Executive Director

Application Deadline: Monday, Jan 15, 2018

Description

Job Title: Executive Director
Reports to: Board of Directors
Supervises: Full-time staff of High Plains Public Radio directly or through
delegation
POSITION DESCRIPTION, RESPONSIBILITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS
The Executive Director of High Plains Public Radio is responsible for providing leadership,
direction, planning, and oversight of all day-to-day operations including administration, finance,
development, programming, and operations. The position is also responsible for providing clear
strategic direction, creating a stimulating and challenging environment for staff and volunteers,
and ensuring compliance with all FCC, CPB, IRS, HPPR and other applicable policies and
regulations. The Executive Director further provides vision and leadership to develop HPPR’s
organizational resources and capabilities, including people, money, content, skills, operating
processes, physical plant and technology in order to sustain and advance the station’s mission
and goals.
The position reports directly to the Board of Directors of the Kanza Society, Inc., the nonprofit
corporation that owns and operates HPPR. Operations are based in both Garden City, KS where
HPPR is headquartered and Amarillo, TX, where HPPR also maintains studios and offices. The
position requires presence in both locations, as well as travel throughout the High Plains region.
The primary responsibilities of this position, to be carried out either directly or through
delegation to appropriate employees, are in four areas:
I. Governance, administration and finance
 Reporting to, seeking guidance from and providing support to the Board of Directors,
including development of the Board itself.
 Developing a two-to three-year strategic direction for HPPR; defining and managing an
annual operating plan that translates the strategy into action
 Preparing and presenting an annual budget to Board of Directors; managing the budget and
regularly reporting variances and corrective actions to the Board
 Hiring, managing, evaluating and providing professional development of personnel
 Ensuring compliance with all applicable federal, state, local, grantor, HPPR and other
policies and regulations; ensuring proper and timely filing of all required federal, state,
grantor and other reports and filings (e.g. FCC, CPB, IRS)
II. Marketing and Development
 Acting as Chief Development Officer for the organization.
 Providing strategic leadership for HPPR’s development initiatives
 Creating high public awareness of HPPR’s programming service through effective promotion
 Developing effective listener membership and business underwriting solicitation approaches;
achieving revenue from these sources that matches or exceeds benchmark levels for public
broadcasting operations similar to HPPR’s
 Assisting with on-air and off-air fundraising activities and the station’s special events
 Cultivating major donor relationships and developing and leading major donor programs
 Cultivating area foundation relationships and directing staff and volunteers on preparing
grant applications and meeting grant reporting requirements
 Designing and conducting capital and special projects campaigns to support new
programming initiatives and service expansion
 Maintaining effective relationships with agencies and individuals responsible for public
funding, including serving/and or delegating HPPR’s representative to the Kansas Public
Broadcasting Council
III. Programming and Operations
 Evaluating the overall quality and effectiveness of HPPR’s broadcast programming and
digital content; developing overall content strategy and providing content direction
 Ensuring that content serves HPPR’s mission of discerning and emphasizing the common
geographical, historical, cultural, environmental, social, and economic ties that bind listeners
within its coverage area
 Ensuring the signal reliability, quality, and FCC compliance of all HPPR transmission sites
 Expanding the audience reach and engagement of HPPR’s digital services, including
improving the effectiveness of content development, widening distribution through social
media and other third-party platforms, and assessing performance through digital audience
analytics.
IV. Community Relations
 Communicating with member listeners in order to develop relationships, maintain member
and listener loyalty and provide an example to other staff
 Communicating with the general public in the coverage area in order to identify service
opportunities, promote awareness, foster listener membership growth, and make the case for
continued business underwriting and public funding
 Partnering with area organizations and institutions to develop and extend HPPR’s
programming services
REQUIRED SKILLS
 Effective planning and management skills to focus and optimize the use of available
resources to continually improve and expand HPPR’s service
 Strong leadership skills to motivate, direct and build collaboration among HPPR’s staff,
board members and supporters
 Strong and adaptive communications skills to promote awareness and develop support for
HPPR across a wide range of constituencies
QUALIFICATIONS
 Bachelor’s Degree, or 5+ years’ equivalent executive-level management and supervisory
experience.
 Demonstrated ability to supervise and develop employees.
 Demonstrated ability to strategically manage development programs and play an effective
role in major donor solicitation
 Demonstrated skill in budget preparation and fiscal management.
 Demonstrated knowledge of contracts, grant maintenance and management.
 Ability to travel widely and frequently across HPPR’s large coverage area
 Prefer knowledge and understanding of the principles and procedures of operating a
community/public radio service, including both digital and broadcast operations
 Prefer familiarity and experience with emerging digital technologies.
 Prefer knowledge of FCC, CPB and IRS regulations, policies and standards.
To apply for this position, please send a detailed letter of application, resume and names and
contact information for three references to:
Joel Herndon
President, KANZA Society Incorporated, dba High Plains Public Radio
P.O Box 669, Dighton, KS 67839
Or e-mail application materials to: jsherndon@st-tel.net
Deadline: Open until filled
HPPR is and Equal Opportunity Employer

For additional information about this position, please contact: