Who We Are:
Southern California Public Radio (SCPR) is a member-supported public media network whose mission is to strengthen the civic and cultural bonds that unite Southern California's diverse communities by providing the highest quality news and information service on air at LAist 89.3, online at LAist.com and through LAist Live Programming & Events. Since our founding in 1999, SCPR has been a fast growing, innovative, multi-platform public service newsroom. Every day, our staff helps audiences catch up on the latest headlines, solve the complexities of life in Southern California, and connect curious communities to one another.
About Us:
SCPR is home to LA’s #1 NPR station LAist 89.3, its digital companion LAist.com, and the podcast studio LAist Studios. Engaging audiences on multi-platforms under the LAist name, it sets out to reach Angelenos wherever they are: on radio, digital and social, and via live events. Key to its future is advancing this multi-platform sale with a dynamic forward thinking sales leader, experienced in providing innovative and impactful client solutions, and managing a sales team energized by its public service mission.
Position Summary:
The Vice President, Underwriting Sales is a critical leadership role at Southern California Public Radio (SCPR) responsible for creating and growing a multiplatform strategy maximizing our radio, digital, podcasts, live events and social platforms. The VP spearheads our sales strategy, drives revenue growth, and elevates our underwriting sales team's performance. SCPR recognizes that public media users get their news, information, and storytelling in a variety of ways. The VP prioritizes presenting clients with ad solutions across our portfolio of offerings to meet our public media audience wherever they are.
With a strong foundation in digital ad sales & an understanding of the evolving marketplace, the ideal candidate will bring a proven track record of success, a strategic mindset, and a passion for leading, mentoring, finding and developing talent. As a culture creator, you will embody our core values and foster an environment that promotes teamwork, innovation, excellence and success. The incumbent will provide the management and leadership in revenue generation from public media underwriting while aggressively growing the existing revenue base. The VP will develop and execute sales projections and plans for multi-platform activities.
Compensation:
The salary for this opportunity will be no less than $170,000 annualized and no more than $205,000 annualized, plus commission. Exact salary determined by experience and education related to the role, organizational compensation structure, budget and internal equity.
Position Responsibility:
- Develop and execute a comprehensive sales strategy that aligns with the company's overall growth objectives.
- Lead, mentor, and scale a high-performing sales team to exceed revenue targets and deliver exceptional client service.
- Create a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging professional growth and environment of team and knowledge sharing within the team.
- Maintain a deep understanding of the digital advertising landscape, identifying and anticipating trends, challenges, and opportunities for innovation.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing, product, and analytics, to ensure cohesive and consistent strategies and maximize revenue opportunities.
- Serve as a key executive team member, contributing to overall company strategy, operations, and culture.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key clients, partners, and industry stakeholders.
- Develop and implement strategies for marketing underwriting opportunities to for-profit and not-for-profit organizations with an emphasis on strategies to derive revenue from multi-platform activities.
- Establish underwriting revenue goals for the Company and prepare departmental budgets.
- Manage day-to-day sales strategy implementation, execution, promotions, decisions and acts on plans and directly participate on a regular basis in client or agency sales presentations.
- Develop, present and execute sales projections and plans.
- Manage day-to-day department activities including but not limited to: inventory pricing strategies, rate card development and overall compliance, off-rate card analysis and decision making, coordination of client accounts receivable issues with Company and third-party sales representation.
- Responsible for the management and leadership in revenue generation, in underwriting, advertising and sponsorships, event generation, non-traditional revenue from creative partnerships and promotional packages.
- Manage the day-to-day support and efforts and results of third party sales representation firms.
- Manage the development and continuous improvement of internal and external product packages.
- Review and apply audience research, including qualitative and quantitative data, to underwriting strategies.
- Create, implement and monitor the effectiveness of underwriting standards, procedures and processes; implement changes as needed.
- Oversee on-air sponsorship announcements: ensure broadcast copy complies with applicable FCC Regulations as SCPR’s policies.
- Provide technical guidance to resolve problems.
