About Arizona PBS
Arizona PBS is one of the nation’s leading public media organizations and the statewide public media service for one of the most dynamic, diverse, and fastest growing states in the nation. With four broadcast channels and a growing array of digital platforms, Arizona PBS fosters lifelong learning through quality programming, in-depth news coverage, and critical educational outreach services. Through a long history of community involvement and award-winning programming, Arizona PBS has become an essential and trusted voice in Arizona.
The Arizona PBS signal reaches 80 percent of homes in Arizona, delivering news, science, arts and children’s programming to over 1.5 million households each week, ranking among the most-viewed public television stations per capita in the United States. Its educational content helps prepare children for success in school and opens up the world in age-appropriate ways. Additionally, Arizona PBS has created its own local programs, tailored to the needs and interests of communities across the state. These include the long-running public affairs programs, “Weekday”, “Forty Years”, “Arizona Horizon” and “Horizonte,” which examines issues of particular interest to Arizona’s Hispanic community, as well as shows like “Check, Please! Arizona” and “Trail Mix’d”, which feature cultural leaders in the community.
Located in the heart of downtown Phoenix, Arizona PBS is a community service of Arizona State University (ASU) and collaborates with ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication – one of the nation’s top journalism schools. As a member of the PBS family, Arizona PBS is part of America’s largest classroom and is a vital window to the world. For 19 consecutive years, PBS has been ranked as the country’s most trusted institution, well above commercial broadcasting outlets and newspapers.
About Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a comprehensive public research university, recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the country’s most innovative university for eight consecutive years. An Research I university, ASU also is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. Under the leadership of President Michael M. Crow since 2002, ASU has adopted and implemented a Charter unlike any other higher education: one which calls upon the university to measure itself not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; which advances research and discovery of public value; and which requires the university to assume fundamental responsibility for the social, cultural, and overall health of the communities it serves.
ASU is a teaching and learning enterprise serving more than 144,000 degree-seeking students across four metropolitan Phoenix campuses, seven additional locations in Arizona, locations in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles, and learners around the globe through its rigorous online education platform.
The university boasts more than 800 degree and certificate programs taught by some 4,800 faculty members. ASU is one of the fastest-growing Research I universities in the country, with more than $670 million in research expenditures in fiscal year 2021, according to the National Science Foundation’s HERD data.
For more information, please visit https://www.asu.edu/.
The Opportunity
Arizona PBS is positioned for transformational growth and impact under the leadership of an innovative, courageous, and inclusive General Manager (“GM”) who will build on existing successes and identify new opportunities for acceleration. The next GM will have the opportunity to lead one of the most trusted sources of news and educational programming in Arizona and elevate it in its next chapter, serving a wider and more diverse audience of Arizonans with content that informs, inspires, educates, entertains, and connects. The GM will bring a vision for bold content creation, digital innovation, as well as experience in fundraising and management. The GM will have a passion for engaging Arizona communities in thoughtful, inclusive civic discourse on the most pressing issues of our time.
In 2021, Arizona PBS launched its 3-year strategic plan, focused on five strategic priorities:
- Community: Grow, retain, and diversify the Arizona PBS audience to reflect and serve the Arizona community.
- Content: Reach audiences authentically across platforms with content and solutions-based journalism that is local and relevant, connecting audiences to Arizona and to one another.
- Technology: Advance tools, technology, and systems to better reach, engage, connect, and serve audiences across platforms.
- Revenue: Diversify and grow revenue by better leveraging existing and emerging revenue models and opportunities.
- Culture & Ops: Create a culture and workplace that is inclusive, diverse, agile, accessible, and innovative in how it thinks, hires, and executes.
The General Manager will work towards the completion of this plan while continuing to develop and achieve Arizona PBS’ short and long-term visions. They will be a highly visible face of the organization in the business, government, and civic communities in Arizona, as well as a national presence in the field of media. Reporting to the Managing Director of ASU Media Enterprise, the General Manager will oversee an annual budget of nearly $20 Million and will lead a team of 80+ professionals to ensure they are working effectively to support and advance the mission of Arizona PBS.
The next GM will step into an organization with a stable financial situation and world-class colleagues, peers, and creative innovators with extensive and varied industry experience.
Key metrics for success in this role include:
- Sustaining and increasing Arizona PBS’ status as one of the nation’s leading, most trusted public media organizations;
- Collaborating across the community to identify and illuminate key interests and concerns to drive deep and sustained impact;
- Attracting and engaging new and diverse audiences on current and emerging platforms;
- Establishing a plan to evolve and significantly enhance Arizona PBS’ technology infrastructure and capabilities;
- Ensuring a sustainable financial model and adapting to funding challenges in public media, identifying new revenue sources and strategies while optimizing current revenue streams for significant growth;
- Fostering an entrepreneurial environment that promotes strategic thinking, experimentation, calculated risk-taking, accountability, and operational excellence;
- Creating a high-performing organization to provide a strong foundation for change and sustainability in a rapidly transforming media environment;
- Promoting Arizona PBS as a beacon of inclusion; and
- Harnessing the resources and capacity of the Cronkite School and ASU to drive innovation and set new industry standards for reporting, storytelling, and community engagement.
Candidate Profile
While it is understood that no candidate will offer every desired skill, quality, and characteristic, the following competencies offer a detailed, aspirational view of the ideal candidate profile:
A Passion for the Mission of Public Media
The next General Manager brings a sincere passion for the mission of Arizona PBS as well as desire to build an even brighter future while appreciating and respecting its rich history. The General Manager will have a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing public media, including content delivery across digital platforms; evolving audience demographics and behaviors; and changing revenue models and practices. The General Manager will be a strong, collaborative leader with a dedication to the mission and the ability to build a sense of shared purpose throughout the organization. It is imperative that the General Manager leads by example and always stays true to the values of Arizona PBS and Arizona State University. Moreover, the ideal candidate will be an individual of unquestioned integrity, ethics, and values; someone who can be trusted without reservation.
A Curious & Courageous Leader with a Strategic Mindset
The General Manager is a visionary leader with a solid understanding of the strategies needed to advance the work of a mission-based public media organization, from funding to delivery. This leader is not afraid to experiment and innovate, serving as a leader in the space while envisioning the next iteration of what public media can be and accomplish. Open to failing forward, this leader has a resilient nature, and is energized by trying new things. They will work collaboratively with colleagues and community members to define a vision for the future of the organization, with an eye toward expanding and diversifying Arizona PBS audiences and revenue streams. They will be particularly experienced and excited about the ways in which Arizona PBS can fulfill its mission by serving younger audiences through digital platforms and technologies. An innovative leader and trailblazer, the successful candidate will offer, cultivate, and embrace creative ideas to adapt and diversify Arizona PBS’ offerings and programs to address the changing needs of its audiences. The General Manager will have the drive and passion to remain at the forefront of the sector, actively seeking out new ideas for impact and service in an ever-changing media environment.
A Mature, Inclusive, & Transparent People Leader
The General Manager will be a thoughtful, humble, compassionate, and transparent leader with the ability to lead and manage a complex organization in a rapidly transforming media environment. This leader will bring experience building and leading high-performing teams. More specifically, the General Manager will be an inclusive leader who embodies and stewards the values of Arizona PBS’ community-focused culture and fosters an inclusive and collaborative work environment. This leader encourages and values different points of view. They will also have the ability to inspire others around a shared vision and to establish priorities, goals, and timelines to achieve quantifiable and qualitative outcomes. The General Manager will bring a deep appreciation for, and commitment to, working across the ASU ecosystem, including with the Cronkite School. This leader will understand and implement best nonprofit management practices and planning, including compelling communication and effective marketing strategies, management succession, and most importantly, ensuring that overall day-to-day operations are aligned with strategic goals. The successful candidate will ensure fiduciary responsibility, sound financial management practices, and accountability.
A Passionate Ambassador & Community Connector
The General Manager is an inspiring, energetic leader who will serve as an ‘ambassador’ for Arizona PBS by increasing collaboration with the community and by boosting the organization’s impact across the state. This leader is a compelling public speaker and relationship builder who inherently enjoys the external side of the role, serving as a public media champion, working to inspire enthusiastic engagement, as well as broader and deeper interest in the organization. The successful candidate will represent Arizona PBS in the regional business, government, and civic arenas and is credible and effective at conveying Arizona PBS’ mission and vision to a broad range of constituents. The General Manager believes deeply in building and nurturing a robust network of relationships to foster collaboration and partnerships to advance Arizona PBS’ mission and understands how to optimize the customer journey to build strong loyalty. This leader enjoys fundraising and is creative in finding new sources of revenue. The General Manager will be a dynamic, diplomatic, and effective communicator who will be highly respected by the community and industry peers. The successful candidate will be a strong verbal and written communicator capable of leveraging multiple media platforms to advance the organization’s mission and can enthusiastically articulate its value proposition to existing and potential new funding sources including members, major donors, affiliates, foundations, and government agencies.
A Champion for Inclusion
Arizona PBS is dedicated to fostering a culture that celebrates varied perspectives. As such, the General Manager will come to Arizona PBS with expertise and proven results in fostering inclusion, as well as a rich understanding of the strategies that support cultural evolution on these issues. The General Manager will have the ability to motivate others to action in support of a more inclusive environment. This leader will fully embrace and encourage content that authentically represents all voices. This leader will have a thoughtful, empathetic approach and will be known as an active listener and responsive leader throughout the organization and the broader community.
Location
The successful candidate must be based in or willing to relocate to the Phoenix, Arizona area.
Compensation & Benefits
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The total compensation for this role is expected to range from $240k-$260k, with a generous benefits package.