Career Opportunities with Nashville Public Radio
Current job opportunities are posted here as they become available.
An independent and community supported non-profit, Nashville Public Radio serves the rapidly growing Middle Tennessee area by providing in-depth news, engaging music and unique cultural programs across its broadcast (90.3 WPLN News, 91.1 WNXP Music), streaming, podcast, live event and digital platforms.
Nashville Public Radio has evolved and grown in recent years, significantly expanding the staff and offerings of the WPLN newsroom and transitioning WNXP to a “Triple A” music format showcasing an eclectic mix of indie rock, hip hop, urban alternative, electro-pop, and music from local Nashville artists. These steps have allowed Nashville Public Radio to deepen audience engagement, particularly in the 18 to 34-year-old demographic group. Nashville Public Radio has introduced a number of locally-focused new products and services, including a one-hour daily news show called “This is Nashville,” a weekday email newsletter and podcast “The NashVillager.” and a number of critically-acclaimed podcast series. “The Promise” podcast series on inequality in Nashville won a coveted Peabody award, and “Supermajority,” a podcast produced in partnership with NPR on Tennessee’s political landscape, has likewise garnered positive reviews.
Nashville Public Radio is well-positioned financially and has a highly committed local board of directors comprised of 19 Nashville business and civic leaders. With the planned retirement of CEO Steve Swenson, the board is launching a search for his successor. The next CEO will ideally be a leader capable of growing audience and impact in the region, while continuing to transform Nashville Public Radio into a multi-platform media organization with audio at its core.
The Nashville Metropolitan Area
The Nashville metropolitan area, home to over 2 million residents and spanning 10 counties, is one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States. With a population growth of over 21% in the last decade and projections reaching 2.5 million people by 2040, it is a leader among U.S. metropolitan areas in expansion and economic vitality. Renowned for its dynamic culture, Nashville blends its iconic music scene with a booming business environment, including top-tier healthcare, manufacturing, and technology sectors. Notable organizations headquartered in Nashville include HCA Healthcare, Vanderbilt University, Dollar General, Bridgestone Americas, and Asurion, among many others.
Position Summary
Nashville Public Radio is seeking an outstanding executive with the strategic acumen, and leadership, fundraising and operating skill to continue to build the organization’s relevance and impact in a rapidly changing media environment. This individual needs to be a passionate public face of the organization, able to fully engage with other business and community leaders. The CEO will have full general management responsibility, and will lead all strategic, financial and operating aspects of the organization. These requirements, taken together, will require the successful candidate to strike the right balance in providing strategic and visible leadership to a committed and passionate team, while also actively engaging the broader Middle Tennessee community to amplify Nashville Public Radio’s voice and influence externally. The role represents a unique opportunity to continue to reshape a highly-regarded public media institution rooted in radio broadcasting into a multi-platform media organization.
Key Relationships
Reports to: Board of Directors
Direct reports:
Chief Operating Officer
WPLN VP Audience Engagement
WNXP Program Director
Chief Administrative Officer
Director of Finance
Head of Engineering & IT
VP of Development
Director of Business Sponsorship
Other key relationships:
NPR and other public media organizations
Other Nashville area news, music and media organizations
Leading civic, cultural, and educational institutions
Major Responsibilities
- In partnership with the Board of Directors, staff and other key stakeholders, develop a comprehensive strategic plan focused on driving audience growth across all platforms and building community impact. Continually monitor and update the plan to reflect changing market and business conditions.
- Lead the development and implementation of operational plans that support the long-range strategies and annual objectives of Nashville Public Radio. Assure the fiscal integrity and health of the organization through commitment to strong and disciplined management, donor cultivation and stewardship, and best business practices.
- Provide clear management direction through inspiring, visible leadership. Communicate and execute strategy and objectives with key metrics that drive operational improvement and provide a consistent approach for evaluating and integrating new initiatives, technologies and products.
- Recruit, develop, and retain top caliber and diverse team members, and continually reassess organizational structure and needs as Nashville Public Radio and the competitive environment evolve. Attract the best people from both inside and outside of public media, with a commitment to new technologies and innovation on many platforms.
- Actively champion and lead fundraising efforts for Nashville Public Radio from institutions and individuals. In collaboration with the Board of Directors and the development team, lead Nashville Public Radio’s development efforts and target, cultivate and close new funding sources.
- Amplify Nashville Public Radio’s voice, position, and reputation in the communities it serves as the first place people in Middle Tennessee turn to for high quality, unbiased news and information and independent music and cultural expression.
- Work in a highly collaborative manner with the Board of Directors, seeking direction as appropriate, and strategically engaging the board and individual members to support Nashville Public Radio in achieving its short and long-term goals.
- Communicate Nashville Public Radio’s successes, challenges and opportunities to key organization “stakeholders,” including staff and regular updates for the Board of Directors.
- Build on an existing culture of trust, collaboration and mutual respect. Continue to cultivate a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace.
- Develop and maintain partnerships with NPR and other key players in the public media “ecosystem” through effective communication, consultation, and collaboration; the sharing of best practices; and meaningful strategic endeavors.
