CAREERS

WEDU is searching for a dynamic President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to manage the operations of west central Florida's community-licensed primary PBS station. WEDU broadcasts from Tampa, Florida and reaches a total of 16 counties in the 14th-largest US television market.

The CEO reports to the WEDU Board of Directors and will be directly responsible for all station activities as well as day-to-day station management.

This person will personally direct, plan, staff and organize all of the operations of the station by providing an innovative, creative and strategic vision for this TV station and its other media platforms as it enters the new, challenging digital environment. This person must also excel at community outreach and partnership building as well as provide critical and effective fundraising leadership involving public and private sources, while providing important financial guidance to the CFO and executive staff.

The CEO, along with the executive staff, plans the annual budget and oversees it closely, making certain WEDU's goals and financial targets are reached.

This position will not only be responsible for growing revenue by increasing the donor base and underwriting support, but must be at the forefront in establishing relevant strategies and goals for monetizing all new and existing media platforms at the station.

WEDU is on a path to become the preeminent source of content to serve the local needs of our region while maintaining and growing our financial strength. We seek a leader to help take us there. Together, the Board and Staff of WEDU have developed a profile of the next President and CEO of WEDU, and we will consider candidates who most closely match this profile.

Leadership: We seek an experienced, energetic, strong, focused individual, committed to localism, who will help WEDU continue on its path of powerfully serving the people of west central Florida and at the same time being financially sound, who:

• Puts the mission and success of WEDU first;
• Has strong business skills and a record of effective business management;
• Is politically savvy;
• Provides direction and accountability for organizational and staff results;
• Is comfortable dealing with a wide range of stakeholders - from a single member to high-end donors and community leaders;
• Is good at creating, developing and maintaining partnerships that will benefit WEDU and the community;
• Is committed to and comfortable with diversity, both within the institution and in the community;
• Is an effective decision-maker and change agent.

Fundraising: An effective fundraiser with a demonstrated track record, who is knowledgeable of and expert at the President/CEO role in fundraising and resource development, who:

• Is effective as a mission spokesperson and at relationship management aspects of fundraising (both individual and institutional);
• Has a comprehensive understanding of public media fundraising strategies and methods;
• Is able to develop WEDU organizational (staff and board) fundraising capacity, as well as attract, lead and hold accountable WEDU fundraising staff;
• Is creative and capable at conceiving and developing alternative revenue streams.

Communication: With highly developed public and private interpersonal skills, including:

• Being a skillful listener;
• Who enjoys being in a public situation;
• Is an organized thinker, effective writer and speaker;
• Is personable, inspiring and respectful; and
• Is an effective spokesperson for the organization.

Vision/Strategic Focus: The ideal candidate displays the ability to project WEDU's needs out into the long-term future, as well as to see and understand future trends in media and related fields and the impact on WEDU's operations; who is expert in their understanding and use of strategy in organizational life and:

• Is a big picture person;
• Is able to enroll others in working together to execute vision;
• Balances vision with doing;   
• Is knowledgeable of dynamics affecting the current and future environment of WEDU and will be effective at maximizing the organization in response to these dynamics;
• Is knowledgeable of population, technology and media consumption trends in west central Florida and beyond; 
• Has highly developed skill at prioritizing, and is accomplished at sequencing change;
• Is able to continuously develop, execute and evaluate strategic plans, in concert with other stakeholders, and to champion strategic perspectives.

Passion: An authentic person who is energized by the direction and local service mission of WEDU and:

• Has enthusiasm, zeal and commitment to the heritage and future of WEDU, public media's potential/future as a source for local content, as well as for new and innovative service delivery mechanisms;
• Is able to communicate passion in a way that enrolls others and generates action by staff and in the community, including potential funders.

Community Relationships: An effective, externally focused relationship builder, who:

• Continues growing WEDU's presence in the region, has personal qualities the community can connect with, and over a short period of time can become a recognized leader in the region;
• Is a quick study - able to grasp the nuance of the region's many diverse communities, and to move comfortably and effectively within them;
• Demonstrates a record of community engagement and collaboration, and of developing partnerships with individuals and organizations; and
• Is comfortable with wide range of people, including at high levels (and being seen as a peer) of civic leadership in the region.

Creativity/Innovation: Through a combination of knowledge and insights about WEDU and the context it operates in, is able to generate significant organizational improvements in terms of improved or new business products, services, or internal processes, and:

• Is personally creative and able to act on that creativity.  Is open-minded and a good learner.  Who is not risk-averse; 
• Has a focus on innovative models and conquering challenges; 
• Is inventive and makes connections quickly; 
• Sees possibilities even in the face of severe difficulties;
• Is an out-of-the-box thinker;
• Has desire, persistence and resourcefulness to solve problems and make things happen.
  

Industry Knowledge: Expert level knowledge of and savvy about media, and trends in technology and consumption of media (including public television) and:

•  A high level of understanding of the dynamics, issues and trends of localism, and ability to lead WEDU in this area;
• Is knowledgeable of and has experience with the dynamics, issues and trends in public television;
• Is knowledgeable of and has experience with commercial and public media, and is able to use helpful approaches and lessons from both to benefit WEDU;
• Has understanding of and experience with issues related to non-profit organizations;
• Is technologically competent, comfortable with/aware of new media, and able to provide effective leadership towards identifying and adopting new platforms.

Integrity: Our most important asset is the trust our viewers and the community have in our programming and in WEDU as an institution. The WEDU President/CEO will:

• Have clear, high standards for (him or her) self and others;
• Be a good steward of public funds;
• Be a trustworthy, authentic, courageous, ethical person of substance with strong awareness and sense of self; and
• Demonstrate a record of being able to identify, confront, analyze and resolve ambiguous issues and potential or real conflicts of interest, both for (her or him) self and others in the organization.

Team Management/Team Building - An inspiring, respectful, approachable, highly competent manager of people, who:

• Creates and maintains an effective, collaborative, team-oriented, self-motivated, cross-functional culture of professionalism within WEDU;
• Adjusts his or her style as needed, collaborating, enrolling, delegating and directing as required by the situation;
• Clearly communicates the organization's mission and goals, and holds self and staff accountable for results;
• Has a proven ability to effectively attract, develop and get the most out of staff; and
• Is committed to and adept at managing diversity.

Board Relationships: Is knowledgeable of and effective at board operations and relationships in public media and/or non-profit organizations and:

• Is committed to building and maintaining an engaged and committed board that will hold itself, the President/CEO and the organization accountable for effectiveness and service to the station's mission and to the community;
• Understands the split in duties and responsibilities between policy (board) and operations (staff); and
• Knows how to collaboratively establish and maintain norms of managing these respective roles.

Candidates must possess at least a Bachelors degree and very broad management experience in either public media, commercial broadcasting, or in allied fields, such as internet media, marketing or related disciplines. The successful candidate must understand the needs of a multi-cultural viewer/donor base and community and must have a track record of successful experience in communicating with the many stakeholders of a large, dynamic private sector entity or a public media outlet such as WEDU.

WEDU is being assisted in this search by Livingston Associates. For consideration, please submit a letter of introduction, resume, salary requirements and contact information for a minimum of 3 professional references at the WEDU posting on http://www.livingstonassociates.net/.

Closing Date: February 26, 2010

WEDU is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Drug Test required.