President, Minnesota Public Radio

Application Deadline: Wednesday, Jan 15, 2020

Description

American Public Media Group

American Public Media Group (APMG) is the largest station-based public radio and media organization in the United States. APMG’s Mission is to enrich the mind and nourish the spirit, thereby enhancing the lives and expanding the perspectives of our audiences and assisting them in strengthening their communities.

APMG’s primary operating divisions—Minnesota Public Radio, Southern California Public Radio and American Public Media—offer multi-regional FM broadcast channels, website, mobile and social media channels, live events, national content creation and distribution. Together, these divisions operate 49 public radio stations and 42 translators serving regional audiences in eight states from Minnesota, Michigan and the Upper Midwest to Idaho and California; distribute a portfolio of more than twenty national programs reaching nearly 20MM listeners weekly through 1,000 radio stations; serve rapidly growing audiences on digital, social and mobile platforms; and produce an increasing and diverse array of podcasts featuring the best in food, culture, entertainment, mental health, water, early brain development, business and investigative journalism.

APMG is a 501c3 and 509a3 nonprofit parent organization with annual operating revenues of $150MM and total assets of more than $330MM, providing long term strategic administrative and financial strength to its supported organizations. The Organization’s 750 employees work in its state-of-the-art broadcast and production facilities in Saint Paul, MN and in Los Angeles, CA, New York City, NY and Washington, DC.

APMG’s Vision and Values express its unrelenting commitment to serving its audiences today and for generations to come.

Vision:      We will be the leader in creating trusted and meaningful listening experiences
with and for curious people.

Values:     We focus on AUDIENCES.
We LISTEN.
We are LEADERS.
We are INCLUSIVE.
We act COURAGEOUSLY.
We build TRUST. 

APMG Strategic Framework

In 2019, APMG began implementing its new vision and strategy: Audiences First 2025. The plan will further propel APMG in its growth from a great radio organization to a multi-dimensioned media company focused on being more relevant and earning the trust of a large, diverse, emerging, market segment: Curious Listeners.

Audiences First 2025

To support Audiences First 2025, APMG has also refined its organization to increase its focus on audiences, align growth plans and clarify responsibilities for daily decisions. The new structure includes APMG’s three audience-focused divisions (MPR, SCPR and APM) as well as seven Centers of Excellence that provide strategic services across the organization in the areas of Finance; Marketing and Audience Insights; Technology; Legal/Corporate Development; Human Resources; Strategy; and Philanthropic Development.

Minnesota Public Radio

Since its origins as a single classical music station in 1967 at KSJR in Collegeville, Minn., MPR has grown to be one of the nation’s premier public media enterprises, producing programming for radio, digital and live audiences, operating a regional, 46-station radio network serving nearly all of Minnesota and parts of surrounding states, and reaching more than 1 million listeners each week and millions more on digital, social and mobile platforms.

MPR regional services include:

• MPR News has earned nearly 1,000 broadcasting and journalism awards, including seven George Foster Peabody Awards (dubbed the “Oscar of broadcasting”), six Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards, a prestigious Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Gold Baton Award and a Grammy Award.
• Classical MPR produces more classical music programming than any other media outlet and ranks second in the nation for overall public radio programming production volume. Classical MPR has mutually beneficial relationships with the Minnesota Orchestra, the St Paul Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Opera, and the Shubert Club and is recognized as one of the highest-performing regional classical music services in the U.S.
• The Current began broadcasting in 2005 as a non-commercial, member-supported radio station based in Minneapolis / St. Paul, heard on 89.3 KCMP FM. Since then, the station has grown into a far-reaching community with members and listeners joining in from around the world. The Current brings listeners the best authentic new music alongside the music that inspired it.

MPR’s 2019 operating revenue is approximately $40M, which comes from governmental sources, earned revenue and public support through more than 1,000 major donors and 130,000 annual members.

President, MPR Position Summary

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer of APMG & MPR, the MPR President is the senior executive leading the Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) division of the American Public Media Group (APMG). This leader will develop and implement a vision and plan for MPR to reach and serve more people, adapt its delivery platform strategy and deepen its impact with the communities served while ensuring a healthy and sustainable financial structure and balancing the strategic interests of the APMG organization.

The President, MPR will lead the development and implementation of MPR’s vision and growth plan with a focus on: creating, curating and presenting relevant, trusted and compelling public service programming on multiple media platforms; identifying and cultivating strategic relationships within the Minnesota region; developing opportunities to sustain and expand MPR’s public service by growing audiences and earning trust; raising money from individuals, foundations and corporations; and leading MPR staff and overseeing all MPR’s regional operations in Minnesota.

