Groupers

There's a lightning turnaround required if you want to be Group Managing Director, BBC. Applications close on March 11th and the interviews are on Friday (normally the DG's day on the road) 15th March.

Potential applicants are invited to email HR boss Valerie Hughes D'Aeth (which means she's not likely to be a candidate). Perhaps a good question would be to ask for an organogram of the new structure.  The Group MD will directly manage policy; legal; and commercial, rights and business affairs functions, but "will lead for the BBC in developing and delivering a new strategy for attracting and developing on-air and on-screen talent, as well as Ieading creative diversity across the BBC."

And, the GMD gets to chair a weekly meeting of his or her minions, plus Communications & Corporate Affairs; Design & Engineering; Marketing & Audiences; Finance & Operations; and HR & Internal Communications. If that wasn't joyous enough, the successful candidate will, in times of crisis, get to be Silver Commander.

One might expect applications from some of the holders of existing posts...

'Strategy' is run by Gautam Rangarajan (£175k), who still sings professionally for the Temple Church Choir, as heard on Radio 3 and 4
'Policy' is run by Clare Sumner (£170k) one-time Private Secretary to Prime Minister Tony Blair
'Legal' is the fiefdom of Sarah Jones (£255k), with costs of the Cliff Richard case still rumbling on 
'Commercial, Rights' etc belongs to Bal Samra (£323,800) - if he got the job, a number of difficult questions about pay relativity would fall away