The documentary programmers work closely with the programming team to deliver on our content strategy and shape our primetime schedule. This involves sourcing high quality unscripted programming. The Programmer will also be assigned TVO commissioned films and series to oversee editorially.

We are looking for an experienced programming professional with a background in documentary content for broadcast and digital platforms. We are excited to meet with candidates who have excellent storytelling instincts and an understanding of current content trends.

• Source content from a range of distributors and independent producers that fit the TVO mandate, meet diversity goals, adhere to the content blueprint, and meet scheduling needs for all TVO platforms.
• Screen and evaluate potential acquisitions, pre‑buys and co‑productions for broadcast and/or streaming readiness and adherence to content standards.
• Develop and implement programming strands and schedule content on broadcast and digital platforms.
• Establish and maintain relationships with distributors, independent producers, sales representatives, agents and other media representatives to keep abreast of new developments in the changing media marketplace.
• Provide editorial feedback on TVO Originals during various stages of development and production— including but not limited to casting, scripts, rough cuts, fine cuts, all asset deliverables.
• Liaise with producers throughout productions to ensure programs deliver on the creative intent.
• Feed into team submissions review meetings by providing constructive feedback on project proposals.
• Advise Business Affairs on parameters for negotiation of content.
• Contribute to scheduling and promotion planning by recommending suitable programs.
• Curate content and manage and exploit inventory to maximize value.
• Secure best programming value within allocated budget.
• Create content schedules and maintain accurate inventory reports.
• Provide metadata and texts that are search engine optimized (SEO).

• Direct the editing of acquired content as required.
• Perform other directly related duties.

• 5 years or more experience in a television / film programming or production environment.
• Solid understanding of the independent production industry.
• Robust networking skills and established relationships with both distributors and producers.
• Experience assessing projects at all stages of production.
• Strong storytelling instincts.
• Direct experience in unscripted programming.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and ability to learn new database software.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with various external stakeholders.
• University or college education with a focus on…