Deputy Head of Video

Location: Westminster, London 

Salary: Competitive 

Reporting to: Head of Video

 

The Role

Reform UK is seeking a strong Deputy Head of Video to help build and run its expanding video operation from the party's Westminster headquarters. Working closely with the Head of Video, the role will turn an ambitious programme of long-form, live, event and short-form output into reliable day-to-day high-quality, broadcast-quality production and delivery.

The Deputy Head of Video will organise schedules, shoots, crews and edits; oversee guest booking and help steer creative direction, manage production handovers; quality-control output; deputise for the Head of Video; and ensure the team reacts quickly to political and audience opportunities while continuing to deliver planned programmes. This is a hands-on role for a capable producer/editor with strong journalistic instincts.

 

What you'll do

• Run the day-to-day production operation
• Deputise for the Head of Video and take clear responsibility for the production schedule, team priorities and delivery during assigned shifts or periods of absence.
• Coordinate producers, editors, studio time, shoots, live events and deadlines so the team knows what is being made, by whom, for which platform and by when.
• Maintain strong handovers and production tracking across early, late and weekend cover, preventing work from becoming lost between shifts or departments.
• React quickly to breaking news, speeches and political moments, reshaping the schedule when necessary while protecting the most important planned output.

 

Key Responsibilities

Produce, edit and quality-control strong video

Remain hands-on as a capable video editor and producer, able to step into important projects, solve production problems and raise the quality of work through practical feedback.

Quality-control long-form programmes, social edits, live output, graphics, captions, sound and delivery, ensuring work meets agreed creative and technical standards.

Help shape interviews, explainers, packages, documentaries and rapid-response formats with strong journalistic structure, pace, hooks and audience value.

Ensure programmes are prepared for efficient clipping and repackaging, with moments, graphics, metadata and assets organised for downstream teams.

Maintain clear standards around sourcing, copyright, contributor permissions, defamation, privacy and other legal/compliance requirements.

Build efficient schedules, rotas and workflows

Assist the Head of Video with staffing rotas, leave planning, freelancer needs and coverage so the seven-day operation remains resilient.

Plan shoots, edit time and studio capacity realistically, identifying bottlenecks early and reallocating resources or deadlines before they become failures.

Create repeatable and reliable workflows for pre-production, recording, edit, sign-off, publishing, clipping, archive and handover so speed does not depend on individual heroics.

Work closely with the Studio Engineer/Technical Producer to schedule rehearsals, live tests, maintenance and technical support around editorial priorities.

Exploit opportunities and distribute intelligently

Be highly creative and reactive to new opportunities, helping the team turn breaking political moments into strong video quickly rather than waiting for the next scheduled production.

Work with Website and Social colleagues so every important production is adapted into a deliberate content package across YouTube, social, web, email and ReformGo where appropriate.

Prepare or oversee rapid platform-native cuts, vertical edits, captions, titles and other assets so the value of each shoot continues after the full programme is published.

Contribute ideas for new formats, talent, recurring franchises and production improvements, testing them against both creative quality and measurable performance.

Use performance evidence to improve output

Track video KPIs and use best-in-class data to help the Head of Video translate views, watch time, retention, engagement and audience behaviour into changes in production and scheduling.

Review titles, thumbnails, opening hooks, lengths, edits and release timing with an experimental mindset rather than assuming creative instinct alone is enough.

 

Performance and Leadership:

• Coach producers and editors on craft, organisation and impact/audience performance, giving clear feedback and increasing responsibility over time.
• Set the tone during busy shifts: calm, constructive, demanding on standards and prepared to solve problems rather than pass them upward unnecessarily.
• Support performance management and team development, recognising strong work and addressing recurring issues quickly and fairly.
• Keep the Head of Video and Executive Editor informed about schedules, blockers, resourcing, high-risk material and opportunities requiring senior decisions.
• Work confidently with political figures, guests, communications teams, campaign staff and external contributors while keeping productions on time and appropriately controlled.
• Coordinate with the studio technical team so live and high-profile output has suitable rehearsals, backups, failover and recovery plans.

THE PERSON

We are looking for a strong hands-on producer/editor ready for greater leadership responsibility and excited by the challenge of helping scale a national political video operation.

Essential experience and capabilities

• Significant experience producing and editing TV/digital video in a busy newsroom, broadcaster, publisher, production company or comparable high-output environment.
• Strong hands-on editing ability and a sharp eye for pacing, structure, sound, graphics, captions and detail.
• Good journalistic, creative and editorial instincts, including the ability to identify the strongest angle, moment or hook in political and current-affairs material.
• Experience managing or supervising teams, shifts, edits or productions and helping create a positive, can-do working culture.
• Strong organisational skills, with experience coordinating schedules, shoots, crews, deadlines and competing priorities.
• Ability to work quickly under pressure and solve practical production problems without losing sight of quality or audience value.
• Good understanding of YouTube and social video performance metrics and a willingness to use data to change creative and operational decisions.
• Comprehensive understanding of legal and compliance requirements relevant to video, copyright, contributors, privacy and contentious political content.
• Excellent communication and team-working skills, including confidence dealing with senior colleagues, political figures, guests and technical staff.
• Proactive, full of ideas and highly reactive to new opportunities; motivated by measurable audience growth and the quality of the end product.
• A genuine interest in British politics and the judgement, discretion and resilience needed to work inside a high-profile political organisation.
• Willingness to work full-time from Reform UK's Westminster HQ and flex around shoots, live output, breaking news and the seven-day rota, including evenings and weekends.

Highly desirable

• Experience deputising for a Head of Video, Executive Producer, Senior Producer or comparable production leader.
• Experience producing premium long-form interviews, debates, documentaries or live current-affairs programmes.
• Experience working with multi-camera studios, remote guests, streaming or technically complex live output.
• Strong understanding of platform-native vertical video and the workflows needed to turn one production into multiple high-performing assets.
• Experience using audience data to reshape formats, packaging, scheduling or edits and demonstrating measurable improvement.
• Evidence of improving a production workflow, team, rota or quality-control system in a way that increased speed, reliability or output.

Why join Reform UK?

This role offers the chance to help build the production operation for Britain's most disruptive political party, rather than simply fit into an established hierarchy. You will have direct influence over content, schedules, formats, workflows, standards and the development of a growing team, shaping output that will have a significant impact on the country's political landscape.