C4 director job ad underlines government sale ambitions

Hopefuls seeking to become a Channel 4 non-executive director have been asked to demonstrate experience of steering a business through a “significant corporate transaction”, underlining the government’s ambition for a sale.

In job adverts posted for the three roles yesterday, recruitment firm Saxton Bampfylde asked candidates to indicate “if they have experience of having led or been part of a board stewarding a business” through a sales process.

The updated spec has been set out “in light of the government’s current consideration of possible changes to the operating model of Channel 4, including its ownership and its remit and obligations”.

Those who had previously applied for the position under the process, which got underway in April, were contacted this week with the same request, while being reassured that such experience is not essential in order for them to be considered.

The updated job spec will fuel fears that the government has made up its mind about selling off the broadcaster ahead of the consultation process, which stated its ‘preferred option’ is for a change in ownership.

The process is being run by Ofcom but the DCMS has ultimate approval of those selected.

One source connected to the process said that the nature of the request is “outrageous”.

“It is shocking to see the level of assumption that a ‘significant corporate transaction’ is going to be happening,” they said.

The recruitment process has previously been mired in controversy after the government blocked the reappointment of Uzma Hasan and Fru Hazlitt against C4’s wishes in April.

The closing date for applicants is 16 August, with Ofcom seeking to appoint individuals with expertise in current and media affairs, digital development and advertising and finance / strategy respectively.

The successful candidates, who will be paid £22,000 per year, will join a non-exec board which includes The King’s Speech Director Tom Hooper, former BBC exec Roly Keating and former Guardian chief exec Andrew Miller.

At C4’s annual results in June, non-exec chair Charles Gurassa set out the board’s role in the current situation.

“Our responsibilities as a board are to deliver the public remit that’s laid down by parliament, sustainably” he said. “Therefore any comments that we make to government will be on the potential impact of our ability to deliver any proposed changes.”