WMFE/WMFV- President and General Manager

Organization & Position Overview

Community Communications Inc, which operates WMFE/WMFV in Orlando, Florida, seeks a President and General Manager with the ability to lead a very talented staff to even greater prominence in the Central Florida market. WMFE-FM is solidly connected to the community, financially stable, with strong Board of Trustee support. 
 
Community Communications Inc. is a non-profit, member-supported, community-based public broadcasting company that operates 90.7 WMFE-FM; 90.7-2 Classical; and 89.5 WMFV-FM. 

WMFE and WMFV are the primary providers of NPR® programming to the region and produce a robust roster of original programs, podcasts and events dedicated to the area’s news, arts and culture. Specialized coverage and recent in-depth reporting include space exploration, health, climate change, PTSD, Puerto Rico recovery and a local version of the NPR Tiny Desk Contest. While WMFE has operated since 1980, it launched the sister station WMFV in March 2018, extending coverage northwest of Orlando into The Villages, Leesburg and The Golden Triangle.

WMFE-FM is a stand-alone, community licensee, with a budget in excess of $4.3 million per year, with five senior managers directly reporting to the President and General Manager, a newsroom of seven reporters, and a current total staff of 24.

The position of President and General Manager reports to the WMFE-FM Board of Trustees.

WMFE-FM seeks a powerful, energetic leader with clear integrity. Candidates must demonstrate clear understanding of the mission of public radio, as well as a collaborative, entrepreneurial approach and strong fundraising skills. Candidates must have solid business and passion for independent, community-based journalism plus be a strong communicator who will become the “face” of the station. 
This position is the opportunity for a talented individual to lead WMFE-FM to overall market leadership in a community that is limited in radio news and information.
 
Primary Responsibilities:
 
Programming and Program Development
  • Works with the staff to lead WMFE/WMFV into new areas of programming, marketing, events, and digital initiatives
  • Works closely with NPR and other program distributors to give maximum support to national programs
  • Generates effective marketing to better engage WMFE-FM in the community
  • Develops local news, programming and marketing efforts to attract new audiences and demographics
 
Fundraising (Philanthropic and Corporate) and Community Engagement
  • Drives growth of WMFE/WMFV and maintains, evaluates and executes an effective development plan
  • Leads the evolution of WMFE/WMFV to becoming a fully balanced, integrated development and philanthropy-centered organization
  • Takes a lead role in fundraising, particularly related to major gifts, grants, foundations, making client calls with the underwriting team, and is very comfortable and adept at asking for money
  • Represents the station to local business and cultural organizations, and participates in the leadership of the community

Staff
  • Builds, inspires, maintains and encourages teamwork through collaboration, creativity and pride in professional achievement
  • Encourages and manages creative approaches to station goals
  • Analyzes abilities of staff and “puts the right people in the right jobs”
  • Focuses on employee and leadership development
  • Is committed to diversity

Business and Financial
  • Has a high level of business and financial skills including strategic and business planning
  • Possesses a clear grasp of media usage, marketing, population patterns and trends, and able to adjust course of organization in response 
  • Experienced in managing facilities, including ability to maximize existing resources as well as identifying new uses and/or tenants for surplus space 
  • Maintains and assures effective financial systems and reporting
  • Has experience in governmental relations
  • Ensures compliance with all FCC regulations
  • Represents station interests with key organizations such as Corporation for Public Broadcasting, NPR, and the FCC

Board
  • Helps assure and support a strong and effective volunteer board of trustees
  • Partners with the board in strategic planning/future facilities/capital campaign initiatives

Knowledge/Skill/Abilities/Characteristics:
  • Bachelor’s degree and 10+ years senior nonprofit management experience, public broadcasting preferred
  • Proven interpersonal skills reflected with an ability to interact professionally with all levels of the organization, both internally and externally
  • Demonstrate strong direct fundraising background including major gifts and grants
  • Experience in capital campaign and facilities planning.
  • Embraces digital technologies and understands the opportunities for public media within it
  • Passion for news and information and commitment to the unique mission of public broadcasting.
 
TO APPLY
The Board of Trustees of WMFE is being assisted in this search by Livingston Associates. For consideration, please submit a letter of introduction including your vision for the future of WMFE-FM and how you will be the ideal person to lead the organization in achieving that vision, and a current resume.
 
 Date for full consideration: August 30, 2019
 
 WMFE is an Equal Opportunity Employer 
 
 

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