VP, Talent Strategy & Creator Partnerships

RadioJobs; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 243,000 - 290,000; Full time

Job summary

NPR in Washington, DC is seeking a Vice President of Talent Strategy to architect talent acquisition, career stewardship, and creator partnerships across NPR’s multimedia vision. This executive role partners with the CCO and editorial leadership to align talent strategy with long-term goals.

You will nurture relationships with award-winning journalists and rising voices from independent media, while collaborating with Legal, People, and partner networks to ensure ethical, editorial integrity.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive executive leadership in talent management, talent relations, media recruiting, or creative talent strategy within news, podcasting, digital media, or broadcast entertainment.
• Demonstrated, active network of professional relationships with journalists, creators, literary and talent agencies, management firms, and digital-first storytellers.
• Proven track record of structuring and negotiating complex, multi-party talent contracts, intellectual property rights, and compensation agreements in compliance with organizational policies.
• Demonstrated success building and sustaining diverse, multi-perspective talent rosters that engage cross-generational and culturally diverse audiences.
• Substantive experience acting as a trusted mediator in high-stance creative environments, resolving interpersonal, contractual, or operational friction with discretion and high emotional intelligence.
• Unwavering commitment to editorial independence, high-integrity journalism, and the civic mission of public media.

Responsibilities

• Executive Talent Relationship Management: Serve as the primary executive liaison and trusted advisor to high-profile journalists, hosts, and creative contributors, cultivating sustainable career pathways and retention strategies in close collaboration with the CCO.
• Talent Scouting & Pipeline Development: Design and lead a comprehensive discovery strategy across traditional broadcast, podcasting, newsletter platforms, social ecosystems, and independent journalism to build an ongoing, diverse pipeline of on-air and digital talent.
• Cross-Functional Mediation & Advocacy: Act as the central connective tissue between creative talent, talent representatives (agents, managers, attorneys), and internal executive teams (People Team, Legal, Marketing, and Operations) to align individual goals with organizational priorities.
• Complex Contract Structuring & Negotiations: In close coordination with the CCO, Legal, and People teams, oversee talent agreement frameworks, leading contract renewals, compensation structures, and rights agreements with precision and diplomatic finesse.
• Editorial Standards & Mission Alignment: Ensure all talent recruitment, onboarding and partner strategies rigorously reflect NPR’s core mission, journalistic ethics, and commitment to public service.
• Audience Forecasting & Metric Analysis: Partner with Content Insights and divisional leadership to evaluate audience consumption trends and identify future talent requirements across evolving media such as video, episodic audio, and experiential storytelling.
• DEI Talent Initiatives: Systematically embed diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into every phase of talent identification, pipeline cultivation, and retention.

Skills

Executive Relationship Building

Contractual & Negotiation Acumen

Audience & Format Vision

Strategic Collaboration

Crisis Management & Discretion

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

NPR in Washington, DC is seeking a Vice President of Talent Strategy to architect talent acquisition, career stewardship, and creator partnerships across NPR’s multimedia vision. This executive role partners with the CCO and editorial leadership to align talent strategy with long-term goals.

You will nurture relationships with award-winning journalists and rising voices from independent media, while collaborating with Legal, People, and partner networks to ensure ethical, editorial integrity.