Oxygen Studios
Head of Studios at Fairbanks Studios, Elstree
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Lead the Studio. Enable the Stories.
An exceptional opportunity to join Fairbanks Studios ahead of opening, shape its operating platform and build early relationships with future production customers.
Competitive salary
Start April 2027
Full time
A century of production. A new chapter for Elstree. Home to filmmaking since 1914, this historic site has hosted generations of landmark television, including The Muppet Show, Top of the Pops, Holby City and EastEnders. Now Fairbanks Studios is creating its next chapter at Elstree - at the heart of the UK film and television industry.
Led by BNP Paribas Asset Management and Oxygen Studios, the new Fairbanks East campus will provide five purpose-built sound stages, workshops, production offices, backlot, unit base and supporting facilities. While EastEnders remains proudly in production on the adjoining Fairbanks West.
We are looking for an outstanding Head of Studios to join well ahead of opening, learn the campus from the inside and begin occupancy discussions with prospective productions at the earliest opportunity.
YOUR OPPORTUNITY
This is the senior on-site leadership role at Fairbanks Studios. You will join before the new facilities are construction complete, embedding yourself early to understand the buildings, infrastructure and operating requirements. Construction delivery will remain with the project team; your focus will be studio readiness, customer relationships and a confident transition into opening and day-to-day operation.
What you will lead
- Embed yourself on site before completion, build a detailed understanding of the facilities and translate that knowledge into operational plans, policies and procedures, systems, suppliers, staffing and launch readiness.
- Develop relationships with prospective productions, open occupancy discussions early and own the customer journey from first recce and onboarding through occupation, support and off-hire, while contributing to and leading the wider marketing and lettings strategy.
- Coordinate a safe, efficient multi-production campus, ensuring sustainability standards are maintained across the site and by productions, with responsibility for ESG reporting, including the ALBERT application and ongoing compliance.
- Maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders including the BBC, the long-term tenant of Fairbanks West.
- Co-ordination and oversight of the Facilities Management team, working collaboratively alongside the wider Oxygen Studios team.
- Lead commercial and asset performance through disciplined budgeting, reporting, service delivery, cost recovery and protection of the facilities, providing clear and confident briefings to investors.
- Contribute to the development, review and ongoing refinement of the studio rate card, helping ensure pricing remains commercially appropriate and responsive to the market.
- Build and inspire a high-performing studio team with clear standards, strong judgement and an exceptional service culture.
- Represent Fairbanks with productions, partners, neighbours and the wider Elstree community, supporting skills, local opportunity and long-term social value.
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What you will bring
- Senior operational or commercial leadership experience within film, television, studio operations or a comparable complex, customer-facing environment.
- A strong understanding of feature film and high-end television production, including the pace, logistics and service expectations of major productions.
- A proven ability to operate and commercially let studio facilities, from securing occupancy through to delivering a high-quality production experience.
- A track record of building teams, managing senior customer relationships and resolving difficult issues with calm, practical judgement.
- Strong commercial awareness, together with experience of budgets, contracts, suppliers, operational KPIs and cost control, and the credibility to report clearly to investors.
- Sound knowledge of health and safety, fire safety, incident management and operational risk.
- The ability and willingness to work flexibly to serve international clients across varying time zones, as well as supporting out-of-hours production activity when required. Experience of opening or mobilising a new facility, or delivering substantial operational change, would be advantageous, as would relevant health and safety.
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The way you lead
VISIBLE - Present, approachable and engaged with the detail.
CALM - Clear-headed and decisive when priorities compete.
COMMERCIAL - Focused on service, performance and asset stewardship.
ANTICIPATORY - Looks ahead and acts before needs become urgent.
COLLABORATIVE - Builds trust across customers, partners and teams.
ACCOUNTABLE - Sets standards, follows through and owns outcomes.
INTERESTED?
Send your CV and a covering letter to: hayley.edney@oxygenstudios.com
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