Channel 4 has today unveiled fresh plans to bolster its strategy of creating 600 roles outside London, as it marks the fifth anniversary of launching its regional bases.
Since establishing offices in Leeds, Bristol and Glasgow, Channel 4 has expanded its presence outside London, built a more UK-representative organisation, and promoted programme-making across the entire country.
The broadcaster has announced that it will advertise new roles across all its locations, prioritising recruitment outside London, with new positions actively sought in Leeds, Manchester, Bristol or Glasgow. It will also offer a relocation and financial support package for staff wishing to move from London to another Channel 4 office.
As the Leeds base of Channel 4 becomes increasingly populated over time, it is also pursuing the redevelopment of its current Manchester office, No. 1 St Michael’s. The plans will more than double the size of Channel 4’s current footprint in Manchester whilst it forges ahead with plans to reduce its London desk-space with the future sale of Horseferry Road.
The announcement is the first in a series centred on three key pillars: skills, content, and people – each aimed at ensuring Channel 4 continues to serve and reflect the entire country, now and into the future.
The move is a crucial component of Channel 4’s Fast Forward strategy, which aims to expand the organisation’s presence outside London while fulfilling its mandate to represent and champion the entirety of the UK.
Alex Mahon, chief executive of Channel 4 said: “This is a really special moment for Channel 4 as we continue our significant momentum to grow our presence across the UK.
“Channel 4 has always led the way in representation and now we are going even further, strengthening our Nations and Regions commitment and offering our people the opportunity to relocate out of London and making all new roles available at any of our regional locations. Manchester has always been a really important base for Channel 4, and we’re excited to be working with Gary Neville and his team at Relentless to grow our presence in this great city.”
Gary Neville, director at Relentless Developments, developers of No. 1 St Michael’s, said: “We’re really pleased to welcome Channel 4 to No.1 St Michael’s. The broadcaster has a strong reputation for bold and creative content, and it justifiably joins the portfolio of highly renowned brands here at St Michael’s.”