Smith began her career in radio before serving as a television producer for live action British comedy, including as writer for the Armistice news review shows.

She was introduced to Morris to scrutinise his writing, and engaged in extended debates about comedy with respect to the topic matter of paedophilia, commenting "it was really important in that show that it did have a fundamental satirical intent".

[9][10] Smith said she initially felt uncertain about accepting the role because she only had production experience overseeing live action comedy and drama.

She joined the studio in 2006 expecting she would leave after six months,[11][12] but stayed on determining she was there at an important time for picking up new projects, saying "[there was] an opportunity to take a whole fresh path and look at what they wanted to do as a company".

[6][13][14] In 2012, Smith described her satisfaction with the Christmas lights display in Piccadilly Circus that promoted the film in the year prior, saying that it affirmed to her that it reached the general public.

[15] Smith co-founded the animation studio Locksmith in 2014 with Aardman executive Julie Lockhart, and with the financial backing of Elisabeth Murdoch.