GUEST & RESEARCH DIRECTOR
COMPANY : FLIGHTSTORY
BRAND : FLIGHTSTUDIO
REPORTING TO :FLIGHTSTORY CEO
LOCATION : LONDON, UK
About FlightStory
We are a media company and investment fund, and we’re on a mission to elevate the stories, build the communities and support the founders that inspire a happier, healthier humanity. We scale creator-led new media IP and operate an investment fund and venture studio.
Your Mission
You will lead the global guest and research strategy across all FlightStory shows, and drive The Diary of a CEO, to become the most ambitious interview show in the world. This role is responsible for ensuring every guest and every conversation is purposeful, distinctive, and culture-defining. With world-class research, sharp editorial judgement, and data-led precision, you will secure voices that not only transform the performance of each episode but also have the power to change how audiences think, feel, and live.
Day to Day
Define and Lead a World-Class Guest & Research Strategy
* Own the vision and execution of guest strategy across The Diary of a CEO and the wider FlightStory slate, aligned with brand positioning, editorial ambition, growth priorities, and commercial goals.
* Define what a ‘FlightStory guest’ looks like for each IP, from globally recognised cultural leaders to breakthrough emerging thinkers, and build repeatable models to source them.
* Partner with the research team to ensure every booking is underpinned by rigorous preparation, data-driven insight, and narrative clarity turning conversations into cultural moments with lasting impact.
* Work directly with high-profile hosts - particularly Steven Bartlett on DOAC - to translate their creative and editorial vision into guest strategy and research execution.
* Ensure The Diary of a CEO sets the global benchmark for interview shows, where guest choice and research quality consistently redefine what the category can achieve.
Lead TX Across Multiple Shows
* Own responsibility for ensuring smooth and high-impact transmission of episodes across DOAC and other FlightStory shows, coordinating across cross functional teams
* Guarantee that guest choice and research quality are fully realised in the final output, ensuring each TX is sharp, precise, and capable of maximising both cultural and commercial impact.
* Ensure The Diary of a CEO delivers TX to a broadcast standard, setting the bar for quality, consistency, and impact across the interview industry.
* Build systems to manage complex TX schedules across multiple shows, balancing pace with uncompromising quality.
Build a Strategic Global Talent Network
* Develop and maintain trusted relationships with agents, publicists, founders, cultural leaders, and public figures to secure premium access.
* Position FlightStory as the global home for transformative interviews, with DOAC at its centre - the place where the most important conversations of our time take place.
* Represent the company at the highest levels in external negotiations, events, and industry forums.
Optimise Operations at Scale
* Lead and mentor the guest & research team to deliver with pace, precision, and professionalism across a demanding, high-volume slate.
* Design and implement streamlined workflows and systems for research, briefing, scheduling, contracts, and guest communications.
* Own the guest, research, and TX roadmap, ensuring all timelines, budgets, and editorial expectations are aligned and efficient.
Champion Data-Driven Guest & Research Decisions
* Use audience, content, and platform performance data to guide guest strategy and research priorities understanding how the right voice can reshape discovery, retention, and global influence.
* Partner with the Business Intelligence team to track and forecast the ROI of guest appearances and the measurable impact of research depth, particularly for DOAC where every decision moves the needle at scale.
* Leverage AI tools, predictive analytics, and experimentation to identify breakthrough voices before they break through, anticipate cultural shifts, and maximise narrative and commercial upside.
* Build an experimentation culture that uses data and insights to continually refine guest selection and research quality.
Set the Standard for Editorial Innovation
* Stay ahead of the cultural curve, identifying breakthrough thinkers and algorithm-driving profiles before they peak.
* Experiment with guest formats, briefing techniques, and storytelling methods that drive both audience retention and life-changing resonance.
* Establish new industry benchmarks for research excellence and guest experience -from first outreach through to post-episode engagement
We're looking for
* Editorial Visionary: Exceptional instincts on cultural relevance, narrative power, and audience fit.
* Trusted Partner: Skilled at collaborating with high-profile hosts - especially Steven Bartlett on DOAC - to execute their vision, balancing discretion with ambition.
* Global Connector: A deep, trusted network across industries with proven ability to unlock top-tier access.
* Data-Driven Strategist: Uses analytics, platform insights, and predictive tools not just to optimise performance, but to amplify cultural and human impact.
* Research Expert: Able to synthesise complex information into sharp, compelling narratives and preparation that unlocks the best from every guest.
* Equal Dedication: Brings the same passion and professionalism when working with globally recognised names or breakthrough emerging voices.
* Operational Leader: Strong experience managing workflows, TX schedules, systems, budgets, and high-performing teams.
* Calm Under Pressure: Handles sensitive, high-stakes bookings with discretion, diplomacy, and pace.
* Innovator: Brings new ideas, formats, and techniques that set industry benchmarks.
* Builder-Doer: Balances long-term strategy with hands-on delivery, raising the bar while getting things done.
What Success Looks Like
* The Diary of a CEO consistently secures world-class guests whose presence transforms episodes into global cultural events - setting the benchmark for interview shows worldwide.
* TX on DOAC and across the FlightStory slate is delivered to a television broadcast standard, ensuring every release lands at maximum quality, precision, and cultural impact.
* Every conversation, from DOAC to emerging shows is underpinned by research so sharp it doesn’t just inform, it provokes revelation, fuels emotional connection, and leaves audiences changed.
* Guest and research strategy directly improves retention, discovery, and engagement metrics across platforms while deepening cultural influence and impact.
* FlightStory is recognised globally as the platform where conversations of consequence happen - shaping how people think, what they believe, and how they live.
* The Guest & Research function is viewed as a central engine of FlightStory’s mission, driving not only growth but profound, lasting human impact.
Location
* London, Shoreditch:We are an in-person-first culture and believe in fostering a vibrant and work environment centred around connection and community.
* Some roles will require global travel so flexibility in this aspect is important
Interview Process
Our process is designed to be fair, transparent, and collaborative:
Screening Process. Send through your application to be reviewed, if we see a match in your skills and experience we'll send throughour culture survey
Phone Call with the Talent Team. After the culture survey is complete you'll receive a link to bookan initial call with our Talent Team where you'll go throughthe roles, our business, next steps and any questions you may have.
1st Interview. Meet your potential manager and surrounding team members here on site in London HQ.
2nd Stage Interview: TaskIf 1st interview is positive we will sharea task that reflects the day to day of the role to work on and send back to us.
Final Stage Interview. Meet a senior stakeholder in the business.
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