Vice President, Marketing Strategy

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

NPR’s Marketing team is responsible for building and growing our audience for podcasts, programs, and platforms. The team seeks to grow the reach and impact of everything NPR puts out in the world—from our up-to-the-minute digital and broadcast content to our on-demand podcasts, events, videos, website, and app  The Vice President, Marketing leads the operational planning and execution of comprehensive marketing strategies across NPR's portfolio. Reporting directly to the Chief Marketing Officer, this role manages a team of marketing professionals to execute targeted initiatives that attract, grow, and retain diverse audiences for NPR while driving brand alignment and engagement across all channels. 

Responsibilities

• Partner across divisions to identify emerging audience opportunities and propose initiatives and campaigns aligned with NPR’s strategic goals.
• Directly manage, guide, and mentor a team of marketing professionals overseeing audience development work on NPR products, podcasts, and platforms.
• Define target audiences, perform competitive landscape analyses, identify market opportunities, establish messaging frameworks, and set KPIs to launch new properties and sustainably grow audiences.
• