Vice President For Government & External Affairs

Full Time Job
Across our organization, we’re building a workplace where collaboration is essential, diverse voices are heard, and inclusion is the key to our success.

We seek leaders who have shown a demonstrated commitment to and understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

This is an amazing opportunity for a motivated and mission-drive leader to join a dynamic, non-profit public media organization as Vice President for Government & External Affairs. This role leads a small in-house team and external consultants representing the interests of NPR, its Member stations and the public media system to Congress, executive, regulatory and judicial bodies. The team develops policy, legislative proposals, advocacy and station and community engagement plans on behalf of NPR, as well as the hundreds of public radio stations across the nation. This work enables NPR and its Members stations to navigate a complex media and regulatory landscape in fulfillment of its public service mission.

This role reports to NPR’s President and CEO.

RESPONSIBILITIES
• Represent NPR and the public radio system as Vice President for Government & External Affairs.
• Lead advocacy that supports the public service mission of NPR and the public radio system as a whole.
• Provide strategic leadership and develop forward-looking policy proposals that ensure public media can support and expand its service to the American people.
• Serve as a key member of NPR’s executive team;
• Lead a small in-house team, supplemented with consultants, who handle a wide range of complex policy matters.
• Establish and develop strong relationships with key congressional, regulatory and public radio/broadcasting system leaders.
• Work to ensure strong congressional support for public radio’s role in media, journalism, music and cultural programming.
• Build upon and expand existing grassroots and community engagement projects to ensure deepened Federal support for public broadcasting.
• Work closely with other NPR departments and across the leadership team, providing practical, thoughtful, and timely advice.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree or equivalent in work experience. Minimum fifteen years of public policy development and lobbying experience with strong understanding of the congressional appropriations process, as well as telecom, privacy, digital media and emerging policy areas critical to public radio’s future success

REQUIRED SKILLS
• Highest level of integrity and commitment to our public service mission.
• Proven Executive level skills and experience, able to provide inspiring leadership on policy issues across the public media landscape.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate the needs of NPR and Member stations to a wide range of constituencies, including Congress and Federal agencies.
• Demonstrated experience and proven track-record of success with the Federal appropriations and budget processes.
• Excellent networking and relationship-building abilities.
• Demontrated knowledge of broadcasting, media, music rights and digital content platforms.
• Success in developing and administering collaborative community engagement and grassroots lobbying efforts.
• Strong writer and public speaker.
• Demonstrated commitment to and understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

PREFERRED SKILLS
• Experience working with public media or for a membership organization.

All applications must include a resume and cover letter to be considered.

NPR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. NPR is committed to being an inclusive workplace that welcomes diverse and unique perspectives, all working toward the same goal – to create a more informed public. Qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, religious belief, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, transgender status, gender non-conforming status, intersex status, sexual stereotypes, nationality, citizenship status, personal appearance, marital status, family status, family responsibilities, military status, veteran status, mental and physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, genetic characteristics of yourself or a family member, political views and affiliation, unemployment status, protective order status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, or any other basis prohibited under applicable law.