WCTE Central TN PBS POSITION TITLE: President / CEO DEPARTMENT: Administration REPORTS TO: Board of Trustees of the Upper Cumberland Broadcast Council
WCTE Central TN PBS seeks a skilled, energetic, mission-driven professional to serve as President/CEO.
WCTE PBS is PBS’ best-known small, rural public television station. It has repeatedly demonstrated to the region, nation, and the public media system as a whole, the value that a PBS station can provide to a rural community.
This position offers a unique opportunity to build on this legacy, broaden ties to the region’s increasingly diverse population, and reach new audiences by expanding digital offerings.
WCTE PBS is a community-licensed station in Cookeville, Tennessee. Located within a 90 minute drive of Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga, the station serves the fourteen counties of the Upper Cumberland and beyond with broadcast, digital, and community engagement.
WCTE PBS offers four over the air channels including two HD channels with WCTE Main and WCTE PBS KIDS; two SD Channels with WCTE World and WCTE Create.
With a 200kw transmitter covering an over the air radius of seventy five miles; carriage on 22 area cable systems; Dish and DirecTV in the Nashville DMA; YouTube TV; two streaming channels and the WCTE App, the station reaches an audience of 1.3 million potential viewers. WCTE also has a strong social media presence on Facebook; YouTube; Instagram and Twitter.
Cookeville is the county seat for Putnam County, home of Tennessee Technological University. The area is known for its’ scenic beauty, outdoor activities, arts, music, and culture including The Bryan Symphony Orchestra and the Appalachian Center for Crafts.
In addition to Tennessee Tech, the region is home to many major employers such as Cookeville Regional Medical Center; The Putnam County School Board; Averitt Express; Aphena Pharma Solutions; Ficosa; Cummins Filtration: Portobello America; TUTCO; SAIC; Academy Sports and others.
In a region dominated by small towns, rolling hills, state parks, lakes and streams, the Upper Cumberland is a beautiful, affordable, and centrally located part of the United States. Cookeville is strategically located on the East/West corridor of Interstate 40 and the North/South corridor of Hwy 111. In addition to its proximity to major cities in Tennessee, it is a four hour drive to many major cities including Atlanta, GA; Lexington and Louisville, KY; Ashville, NC; and Cincinnati, OH.
JOB OBJECTIVE:
WCTE PBS seeks a new President/CEO with the vision, passion, and energy to lead a talented, versatile and dedicated Staff and Board in providing unique and valued services to this region.
The President /CEO is responsible for the success of WCTE PBS, providing leadership, direction, and oversight to ensure that the organization fulfills its mission and achieves the objectives and goals developed by the Board of Trustees in partnership with the internal Leadership Team. Together with the Board, the CEO assures and strengthens WCTE PBS’s positive reputation in, and relevance and accountability to the diverse constituents it serves. The CEO will uphold and promote the values of WCTE and PBS.
The President/CEO works with the Station Manager and the Leadership Team to implement the recently completed three year strategic plan and annual plan (called a “progress tracker”), oversee and guide station content and services, business and compliance issues, financial matters, profitability, and sustaining and building strategic alliances and partners.
The President/CEO will recognize WCTE PBS’s unique role and ability to strengthen education and lifelong learning in the region and to provide essential public safety communications and services.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
The CEO must possess strong leadership, management, and communications skills, and commit to WCTE PBS’ mission, vision, and values.
Mission, Policy, and Planning: Ensure fidelity to WCTE’s mission and vision. Help the Staff and Board to regularly monitor, achieve and update the annual and multi-year plans that WCTE PBS completed in August 2021. Provide visionary leadership when guiding the development of new annual and multi-year plans. Review the annual progress trackers with the Leadership Team at least quarterly. Guide the Leadership Team in developing progress trackers for the upcoming fiscal year in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year and before the annual budget is finalized. In consultation with the Board and Leadership Team, develop the multi-year strategic plan during the year before the plan is scheduled to expire, or sooner if circumstances require it.
Management and Administration: Provide strong leadership and financial acumen. Oversee the management and delegation of all WCTE PBS activities. Communicate clearly and professionally. Assure achievement of short and long-term goals, quality content and services. Assure a positive work environment that is focused, stable and recruits, supports and encourages a diverse, creative, high performing staff. Recommend organizational changes and annual budgets to the Board. Work with WCTE PBS’s Director of Human Resources to set policies and procedures for personnel accountability and performance evaluations. Work with external strategic partners who provide essential services, including: educational and community engagement; content creation; financial management; membership development; legal guidance; master control; and government relations.
Governance: Keep the Board fully informed on WCTE’s performance and relevant issues. Work closely with the Board of Trustee’s Executive Committee to help ensure the full Board is informed, engaged, and accountable. This will include helping the Board understand: public media’s potential; WCTE PBS operations, financial and legal responsibilities; strategic issues in public media; and how best to positively represent and support WCTE PBS in the community.
Legal compliance: The CEO will ensure timely and accurate filing of all legal and regulatory documents and monitor compliance with relevant laws and regulations. As a member of the PBS network, the CEO will ensure compliance with policies and regulations of PBS affiliation, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), local, state, and federal laws including FCC regulations.
Financial Management: Solicit financial support from the public, corporations, foundations, the state and national public media organizations. Manage cash flow, the budgeting process, financial reporting, and audit. Ensure an effective fund development program in collaboration with the Board of Trustees.
Community Relations: Serve as WCTE’s chief spokesperson. Maintain, grow, and regularly evaluate WCTE PBS’s relevance to the community. Develop relationships with key constituencies at the local, state, regional and national level to further WCTE PBS’s mission. Work collaboratively with the other Tennessee and national public media organizations.
QUALIFICATIONS Five+ years of increasingly responsible and demonstrably successful experience in a senior executive role, preferably in broadcast media and/or digital media. Proven record of accomplishment in fundraising and engaging with donors and other funders in order to promote and drive financial success. Ability to understand, meet and fulfill local, state, and federal rules, regulations, policies, and laws pertaining to the operation of a public television station and a non-profit organization. Excellent written and oral communications skills. Bachelor’s degree required, graduate degree preferred. Computer literate with strong project management skills. Proficient on digital platforms.
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
Flexible in the face of changing dynamics Committed to equity and the inclusion of diverse individuals and perspectives Servant Leader Positive attitude Team builder Creative Compassionate Thought leader Able to inspire Demonstrates Integrity Courageous
TO APPLY:
Send resume, cover letter, salary requirements, and three professional references to:
Email: [email protected]
Human Resources WCTE Central TN PBS Mail: PO Box 2040 Cookeville, TN 38502
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE
Please visit www.wcte.org for more information
WCTE Central TN PBS is an Equal Opportunity Employer