- Build strong lasting relationships with clients and agencies, solidifying SCPR’s role in the communities of companies that share our audience and vision.
- Hire, supervise, train and manage direct staff through coaching, mentorship, performance meetings and on-going feedback. Involve HR on performance issues as needed.
- Foster a creative and productive work environment. Create development opportunities and individualized development plans for staff and training to enhance skills and foster growth.
- Responsible for all aspects of staffing, including compensation, incentives and training for a diverse talented group of underwriting sales professionals.
- Serve as part of the Senior Management Group at SCPR.
- Energize underwriting sales team to commit to achieving the highest standards by creating an environment that encourages everyone to act in the best interests of both their clients and SCPR.
- Attend board meetings and report on the progress of revenue goals to the Board of Trustees.
- Other duties as assigned.
Required Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree or combination of education and experience required.
- Minimum 8-10 years experience in media sales and management.
- Supervisory/management experience is required - must demonstrate an ability to foster high standards and an exceptional ability to mentor, coach, inspire and lead.
- Strong business acumen and strategic thinking ability, with a hands-on approach to tackling challenges.
Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:
- Solution-oriented
- Exceptional listening skills
- Understanding of market trends, customer needs, and competitive landscapes to implement strategic plans to capitalize on opportunities and drive revenue growth.
- Must be capable of prioritizing underwriting sales and sponsorship opportunities across multiple media platforms, including local and regional networks and programs as well as the Internet.
- Excel at building and nurturing relationships with clients, partners, and internal stakeholders - such as colleagues - to engage in cross-departmental partnerships to create new products and tools to drive sales.
- Be creative and an outside-the-box thinker.
- A commitment to building and maintaining a winning culture, upholding and advancing the company's values and mission.
- Expertise and leadership in product pricing and promotion.
- Ability to work cross functionally to identify and realize deliverables required for aggressive revenue growth.
- Resilience to overcome setbacks and the persistence to keep pushing forward, even in the face of adversity.
- A strong team orientation and interpersonal skills to effectively communicate with clients, agencies, staff, senior management peers and industry colleagues.
- Ability to consistently work well with others, inspire and motivate the sales team to achieve their targets, exceed expectations, and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Proven track record of successfully meeting income targets through both prospecting and client upgrades.
- Demonstrated leadership qualities of presence, confidence, judgment and integrity are expected.
- Demonstrated time management skills.
- Excellent organizational and communication skills.
- Understanding of broadcast inventory management.
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office products.
- Working knowledge of sales tools including Nielsen.
- Familiarity with audience research tools and metrics.
- Supervisory skills and ability to recruit, mentor, coach and develop talent.
- Leadership and personnel skills and ability to develop high performing teams.
Preferred Skills and Experience:
- Thorough knowledge of Tapscan 3rd party processor, Media Audit, and Scarborough.
- Thorough understanding of marketing principles: how radio, events, on-line media, and outbound e-mails fit into client marketing needs.
Reporting To This Position:
- Account Executives
- Administrative Support
Physical Demands and Working Conditions:
- Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation
- Physical Demands:
- Required to move about in an office environment and sit for extended periods of time
- Required to move about in the community
- Frequent use of hands for data entry/keystrokes and simple grasping.
- Working Conditions:
- Moderate noise level
- Occasional exposure to prevalent weather conditions.
Southern California Public Radio (LAist 89.3/LAist.com/LAist Studios) is diverse in race, ethnicity, language, culture, social class, national origin, religious and political belief, age, ability, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation in addition to other markers protected by law.
At SCPR, we strive to create an inclusive environment where we all feel pride in who we are and what we do. We are encouraged to show up as we are – always embracing and recognizing that our diversity is what brings us together. Our fundamental commitment to diversity:
- Enriches SCPR and provides an atmosphere in which all human potential is valued
- Promotes learning through interactions among people of different backgrounds and many perspectives, and
- Enables the organization to prepare all employees to promote social responsibility, equity, freedom, and productive citizenship in a global society
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.
We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage you to apply.
