VP, News Podcasting Strategy

Job Description

Across our organization, we're building a workplace where collaboration is essential, diverse voices are heard, and inclusion is the key to our success. We are committed to doing the right thing in our journalism and in every role at NPR. This means that integrity, adherence to our ethical standards, and compliance with legal obligations are fundamental responsibilities for every employee at NPR.

The VP of News Podcasting Strategy will grow the impact of NPR's award-winning news podcast portfolio, which reaches more than 12 million people every month and is a prominent showcase for NPR's public service journalism and storytelling. You will be a leader in shaping NPR's news service to take advantage of emerging opportunities and will also oversee the strategy and evolution of NPR's existing news podcasts, including the portfolio of 8 short-form daily podcasts, the expanding Planet Money franchise, and the Enterprise Storytelling Unit – NPR's center of excellence for audio documentary work.

You will also work in partnership with colleagues across NPR and our local Member stations on initiatives to grow and support the unmatched potential of the public radio system's collective journalism footprint in on demand audio. Examples of network activation include collaborative journalism initiatives, award-winning investigative podcasts, the NPR Plus podcast subscription offering, the emerging NPR Podcast Network and the first-ever fusion of national and local reporting in podcast form in the pioneering Consider This.

The ideal candidate will not only have a journalism background, but also a vision for and proven success in shaping journalism into programming and products that are fact-based, engaging, and meaningful to people's lives. You have an ability to manage and develop creative people and support healthy, diverse teams. You thrive in a collaborative environment, are a great listener and a clear, inclusive communicator. You have a deep, proven commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion that is reflected in the work you champion, the teams you support, and the audiences you serve. In a rapidly changing media environment, you are able to adapt strategy to meet new opportunities while remaining grounded in the values of public service journalism, audience service and the financial sustainability that makes activating NPR's mission possible.

The VP is a member of the NPR Leadership team and the Sr. Teams of both the Programming and News Divisions. The VP will directly supervise three Executive Producers: one newly-created position which oversees the strategy for and supports the managers of NPR's portfolio of 8 daily podcasts, the EP of the Audio Documentary Unit, and the EP of Planet Money. The VP is a stakeholder in the activation of the NPR Network and will report to the SVP of Programming, with a dotted line to the SVP of News.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Help drive NPR content strategy as a key member of the leadership teams of news and programming.
• Lean into and elevate the impact of NPR's existing news podcast portfolio, including the 8 daily podcasts, Planet Money (with its multi-platform extensions and spin-offs) and our center of excellence for audio documentaries, the Enterprise Storytelling Unit.
• Set strategy for NPR's audio on demand news in collaboration with colleagues, with an eye towards leveraging the strengths of NPR and the public radio network. That includes offering undeniable value to audiences in a world that needs clear-eyed, trustworthy information and context, packaged in a way that audiences want to consume it.
• Set direction for piloting and new program development of audio news programming, taking into account the potential to leverage NPR's strengths, the potential to fill in gaps in our audience service, insights from audience research and data, and the business model that will support the programming.
• Represent the content divisions as a stakeholder in initiatives targeted at leveraging the combined power of the public radio network.
• Maintain high high journalistic ethics and standards under deadline pressure.
• Hire and support a diverse, collaborative, high-functioning team. Supervise at least 4 direct reports and the teams under them. Grow NPR's next leaders.
• Foster a creative, inclusive culture that nurtures talent, respects differences and delivers high-quality programming that serves NPR's mission.
• Manage multiple department budgets as well as act strategically in supporting individual program P&Ls as part of a larger programming portfolio.
• Cultivate and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
• Listen deeply and communicate clearly, effectively and strategically so that staff feel supported and motivated to serve NPR's mission.
• Consistently work well with others, demonstrating at all times respect for the diverse constituencies at NPR and within the public radio system.

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree or equivalent in work experience

WORK LOCATION:

This is a hybrid permitted role. The employee will be required to be onsite at our Washington DC, New York or Los Angeles office at least 10 days a year. The employee must also reside in an NPR supported location based on the number of onsite days they choose.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-gk9pw0-18-119-131-72-42 in your application.