Senior Vice President, Audience Development & Content Distribution

OVERVIEW

A thriving, mission-driven multimedia organization, NPR produces award-winning news, information, and music programming in partnership with hundreds of independent public radio stations across the nation. The NPR audience values information, creativity, curiosity, and social responsibility – and our employees do too. We are innovators and leaders in diverse fields, from journalism and digital media to IT and development. Every day, our employees and member stations touch the lives of millions worldwide.

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 are committed to doing the right thing in our journalism and in every role at NPR.

This means that integrity, adherence to our ethical standards, and compliance with legal obligations are fundamental responsibilities for every employee at NPR.

Intro to Position

We are seeking an experienced, strategic, and mission-aligned executive to serve as Senior Vice President (SVP), Audience Development & Content Distribution. Reporting directly to the Chief Content Officer (CCO), this executive will bridge enterprise editorial vision with multi-platform publishing, network syndication, and station distribution strategy.

While our newsroom leadership focuses on the stories we tell, you will lead how, when, where, and to whom public media journalism is delivered and experienced across our nationwide network.

The ideal candidate sits at the intersection of executive media leadership, digital strategy, and network operations—scaling quality, editorial integrity, and audience reach by building a collaborative publishing framework that aligns, empowers, and coordinates NPR, Member stations, and affiliate partners. You will oversee enterprise content roadmaps and channel distribution strategies to maximize audience acquisition, reader/listener retention, and civic impact across owned properties, third-party platforms, and member newsrooms.

This is an NPR editorial role covered under the terms of the NPR Ethics Handbook.

All editorial staff are bound by this guidance. Editorial staff is defined as staff members who play a role in shaping the journalistic or creative direction of NPR's content, including events.

Responsibilities

• Multi-Platform Distribution & Ecosystem Growth
• Drive Enterprise Content Planning: Build and manage the enterprise-wide content roadmap, aligning daily news flow, major investigative series, podcasts, newsletters, and special projects across all publishing platforms to optimize newsroom capacity and audience engagement.
• Execute Channel & Syndication Strategy: Oversee multi-platform distribution across owned digital properties (apps, web, newsletters) and third-party networks (search, social platforms, news aggregators, streaming platforms) while adapting to media consumption trends and algorithm shifts.
• Lead Ecosystem Relationships: Build, maintain, and expand long-term executive relationships with publishers, digital-native media outlets, radio/TV syndicators, and non-profit journalism networks.
• Optimize Audience Growth & Impact: Direct cross-functional initiatives with SEO, social media, and newsletter teams to boost discovery, retention, and measurable civic and journalistic impact.
• Member Network Strategy
• Architect Station Network Publishing: Design, govern, and scale the operational framework for network syndication, content sharing, joint reporting initiatives, and affiliate publishing across Member stations and affiliate newsrooms.
• Cultivate Member Relationships: Serve as the central executive partner to station managers, news directors, and affiliate leaders, establishing partner advisory cadences and service standards that deliver maximum strategic value to Member stations.
• Establish Impact & Performance Metrics: Partner with data and analytics teams to define network operational KPIs, content adoption metrics, and ROI frameworks, translating audience data into actionable strategic recommendations for editorial leadership.
• Enterprise Infrastructure & Strategic Leadership
• Modernize Publishing Workflows: Architect technology-enabled distribution workflows, enterprise CMS stacks, asset management repositories (DAM/MAM), and ethical AI tools designed for distributed network environments.
• Manage Budget & Executive Alignment: Oversee the content operations and distribution budget, manage strategic resource allocation, and collaborate with Legal, Product, Tech, and Revenue leadership to preserve brand safety and organizational alignment.
• The above duties and responsibilities are not an exhaustive list of required responsibilities, duties and skills. Other duties may be assigned, and this job description can be modified at any time.

Minimum Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in media strategy, content operations, audience development, or network distribution—ideally within a major newsroom, public broadcasting network, or federated media alliance.
• Demonstrated expertise managing complex editorial calendars, media partner relationships, and multi-channel digital distribution mechanics (SEO, news aggregators, newsletters, social platforms, and streaming syndication).
• Proven experience designing, scaling, and managing complex affiliate syndication systems, content-sharing networks, or federated member-station alliances.
• Executive-level familiarity with enterprise publishing architecture, distributed CMS stacks, media asset management systems (MAM/DAM), and workflow automation.
• Exceptional executive presence with a track record of building consensus, inspiring collaboration, and aligning independent station partners and cross-functional leaders around shared strategic goals.
• Strong operational budget management experience with familiarity with network economics, membership models, or syndication structures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Deep operational understanding of public radio, member-station governance, and federated media fundraising/licensing models.
• Direct experience evaluating and implementing ethical AI, automated distribution tools, or next-generation media delivery frameworks within distributed media environments.
• Required Skills/Competencies
• Strategic Publishing Vision: Ability to bridge high-level editorial vision with operational execution, aligning enterprise storytelling with multi-platform delivery mechanics.
• Federated Stakeholder Diplomacy: Exceptional interpersonal and negotiation skills to build trust, navigate federated governance structures, and align independent partners.
• Data-Informed Editorial Judgment: Strong competency in translating quantitative audience analytics and qualitative metrics into strategic publishing decisions.
• Executive Change Leadership: Proven capacity to guide teams through digital transformation, process modernization, and evolving media landscapes.
• Mission-Driven Commitment: Passion for public-interest journalism, editorial integrity, and the vital role of news in a healthy democracy.
• Education Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communications, Media Studies, Business Administration, or a related field, OR equivalent practical work experience demonstrating equivalent executive capability.
• Work Location & Requirements
• NPR and SAG-AFTRA Hybrid Permitted
• : This is a hybrid permitted role. The employee will be required to be in the Washington, D.C. office at least 3 days a week. The employee must also reside in Washington, D.C. / Maryland / Virginia.
• Job Type
• This is a full-time, exempt position.