- Identify, evaluate and execute strategic partnerships on a targeted basis with other organizations that will drive audience growth and expand Nashville Public Radio’s impact and influence across Middle Tennessee in a meaningful way.
- Serve as an inspiring spokesperson for and “public face” of Nashville Public Radio, actively and forcefully communicating a clear vision for Nashville Public Radio and public media to all of the organization’s constituents, including but not limited to staff, Board of Directors, funders, and listeners and users. Enhance Nashville Public Radio’s credibility, stature and importance as a trusted civic and cultural institution.
CANDIDATE SPECIFICATION
While the next CEO may come from a variety of backgrounds, candidates will likely bring several of the following experiences:
Ideal Experience
- Track record of success as a media leader, in either a for-profit or non-profit/public media organization. The finalist will have demonstrated skill in transforming and growing a business in the context of a rapidly changing media environment where technology and consumer behavior continue to evolve.
- Demonstrated affinity for Nashville Public Radio’s mission as a direct result of public media experience, being an engaged public media listener/user, or having professional experience leading a mission-driven journalism or other relevant organization.
- Financial and operational management skills including strategic planning, resource development, budget management and P&L operating experience to run this non-profit enterprise in a fiscally disciplined manner.
- Demonstrated track record of success in fundraising and/or sales, ideally for a media or related organization.
- Experience in a digital media environment, and proven ability to leverage new technologies and media platforms to engage with and build audiences.
- Track record of building and managing high performing teams, and demonstrated skill in leveraging the organization structure and team member capabilities to maximum advantage.
- Deep understanding of the value of an inclusive culture, and commitment to ensure diversity across a variety of categories to achieve and maintain institutional inclusiveness.
- Passionate, energetic, and inspiring approach and demeanor. The CEO will have successfully operated in an environment that requires exceptional communication skills, both listening and speaking, to a diverse range of constituents.
Key Selection Criteria
Effective Leader Aligned with Nashville Public Radio Mission: The ideal candidate will have demonstrated alignment with and understanding of the journalistic, cultural and public service mission of Nashville Public Radio. This individual will be committed to building on the organization’s success to date, while creating a powerful and sustainable vision for the future and for the ways in which the organization will continue to make significant contributions to news, public media, and the Middle Tennessee community, both on its own and in collaboration with others. Nashville Public Radio February 2025 Page 6
Strategic Executive with Digital Acumen: In an increasingly complex, dynamic, and fluid media environment, against a backdrop of rapid changes in both technology and consumer behavior, the ideal candidate will have experience charting a course for a media organization in transformation. Nashville Public Radio’s next CEO will bring an understanding of audience-centered strategies to drive growth and connect with diverse audiences across multiple platforms, and introduce best practices from within and outside traditional media domains. He or she will evaluate and execute strategic partnerships with other organizations, inside and outside of public media, to fulfill the organization’s mission and vision. The next CEO will monitor opportunities and challenges for the organization, and bring strategic insight, sound judgment and financial acumen to this key leadership responsibility.
Compelling Team Builder and Organizational Leader: With an outstanding leadership track record, excellent interpersonal communication skills, and leadership presence, the ideal candidate will have operated successfully on an executive team within a dynamic, high performing organization. This individual will create a collegial team atmosphere by successfully working with all parts of the organization; skillfully selecting, training, delegating and motivating subordinates; and encouraging people to work together enthusiastically and cooperatively to produce outstanding results. With strong financial acumen, he or she will have displayed an understanding of how to allocate limited resources to achieve maximum organizational impact.
Sophisticated and Inspiring Communicator: The next CEO will have demonstrated skill in clearly communicating Nashville Public Radio’s essential role as a public media institution to diverse constituent groups. He or she will have displayed an ability to present powerful and persuasive arguments to generate listener, community, and financial support for the organization, and will be an enthusiastic leader in targeting and obtaining major gifts. The next CEO will generate confidence and credibility through an ability to command a room and set the appropriate tone no matter the setting or circumstance.
About Nashville Public Radio
Nashville Public Radio serves Middle Tennessee by providing trusted in-depth news, engaging music, and unique cultural programs on 90.3 FM WPLN News, WNXP, Nashville Classical Radio, and our various digital platforms. For more than 60 years, listeners have turned to this community supported service for programming that inspires conversation and curiosity, educates, and entertains. Our values are:
- To operate the station at the highest level of professional standards and integrity.
- To be responsive to our listeners, members, supporters, and public.
- To exhibit mutual respect for our peers and audience.
- To value the member and community support that our station receives.
- To work together in an environment that encourages participation and sharing of the decisions that affect the station and our listeners.
Nashville Public Radio is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusivity in our hiring. Nashville Public Radio is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran. As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodation.
Nashville Public Radio offers a generous benefit package including medical, vision, dental, and a robust Employee Assistance Program inclusive of six free sessions of counseling each year and basic legal assistance. Long-term disability and life insurance are provided at no cost to employees. We also have up to 40 days of paid parental or medical leave, inclusive for adoptive and/or foster parents.
In addition to these benefits, employees receive vacation and sick leave, access to a 401(k) plan with employer matching, and 13 paid holidays, 2 of which are floating to employee preference.
The job profile is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, and/or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.