Manager, Audience Engagement

University of Arizona; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits

Tuition reduction for employee and fam

Job summary

The University of Arizona seeks a strategic leader to serve as Chief Audience Engagement Officer for AZPM, guiding community visibility, education initiatives, and partnerships across Southern Arizona. This executive role bridges AZPM, the University, and local communities to advance civic engagement and public service impact.

The CAEO oversees engagement, outreach, marketing, and partnerships, championing AZPM as a trusted public media voice for dialogue, learning, and community growth.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent senior professional experience.
• At least 5 years of related work experience with 2 years in leadership roles.
• Preferred Master’s degree in communications, leadership, public administration or related field.
• Experience in public media, community engagement, or higher education is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead AZPM’s business development and revenue growth activities across platforms.
• Develop and sell integrated media and marketing solutions to clients and sponsors.
• Build and maintain relationships with corporate sponsors, donors, and community partners.
• Identify partnerships and opportunities to expand earned income in media and production.
• Collaborate across teams to implement sales strategies and evaluate performance.
• Lead revenue generation for production facilities and services.

Skills

Communication skills

Community engagement

Public speaking

Relationship-building

Strategic thinking

Civic leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

Position Highlights

The Chief Audience Engagement Officer (CAEO) is Arizona Public Media’s senior executive responsible for advancing AZPM’s strategy for community visibility, engagement, public service impact, and regional partnerships. As a member of the executive leadership team, the CAEO ensures that AZPM’s educational initiatives, original content, and outreach activities authentically reflect and serve the various communities of Southern Arizona while expanding awareness, utilization, and financial support of AZPM’s services.

The CAEO serves as a strategic bridge between AZPM, the University of Arizona, and the broader community, helping to position public media as a powerful platform for civic engagement, public understanding, lifelong learning, and community impact. This role underscores AZPM’s unique contribution to advancing the University’s Land Grant mission by translating knowledge into public awareness, value and strengthening connections between the University and the people it serves.

Combining visionary leadership with operational excellence, the CAEO oversees community engagement, educational outreach, digital engagement, marketing, communications, brand strategy, and community partnerships. The successful candidate will champion AZPM’s role as Southern Arizona’s trusted public media organization, civic convener, storyteller, educator, and catalyst for community dialogue and action.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!

The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona and relocations services, please.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead and support AZPM’s business development and revenue‑growth activities by identifying, developing, and converting opportunities that leverage AZPM audiences, content, media platforms, facilities, technology, and production capabilities.
• Support achievement of organizational revenue objectives by developing and selling integrated media and marketing solutions that combine broadcast, digital, social, events, and other AZPM capabilities to address client and partner business objectives.
• Develop and maintain business relationships with current and prospective corporate sponsors, donors, business leaders, community organizations, media partners, and other stakeholders to support revenue‑generating opportunities and strengthen community relationships.
• Expand AZPM’s presence within Arizona’s media, film, video, and creative industries by identifying strategic partnerships, prospective clients, and commercial opportunities that support sustainable earned income.
• Collaborate with Production Services, Development, Membership, Corporate Support, and other AZPM teams to implement business plans and sales strategies, support revenue targets, evaluate financial and client‑development activities, and identify new business opportunities.
• Identify and develop potential revenue‑generating products, services, and business opportunities by applying emerging media platforms, audience trends, technology, AZPM assets, and changing client needs.
• Lead the business development and sales strategy for AZPM’s production and facility services, actively pursuing media production companies, corporations, nonprofits, educational institutions, government entities, and other organizations seeking high‑quality production, studio, meeting, and event facilities.
• Build and manage a strong business‑development pipeline, establishing measurable goals for prospect identification, relationship development, proposals, sales conversion, revenue growth, client retention, and account expansion.
• Serve as a senior business‑development representative for AZPM within the business, civic, philanthropic, media, and professional communities, using strategic networking and relationship development to generate new clients, partners, sponsors, and revenue opportunities.
• Monitor, analyze, and communicate business‑development performance and market opportunities, using revenue, sales activity, client, audience, and market data to identify growth opportunities and recommend strategies that strengthen AZPM’s financial sustainability and long‑term business development.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Exceptional communication, relationship‑building, facilitation, and public speaking skills.
• Knowledge of Southern Arizona’s communities, cultures, demographics, and civic landscape.

Core Competencies

• Strategic and systems thinking.
• Civic and community engagement leadership.
• Audience‑centered innovation.
• Cross‑functional collaboration.
• Public media and public service orientation.Data‑informed decision‑making.
• Cultural competence and inclusive leadership.
• Crisis communication and public affairs.
• Partnership development and stakeholder engagement.
• Change leadership and organizational effectiveness.

This job posting reflects the general nature and level of work expected of the selected candidate(s). It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The institution reserves the right to amend or update this description as organizational priorities and institutional needs evolve.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional level experience required.
• Minimum of 5 years of related work experience, including 2 years of managerial experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in communications, organizational leadership, public administration, education, or a related field.
• Leadership experience in public media, community engagement, civic engagement, higher education, nonprofit management, or related sectors.
• Experience measuring and demonstrating public service impact.
• Experience working in public media and the evolving audience engagement landscape across traditional and emerging platforms.
• Experience working in higher education, or other mission‑driven organizations.
• Proven experience leading teams, managing budgets, and executing strategic initiatives.
• Demonstrated success building and sustaining partnerships across various communities and stakeholder groups.

FLSA

Exempt

Full Time/Part Time

Full Time

Number of Hours Worked per Week

40

Job FTE

1.0

Work Calendar

Fiscal

Job Category

University Advancement

Benefits Eligible

Yes - Full Benefits

Rate of Pay

$99,901 - $129,871

Compensation Type

salary at 1.0 full-time equivalency (FTE)

Grade

12

Compensation Guidance

The Rate of Pay Field represents the University of Arizona’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. The University considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, and internal equity.
The Grade Range represent a full range of career compensation growth over time. The university offers compensation growth opportunities within its career architecture. To learn more about compensation, please review our Applicant Compensation Guide and our Total Rewards Calculator .

Career Stream and Level

M2

Job Family

Business Development

Job Function

University Advancement

Type of criminal background check required:

Fingerprint criminal background check (security sensitive due to title or department)

Number of Vacancies

1

Target Hire Date

10/26/2026

Expected End Date

Contact Information for Candidates

Jack Gibson,
[e-mail]

Open Date

10/14/2026

Open Until Filled

Yes

Documents Needed to Apply

Resume and Cover Letter

Notice of Availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (Clery Act), each year the University of Arizona releases an Annual Security Report (ASR) for each of the University’s campuses.Thesereports disclose information including Clery crime statistics for the previous three calendar years and policies, procedures, and programs the University uses to keep students and employees safe, including how to report crimes or other emergencies and resources for crime victims. As a campus with residential housing facilities, the Main Campus ASR also includes a combined Annual Fire Safety report with information on fire statistics and fire safety systems, policies, and procedures.
Paper copies of the Reports can be obtained by contacting the University Compliance Office at [e-mail].