Unscripted TV senior leadership training – RTS mini MBA and exec coaching

• Are you at a senior / expert stage of your career in unscripted TV?
• Have you faced barriers to progress your career at a senior level?
• Could completing the RTS Mini MBA enable you to progress further?

The Unscripted TV Skills Fund and The Adobe Foundation are looking to support five-10 senior members of the UK unscripted TV industry to help them progress as leaders in their field. 

We are offering funding to support the cost of completing the RTS Mini MBA and a package of executive coaching sessions. The successful cohort will have regular opportunities to meet and benefit from this new network.  

This support and coaching is funded by the Unscripted TV Skills Fund in partnership with The Adobe Foundation.

Who it's for

This opportunity is open to anyone at senior/expert level in the unscripted TV industry who is currently based in the UK with the right to live and work in the UK.

We expect participants to complete the Mini MBA within the suggested timeframe of three-six months, and to complete the optional extra dissertation to secure a distinction.

Because certain groups are underrepresented in the screen industries, The Adobe Foundation and the Unscripted TV Skills Fund are encouraging applications from anyone who identifies with at least one of the following protected characteristics: 

• Female
• Minority ethnic background
• Disabled
• LGBT
• Lower socio-economic background (based on the employment of your parents at the age of 14)
• Out of London 

Please note, the RTS Mini MBA is open worldwide to all career stages. Therefore, if you do not meet experience level we have specified, or are based outside of the UK, you can apply directly to the RTS to undertake the Mini MBA here. 

What it covers

• Minimum 50% contribution towards the Mini MBA delegate fee*
• Three executive career coaching sessions
• A regularly recurring Zoom meeting for the successful cohort to share their ongoing experience of the programme and the learnings they have implemented in their careers. 

*Overview of the terms and conditions of the support: The financial support we are offering will be split into two different categories, please read them both carefully before applying.

• For freelancers, we will be offering 70% of the programme fee. You will be expected to pay the remaining 30% of the fee yourselves.
• For employees of an unscripted TV company, we will be offering 50% of the programme fee. We would expect your employer to support your application and commit to contributing towards the remaining fees. If successful, this will need to be verified. 

Please note - the full fee (£3,250 +VAT) will need to be paid on enrolment; you must therefore have the financing in place to do this.

Funding from ScreenSkills will be made in two equal installments - the first upon receipt of proof of enrolment, the second upon proof of completion of the Mini MBA dissertation.

More information on the specific content of the Mini MBA can be found here. Modules will be released on a weekly basis from mid-March, we would expect those who we support to complete the programme in the recommended timeframe of three-six months, therefore completing the modules of the Mini MBA by the end of September 2025. 

If you do not complete the Mini MBA within this timeframe, you will forfeit the second funding installment and ScreenSkills reserves the right to request repayment of the initial funding. 

We expect participants to complete a dissertation following the RTS Mini MBA modules so they can achieve a distinction. If for any reason you would not be able to do this, please say in the relevant part of the application. You can also alert us to any access requirements you may have to complete a dissertation. We would expect the dissertation to be submitted by the end of December 2025.

How to apply

Click ‘apply now’ at the top of the page and follow the instructions to apply for your place: you must login or register before you are able to complete your application.

In the application, you will be asked to specify whether you are applying for support as a freelancer or an employee of an unscripted TV company. If you are applying as an employee, you will need to provide your company name and the person we can contact if you are successful.

You will also be asked for your three most recent credits. Please provide the programme/series title and your job role.

While most questions in the application form are multiple choice or require short answers, two questions will require longer answers. For your preparation, these two questions are:

• Via this opportunity The Adobe Foundation and the Unscripted TV Skills Fund aim to prioritise accessibility and inclusion to promote better diversity in the TV industry at senior levels. Therefore we would like to understand any barriers you have faced when developing your career in TV. Please use the space below to share your experiences. 
• What appeals to you about the RTS Mini MBA and how do you feel it will aid your progression in unscripted TV?

If you need additional support to complete your application or require the application form in an alternative format please contact USF@screenskills.com

Judging information

Key Dates:

• Application deadline – 9 March
• We aim to inform you of the outcome of your application during the w/c 10 March ready for you to enrol on the Mini MBA when it launches in mid-March.

If you are successful in your application, we will issue a letter outlining the terms and conditions of the support, and the evidence required to claim the two instalments of funding. If you are a freelancer, this will be sent to you. If you are an employee, this will be sent to both you and your employer.

ScreenSkills is an equal opportunities training provider. All applicants are judged solely on their ability to partake in the training  for which they are applying for support for. However, where applicants are equally qualified, in order to address underrepresentation in the industry, we may consider a protected characteristic to determine who should be appointed. We consider that this positive action would be a proportionate means of achieving our legitimate aim, namely to improve diversity in the industry, and is compliant with the Equality Act 2010.

In order that we can comply with our reporting obligations, that we can appropriately monitor our data, and to inform our recruitment decisions in relation to positive action (described above), you are requested to provide the information, which will be treated in the strictest confidence.