Communications and Engagement Manager
Job Description
Blue Ridge Public Radio—September 2023
Job Title: Communications and Engagement Manager
Department: Audience
Reports to: Director of Audience
Status: Full-time, exempt
Job Level: Manager
Annual Salary range: $55,000 to $80,000
About Us: Blue Ridge Public Radio exists to provide Western North Carolinians with a deeper understanding of one another and the world, by being the essential, independent sources of news and cultural content.
The most-listened to radio station in the exciting Asheville, NC market, Blue Ridge Public Radio (BPR) is the NPR affiliate for the region, providing public media service through its digital platforms and two radio stations– BPR News and BPR Classic – across a 13-county region in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.
Blue Ridge Public Radio is actively working to implement diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at all levels of its operations – internally and externally - and is committed to equitable policies and practices. We strongly encourage members of traditionally under-served and under-represented communities to apply to our open positions.
The Communications and Engagement Manager supports BPR’s newly established comprehensive audience growth program, focused on building awareness, consideration, conversion, loyalty, and advocacy for the station. Guided by the station’s mission, values, and brand standards, this role coordinates organizational marketing, content, and public relations, produces station events, and contributes to BPR’s expanding newsletter program.
Essential duties and responsibilities
- Coordinate year-round organizational marketing, communications, and content in collaboration with the Audience Director:
- Lead copywriting of promos, announcer copy, and other on-air content, as well as website, app, and daily social media content for news, programming and organizational announcements and projects;
- Produce and order station branded promotion items; and
- Advise departments on branded station collateral such as print and digital ads and slide presentations.
- Produce or contribute to editorial and engagement newsletters in collaboration with the News and Audience Director, including the current Weekly Update and future products.
- Produce audience/community engagement events in collaboration with the News, Development, Business Sponsorship and Audience Directors: Organize, budget, and execute organizational and programming events to engage community members.
- Serve as the station’s primary audience responder, fielding audience phone and email inquiries and feedback.
- Serve as the station’s Community Advisory Board communications liaison: Schedule and attend meetings, maintain the roster, bios and website page, and promote the meetings across channels.
- Serve as the station’s PR media liaison, producing press releases and fielding media inquiries.
- Other duties as assigned.
Position Requirements
Preferred Experience: 2+ years experience in content production or management; experience with project management, experience with community engagement, experience with Mail Chimp, graphic design, video and photography a plus; experience in a media organization and journalism ethics; knowledge of diversity, equity and inclusion practices; comfort with learning new technologies; experience planning events.
Essential Skills: Emphasis on strong written and oral communication. Strengths in planning, organizing, and project management. Ability to work with diverse communities. Must be detail-oriented and display the ability to manage multiple changing priorities in a fast-paced environment. Requires critical thinking, commitment to work collaboratively, and ability to work under deadlines. Technical experience necessary in content management systems, analytics and social media platforms . Eager willingness to learn new systems, software and procedures.
Please note: This is not an all-encompassing statement of this position’s responsibilities. While it attempts to be comprehensive, new responsibilities may be assigned to this position at any time.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: BPR is actively working to implement diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at all levels of its operations – internally and externally - and is committed to equitable policies and practices. This role will commit to participating in this work and actively contributing to DEI efforts.
Equal Employment Opportunity: Blue Ridge Public Radio is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. All employment decisions at Blue Ridge Public Radio are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, family or parental status, national origin, age, disability, military or veteran status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. We strongly encourage members of traditionally under-served and under-represented communities to apply to our open positions.