Director of Broadcasting

WYSU-FM, a premier public radio station and vital community institution, seeks a visionary, strategic, and innovative leader. This pivotal role champions the station's operational excellence, financial sustainability, and regional impact. Oversees all facets of station operations, including programming, engineering, underwriting, fundraising, marketing, and compliance, while fostering a collaborative environment for professional staff and student broadcasters. Balances a rich tradition of National Public Radio (NPR) news and classical music with emerging digital media landscapes, serves as the primary face and voice of WYSU-FM within the university, across the community, and on the national public broadcasting stage.

Oversees operations as applicable to the assigned area, including supervision of staff and implementation and administration of all programs and/or services. Plans, develops, and implements organizational initiatives with significant operational scope and complexity. Works under general direction and develops guidelines and processes in accordance with policies and procedures for lower-level employees. Interprets and develops regulations, policies, etc. for the guidance of other employees or the public.

Supervision from above the director-level may be received in the form of memos, staff conferences, or other periodic communications.

Primary Liaison:
Serves as the principal representative to the public, university administration, licensee Board of Trustees, WYSU Advisory Board, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), and other community and national media organizations.

Donor and Foundation Cultivation:
Collaborates dynamically with University Relations and the YSU Foundation on major donor stewardship, planned giving, and endowment growth.

Station Advocacy:
Represents the station within national and state broadcasting entities to maintain WYSU's prominent standing in the public media ecosystem.

Comprehensive Resource Management:
Develops and administers an annual budget composed of multiple funding streams, including university allocations, federal/state grants, and listener contributions.

Fundraising Strategy:
Directs public radio fundraising strategies (direct mail, digital campaigns, major gifts) and takes an active leadership role in on-air pledge drives.

Underwriting Expansion:
Partners with underwriting personnel to cultivate, secure, and maintain corporate sponsor ships and foundational support.

Grant Management:
Seeks out, drafts, and secures federal, state, and local grant applications, ensuring rigorous compliance with all funding requirements.

Content Strategy:
Drives programming development based on continuous analysis of audience demographics, media consumption habits, and cultural trends.

Audience Growth:
Collaborates with marketing personnel to design and execute promotional strategies that expand listening audiences across broadcast and digital platforms.

Media Evolution:
Monitors industry trends, emerging technologies, and the competitive audio landscape to guide technical transitions and service development (e.g., podcasting, HD radio, digital streaming).

Team Leadership:
Supervises, mentors, and evaluates professional station staff; fosters professional development, manages workflows, establishes strategic timelines, and resolves personnel grievances.

Regulatory Compliance:
Ensures absolute compliance with all government and licensee regulations, including maintaining FCC-mandated public inspection files, broadcasting regulations, and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) rules.

Strategic Planning:
Utilizes industry data, audience metrics, and financial reporting to author regular strategic plans, board reports, and operational updates.

On-Air Presence:
Connects directly with the audience by hosting classical music programming or acting as a local host for network news programs as operational needs or special programming dictate.

Mentorship:
Assists in cultivating the next generation of media professionals by supporting student training and integrations with university academic programs.

Assists with training new hires.

Performs other duties as assigned and/or required that are within the level of responsibility for this classification at the discretion of the supervisor.

Equipment Operated: Computer and all other standard office equipment.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday. Due to the nature of public media leadership and community engagement, occasional evening and weekend hours are required for donor events, pledge drives, and station representations.

Primary

Location:

Youngstown

Supervision Exercised: Supervision is exercised over staff and student employees.

Reports to: Associate…