Executive Director

Wisconsin Broadcasters Association; Alabama; On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Educational Communications Board seeks an Executive Director to lead Wisconsin’s public media and education services, including PBS Wisconsin and Wisconsin Public Radio, in partnership with UW–Madison. The role requires strategic budgeting, staff leadership, and external stakeholder engagement across a large geographic area.

The Executive Director collaborates with the UW–Madison division of Wisconsin Public Media and oversees operations, policy compliance, and continuity planning to ensure

Qualifications

• Experience leading an organization or business unit with strategic budgeting and multi-fund operations.
• Ability to manage staff, implement personnel policies, and drive workforce development.
• Experience developing and maintaining external relationships and engaging with fundraising partners.
• Familiarity with statutory frameworks governing agency operations and high-stakes decision making.
• Experience creating or implementing continuity of operations plans.

Responsibilities

• Lead the agency with strategic direction and budget planning.
• Oversee operations of PBS Wisconsin and WPR networks in collaboration with the UW–Madison division.
• Develop relationships with external stakeholders and advocate for legislative priorities.
• Guide staff and implement personnel policies while ensuring statewide broadcast and public media services.

Skills

Leadership experience

Strategic direction

Budget management

Staff management

Policy understanding

Stakeholder relations

Legislative advocacy

Operational leadership

Continuity planning

Job description

The Educational Communications Board (ECB), is seeking an Executive Director. ECB is an independent state of Wisconsin agency that works in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison to operate Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) and PBS Wisconsin, ensuring the delivery of public media and education services to a statewide audience. ECB also operates and maintains the statewide network of National Weather Service transmitters as well as the technical backbone for the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and AMBER Alert.

The Executive Director is appointed by the Board of Directors (Wis. Stats. 15.57). The Board meets quarterly to review, advise and approve the activities of the agency, and conducts an annual review of the Executive Director’s performance. The Executive Director shares joint oversight of PBS Wisconsin and the WPR networks with the executive director of the division of Wisconsin Public Media (WPM) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

It is critically important that your application materials clearly describe your experience related to the stated job qualifications.

Qualified candidates will have:

• Experience leading an organization or business unit, this may include:
  • developing strategic direction
  • developing state and budget strategies
  • managing operations of a business unit
  • understanding of complex, multi-fund source budgets
  • managing staff and implementing personnel policies
  • managing workforce development and employee engagement strategies
  • understanding statutory frameworks for agency or organizational operations
  • analyzing complex situations and making senior level decisions
  • creating or implementing continuity of operations plans
• Experience developing and maintaining positive working relationships with external stakeholders. This may include:
  • developing and implementing a legislative advocacy strategy
  • working positively with fundraising organizations
  • working constructively with key partners to deliver high-quality products or services.

Well-qualified candidates may also have:

• Experience in the broadcasting or related industry
• Experience with an organization providing services over a large geographic area
• Experience interpreting and applying federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to the broadcast industry

Additional Info

Station/Company Name : Educational Communications Board

Contact Name : Pilar Blomquist

Location : Madison