In the new role, the candidate will head the broadcaster’s corporate and public affairs strategy and help defend the ever-increasing licence fee. The new hire will report directly to the director-general Tim Davie who took up the role last month, taking over from Lord Tony Hall. The new PR boss will use their position to build links with MPs to convince them of the importance of a reasonable and sustainable licence fee.
The public affairs role will be modelled on the position held by former Labour MP and minister, James Purnell, who served as Director of Strategy according to PR week.
Mr Purnell had served as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under Gordon Brown, and is now Director of Radio & Education at the BBC.
Mr Purnell held the role of Director of Strategy and Digital in 2013 prior to the licence fee negotiations with the Government.
Although the salary of this new position has not been confirmed, it qualifies as level nine pay grade.
BBC to hire new role (Image: GETTY)
New BBC chief Tim Davie (Image: GETTY)
During his time as Director of Strategy and Digital, Mr Purnell earnt £295,000 for the position.
As published on the BBC’s website, the senior adviser role is needed to provide a link between Parliament and the broadcaster.
Indeed, the BBC said: “Your role will undertake high level political and legislative projects on particular issues to support Public Affairs and to promote the BBC’s interests in the political arena.
“Lastly you will provide reactive and proactive research and advice on Political & Parliamentary issues, and take a senior role in identified communications projects as directed by the Head of Public Affairs.”
JUST IN: Brexit LIVE: Frost and Barnier agree on mini deals – EU desperate
The BBC has faced intense scrutiny (Image: GETTY)
Applications have now closed for the position ahead of an appointment in the coming months.
The new position is especially crucial as the licence fee will be negotiated with the Government next year.
Once negotiated, it will then be put in place in 2022 before a wide review of its Royal Charter in 2027.
From August 1, the BBC removed the free over-75 licence fee despite criticism from many many groups such as Age UK.
This means more than three million households will have started paying the £157.50 fee.
DON’T MISS
Australia has ‘started a war with China’ admits official [Latest]
South China Sea: Tensions erupt as Beijing issues orders to US [Update]
Iran ‘desperate’ for partnership with China as deal risk US ties [Insight]
Previous director general Lord Hall (Image: GETTY)
Lord Hall and Tim Davie (Image: GETTY)
Since taking over the role, the director-general has pledged to remodel the broadcaster amid intense scrutiny.
During a debate with TV regulator, Ofcom, Mr Davie admitted the BBC had failed to reach certain areas of the country.
He said: “I get a sense in our research that there are certain people who do not connect with us. Is the BBC for me?’
“That’s about out of London, it’s about programming choices, who speaks for us, who we put up in the newsroom.
“All those things need modernising to represent what is a more diverse Britain.”
Amid the accusations of bias from both sides of the political spectrum, Mr Davie told a Parliament select committee last month, the broadcaster would be drawing up strict impartiality guidelines.
The new guidelines would enable the BBC to suspend the social media accounts of its staff if they breach impartiality rules.
He said: “We are going to be publishing in the next few weeks, and this is imminent, clear social media guidelines, and they will cover both news and current affairs, and beyond news and current affairs.
Mr Davide pledged to write up stricter guidelines (Image: PA)
“We will have, within those guidelines, the enforcement policies will be very clear.
“We will be able to take disciplinary action. We will be able to take people off Twitter. I know people want to see hard action on this.”
The BBC has been approached for comment.
