Executive Director & General Manager WAER
Syracuse University
Syracuse
,
NY
Application Deadline: Thursday, Nov 18, 2021
Description
Executive Director & General Manager WAER
Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University
Job Description
WAER serves the Syracuse metropolitan area with local digital and audio news content, in-depth multimedia reports, robust local sports coverage, original podcasts and on-air shows and national radio programming. One of Central New York’s leading public media organizations, the NPR affiliate is a 50,000-watt educational, FM radio station licensed to Syracuse University and a part of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
The General Manager will lead and achieve WAER’s strategic vision and be the visible face for the organization in the business, education, civic and government communities in Central New York as well as the national public media field. Reporting to the Dean of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, the General Manager will supervise the WAER staff and collaborate with students and faculty to ensure its place as a diverse, innovative, multi-platform media outlet poised to lead in the rapidly changing field.
Responsibilities
LEADERSHIP:
We are searching for an energetic, effective leader who collaboratively builds and communicates with staff and the public a vision for WAER, including in journalism, community engagement, and continued growth in audience and revenues. This person will help WAER become an even more successful organization which remains financially healthy and increases its service to the Central New York region. Our ideal candidate will have:
- A passion for teaching, supporting and engaging students.
- Demonstrated ability to listen to and communicate with diverse stakeholders.
- An open leadership style who is community builder, effective decision-maker and agent for change.
- The ability to provide clear direction and accountability for organizational results.
- An eye for spotting trends in media and their potential impact for the organization.
- Experience transitioning from analog to digital media.
- The ability to maintain appropriate firewalls between administration and management and journalists.
PEOPLE AND TEAM MANAGEMENT:
The General Manager will be an inspiring leader who is respectful, collaborative and an active listener who is willing to seek input and collaboration from staff and students. We are searching for someone who has experience supporting staff to enhance and develop their skills through pitching, leading projects and seeking outside training opportunities.
This person will have a demonstrable commitment to an inclusive team environment and will champion diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. The team at WAER is committed to creating a culture that highlights different perspectives, and we are seeking a General Manager who will partner with us and will feature content that represents all voices.
COMMUNICATION, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT:
The General Manager is an articulate and effective spokesperson for the organization and is the public face and ambassador of the station, is someone who loves meeting new people and wants to build relationships with internal and external leaders and influencers, and will grow WAER’s presence in the Syracuse area through developing appropriate relationships with media organizations and community leaders by becoming an active participant and recognized leader in the region. The GM should have a record of community engagement and collaboration through developed partnerships with individuals and organizations internal and external to the Newhouse School and SU. GM will maintain and enhance our strong relationship with National Public Radio and other national and public media content providers and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The GM will also have proven success in facilitating the process of change within an organization, in particular the ongoing transformation of public media consumption. A leader who understands the impact of culture on change efforts and can successfully navigate cultural change. This person should also assess and adopt innovative models for content development and distribution.
FINANCIAL ACUMEN, INTEGRITY AND FUNDRAISING:
The General Manager will be an experienced and competent financial manager with the ability to manage budgets and audit processes. This person should have experience managing corporate and individual fund development teams, the ability to conceive and develop alternative revenue streams and manage state and federal grant programs.
We are also looking for an effective fundraiser with demonstrated expertise in fundraising and resource development. This leader will have:
- Experience in asking for station financial support and developing and leading capital campaigns.
- A comprehensive understanding of fundraising strategies and methods in public media including membership, business sponsorship, and major and planned giving.
- Successful experience in securing major gifts through effective relationship development through the sharing of mission and needs.
- The ability to increase the fundraising capacity of the staff.
STATION MANAGEMENT:
Specific Duties and Responsibilities
- Manage day-to-day operations and functions of a 50,000-watt FM radio station
- Oversee daily efforts of full-time and temporary staff, volunteers, and student participants
- Supervise student training and skill development program
- Manage training and development of highly functioning teams
- Direct content acquisition, development, and distribution on multiple platforms
- Spearhead fundraising and fund development operations and initiatives
- Guide alumni engagement initiatives and develop community engagement programs
- Develop annual operating budgets, financial reports, and oversee annual audit process
- Responsible for CPB and New York State grant programs, financial reporting, and eligibility requirements
- Maintain compliance with FCC reporting and record keeping requirements
- Oversee Community Advisory Board
Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s Degree preferred. 7+ years of experience with progressively advanced responsibility in radio station operations, team management and financial oversight for an organization or department.
Job Specific Qualifications
A visionary leader for WAER to be the essential, independent source of news and cultural content that gives Central New Yorkers a deeper understanding of one another and the world. Create content that reflects the growing diversity of this region, keep up with emerging technologies to ensure access across platforms, strengthen traditional content delivery systems to reach populations of all backgrounds, and facilitate community engagement to enhance long-term relationships with audiences, partners, and alumni constituents.
A culturally fluent leader with experience in multimedia production and audience engagement who will further develop and diversify our programming and content to serve the culturally rich CNY community and encourage and support staff and students to create original and innovative content. The General Manager will embrace the evolving media landscape to grow our presence and impact throughout the region and will maintain a strong commitment to transparency and journalistic standards and ethics.
Please apply at: https://www.sujobopps.com/postings/89071 and attach a cover letter and resume. Syracuse University is an equal-opportunity, affirmative-action institution. The University prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law to the extent prohibited by law. This nondiscrimination policy covers admissions, employment, and access to and treatment in University programs, services, and activities.