DIGITAL / TV PRODUCTION CAREER

From 2014 to 2019, Jes worked as a senior writer and digital producer with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Unscripted / Factual Entertainment unit. She oversaw and consulted on digital strategies and content production for primetime television shows such as The Great Canadian Baking Show, The Detectives, Back in Time for Dinner, Hello Goodbye, and more.

Her work with the Canada's Smartest Person digital team won a 2017 Canadian Screen Award for Best Cross-Platform Project (Non-Fiction).

In 2015, Jes initiated a design project that transformed CBC Short Docs thumbnails into promotional keyart with feature film poster treatment. This strategy set a standard for ensuring all titles on the subscription streaming service CBC Gem were accompanied by high quality, visually arresting graphics, and reaching the largest possible audience on YouTube, social media, and across the cbc.ca network via banner ads.

Jes also wrote articles and designed visual assets for multiple programs (including The Nature of Things and Dragons’ Den), such as infographics, Pinterest pins, Instagram Stories, animated GIFs, and social videos that regularly reached over 1 million users. She also concurrently managed social media accounts (including paid campaigns) for several programs, and developed new content formats while testing performance.

Her work on building and maintaining an active online audience on the series Still Standing involved a unique “365 strategy” during the show’s broadcast runs and in the off-season. This year-round approach was achieved by collaborating with the external production company on a steady flow of fresh website and social media content. Jes often collaborated with internal / external stakeholders to achieve digital objectives and exceed expectations.

Jes also took pride in performing quality assurance, providing style references, and establishing best practice guides for incoming / outgoing visual content. She also took on a leadership role, guiding video editors, researchers, freelance writers, and designers through the development of multi-platform content. She enjoyed mentoring, developing, and motivating junior team members with their professional growth in the areas of copy writing / editing, video production, and project management.

In 2019, Jes quit her full-time role at the CBC to move away from strategy and focus solely on her true passion: content. In 2020, she began providing her video editing, graphic design, and writing services to BuzzFeed Canada on a regular basis. Working in a freelance capacity with a flexible schedule has allowed Jes to dedicate more time to her many creative projects.