Reports to:                              Chief Executive Officer, APMG & MPR

Direct Reports:                         Managing Director, MPR News & Programming (total team of 79)
Managing Director, MPR Classical (total team of 44)
Managing Director, The Current (total team of 33)
Manager, Events (total team of 6)
Marketing Director (total team of 4)
Membership Director (total team of 10)
Underwriting Director (total team of 16)

Total Team:                             200+

Other Key Relationships:         SVP and CFO
SVP Audience Insights and Chief Marketing Officer
SVP and General Counsel
SVP and Chief Technology Officer
SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer
SVP Strategy
SVP and Chief Development Officer
President, American Public Media
President, Southern California Public Radio
APMG Board of Trustees

Position Location:                    Saint Paul, Minnesota

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Provide leadership that reflects and advances the mission, vision, values, strategies and goals of MPR and APMG.
• Create and refine the strategic vision and growth plan for MPR in alignment with Audiences First 2025.
• Lead the development of annual plans for MPR that align with MPR’s strategic vision and growth plan and APMG’s Audiences First 2025 strategic framework.
• Serve as a member of APMG’s executive leadership team providing input, guidance and support to colleagues and supporting the success of the overall enterprise.
• Demonstrate the highest degree of confidentiality, discretion, integrity, ethical decision-making and sound business judgment to be an effective, trusted confidant to the CEO and APMG colleagues.
• Manage financial performance, budgets and Objectives Key Results (OKRs) of MPR.

Relationship Building/Advancement

• Represent MPR externally to its audiences, and to communities, arts organizations, partners, members, major donors, corporate underwriters, foundation funders and other constituents in a way that is persuasive, inspiring, credible and trusted.
• Identify, cultivate and engage individual donors and institutional funders, connecting donor/funder interests with MPR goals for the long term.
• Working with APMG Public Affairs staff, lead legislative grass roots lobbying and public affairs efforts in the region that are related to the health and interests of MPR.
• Develop relationships and regularly engage with business and community leaders as well as media leaders and organizations throughout the region. 

Operational Leadership

• Ensure MPR’s programming and public services are increasingly relevant, important, surprising and delightful for its growing and diverse audiences.
• Manage MPR budget with full accountability for meeting revenue and expense goals.
• Provide direction and oversight for the day to day operations of MPR, ensuring that resources are allocated in alignment with MPR’s strategic priorities and helping the team navigate challenges.
• Ensure close coordination, communication and partnership with APMG’s Centers of Excellence.
• Strategically support MPR events, live broadcasts, local recordings and region-wide content initiatives.

People Leadership

• Lead and develop an energized, motivated, collaborative and committed team.
• Show personal commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in their relationships, in the workplace and for MPR’s audiences.
• Ensure that staff have development plans and opportunities to enhance their skills and support their professional growth.
• Personally provide coaching, mentoring and feedback to staff to further their development and improve their performance and contributions.
• Recruit and retain top talent who share MPR’s values and who will bring positive change, ensuring that MPR reflects the diversity of our community.
• Translate goals into actionable performance objectives that are easily understood, set prompt execution standards, and hold leaders and teams accountable for agreed-upon results.

Other duties as assigned.

Ideal Candidate Profile 

The ideal candidate will be an unusually innovative, broad-minded and strategic leader. This person must be passionate about the mission of MPR and possess significant leadership, business, financial and management skills. The successful candidate must have a track record of success leading a similarly complex and dynamic organization or business, ideally related to media, content development, public service and/or public engagement.

The candidate must be a strong, trusted and credible advocate for MPR, and a superb communicator individually and with large audiences. This person must bring the ability to operate at the highest levels of media, business, government and philanthropy and demonstrate political acumen without being overtly ‘political.’ The successful candidate will also have demonstrated a superior ability to foster high standards and an ability to coach, inspire and lead diverse, creative professionals, journalists and other leaders.

Leadership Profile

• Visionary, inspirational leader of people.
• Highly strategic, focused on growth and outcomes.
• Expert at creating and leading positive cultural change.
• Highly self-aware with demonstrated cultural competence; passionate about engaging diverse communities and building inclusive teams.
• Highly collaborative builder of deep, trusting relationships.
• Superior communications skills; accustomed to public speaking; excellent writing skills.
• Driven and results oriented; willing to hold self and others accountable.
• High EQ.

Experiential Requirements

• Seasoned general management experience in a complex, matrixed environment; has successfully managed the P&L of a similar sized organization.
• Has led strategic disruption and change, and navigated evolving business models and digital transformation.
• Is experienced in multiple sectors to include corporate, nonprofit, government, higher education and/or philanthropy.
• Ideally brings knowledge and experience in the media industry.
• Demonstrates a customer-first orientation; seasoned in the use of customer/audience insights and analytics to inform business decisions.
• Is a passionate subscriber to the important role of journalism to inform people, communities and our democracy.
• Is energized by advancement and fundraising with proven successful experience in these areas.

Other

• Insatiably curious.
• Genuine affinity for Minnesota and opportunities for community engagement.
• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred.

To submit your application, please visit https://americanpublicmedia.applicantpro.com/jobs/.

For additional information about this position, please contact: