SRG Chief Executive Officer

Description

Chief Executive Officer

The Station Resource Group (SRG) seeks a Chief Executive Officer to plan and lead the next arc of achieving our mission – that strong local public media organizations better serve the public across multiple platforms and thrive in a period of radical change.

SRG's 40+ member public media organizations share commitments to robust public service: exceptional journalism, cultural expression, and civic engagement, created with an eye to reflecting the diversity of their communities, and presented through linear broadcasting and streaming, digital text, on-demand audio, and live-event platforms. Members include many of public media's most successful newsrooms, leaders in public radio's music services, high performing organizations in rural communities, and the primary producers of Latino and Native American national programming.

All SRG members provide public radio/audio/digital services – half of them offer two or more primary channels, such as news, classical, Triple A, or jazz. Forty percent of SRG's members also provide public television/video/digital services.

This is an opportunity to work at the highest levels of the U.S. public media system, to interact with organizations and leaders at the top of their field, and to guide innovation and change in public services that reach tens of millions of Americans every week.

What SRG Does

The members, and the board of directors they elect, find distinctive and enduring value in the way SRG has worked with and for them:

Analysis and perspective on key strategic issues – data-driven narratives based on "reading the system" for important trends that will alter the field and "looking around the corner" to take on large challenges and exciting opportunities that others do not, all providing a big picture, long-term view that empowers public media leaders.

Build connections around these key issues – leadership and advocacy to shape the "eco-system" of public media, pivoting as needed to respond to critical matters, and amplifying members' voices in a collective context that transcends individual organizations and groups.

Convening and collective action – create safe spaces to think and discuss, in an atmosphere where consensus can emerge, and support, where possible, collective action.

Independent posture – fair and trusted in dealings with other organizations and an open, diverse, and participatory membership.

Inspiration and confidence – encourage and enable SRG members and the public media field to envision a larger success and seek it with vigor.

SRG's focus moves with changes in the capacities and needs of members, the evolving media landscape, and broader changes in the communities SRG members serve. SRG's board has highlighted three current priorities, with an expectation that there is a gateway for new leadership to refine the focus and build out details.

The current priorities are:

How SRG works

SRG has operated as a virtual company for most of its history, with employees, consultants, contractors, attorneys, and management firms working from many locations. The full-time staff is currently two people, plus one part-time consultant and an array of out-sourced support firms.

SRG's core annual budget is just under $1 million provided by member dues, which are paid on a sliding scale based on local, radio-related revenue. SRG has periodically secured significant project-oriented funding from an A-list of national foundations and federally funded entities that focus on public media, technology, and the arts.

SRG's primary member interaction is at the CEO/General Manager level, although other local management team members are often included in communications and projects. SRG also interacts from time-to-time with members' governing entities.

CEO Responsibilities

In consultation with the SRG board of directors and members, SRG's CEO will:

Lead periodic updates and refinement of the mission, strategic framework, and broad goals of the organization and develop, budget, and execute an evolving annual activity plan.

Represent SRG and its members to policy makers, partners, foundation funders, major donors, and other constituencies and stakeholders in a way that is persuasive, inspiring, trusted, and consistent with SRG members' values and interests.

Communicate regularly with members and other public media national organizations to advance knowledge and understanding, highlight critical issues and opportunities, and provide transparency for SRG's work.

Identify and recruit new SRG members as appropriate to current areas of SRG focus and maintenance of a member base sufficient to sustain the organization.

Pursue public and philanthropic funding that supports SRG members generally and SRG projects and activities.

Manage SRG in a fiscally responsible manner that maintains the organization's financial health.

Maintain a high level of integrity, ethics, confidentiality, and trust in his or her own work and in the overall affairs of the organization.

Fulfill financial, regulatory, and ethical obligations as a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

Maintain a working environment for employees, consultants, advisors, and contractors that is supportive, inclusive, and fair; that is guided by clear policies, contracts, and understandings; and that promotes commitment, personal growth, and satisfaction.

Comply with limitations on executive authority as established by board of directors' policies.

Applying for the position

The deadline for applications is Monday, September 20, 2021.

Questions about SRG and this position may be sent confidentially to CEOsearch@srg.org

Please submit a letter of interest, a resume, and three professional references to CEOsearch@srg.org

We expect the successful applicant to begin work on or about the turn of the year.