17 April 2012

 S4C Chief Executive, Ian Jones has announced changes to the channel’s Management Team and its departmental organisation.

In the new structure the Chief Executive will have a team of four Directors, three fewer than in the previous structure.

The form and nature of departments will change and a further reduction in staff numbers is anticipated. By the completion of the proposed changes there will have been a substantial reduction in S4C staff levels since 2010. A voluntary redundancy scheme at the end of last year brought numbers down from 165 to 133 and it is proposed there will be a further net loss of 10 posts as a result of the planned restructure.

As part of the changes a number of jobs will be redefined and some new posts will be advertised in due course. There will be a period of consultation with individuals and the relevant trade union before any changes are implemented.

With the changes the positions of Director, Business Affairs and Director, Broadcasting and Distribution will disappear, and the position of Non-executive Director on the Management Team will be abolished.

The new Management Team will be:

Ian Jones, Chief Executive

Kathryn Morris, Director of Finance

Dafydd Rhys, Director of Content

Garffild Lloyd Lewis, Director of Communications, Marketing and Partnerships

Elin Morris, Director of Corporate and Commercial

Phil Williams the Secretary of the S4C Authority will continue to attend meetings of the S4C Management Team as an observer.

The proposed changes in the main affect the structure of the Content Department which from now on will incorporate content management, digital media, presentation and on-screen promotion, planning and research as well as commissioning. The Communications Department will be responsible for all elements of communications across S4C’s services and will incorporate Corporate Communications and take responsibility for Partnerships. Business and commercial matters will reside under the Department of Corporate and Commercial.

Broadcasting, Distribution and Information Technology will be the responsibility of a Chief Technical Officer reporting directly to the Chief Executive.

Ian Jones said, “The restructuring is the start of a process to prepare S4C for a future full of change and challenge. It’s a process which will evolve and adapt over the months and years ahead, but the aim is to place the viewer at the centre of everything that’s important to S4C by offering content of the highest possible standard available anytime across all possible platforms. Content, research, marketing and our relationship with viewers and other partners will provide the basis for future development. I’m sure the new structure will create an exciting environment that will promote creativity and boldness while at the same time offering an element of stability and long term planning.”

Ends