The British Film Institute has appointed a head of diversity to help boost inclusion and representation on and off screen.

Jennifer Smith has been named to the newly-created post and will be responsible for implementing new partnerships and programmes to champion diversity and inclusion, including working with government officials and people in the film industry.

Ms Smith, who previously worked on diversity and inclusion at social housing provider Circle Housing, said, "Lack of diversity and representation remain burning issues for the film and wider screen industries and I'm thrilled to be joining the BFI at a pivotal moment where we have a real opportunity to drive meaningful and lasting change.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to work in an inspiring and creative sector and I take my responsibility in this role very seriously.

"I'm looking forward to working closely with colleagues across the industry to forge new partnerships to effect change and prioritise the diversification of our workforce, both on and off screen."

Amanda Nevill, chief executive of the BFI, added: "Diversity and inclusion is such an important focus of the BFI's overall activity, and we needed someone very special to fill this new role.

"We are delighted to welcome Jen, who brings a wealth of experience and a track record of motivating change."

Ms Smith will work on delivering the diversity priorities set out in the BFI's five-year strategy, dubbed BFI2022.

From 2017-22 the institute has committed to spotlighting issues of representation on screen, to work with UK producers to help British productions adopt the BFI's diversity standards and to help create opportunities to individuals from diverse backgrounds join and progress in the UK film industry.

Last year the BFI's Black Star programme celebrated the range and versatility of black actors, while Black Britain on Film highlighted images of black communities and cultures.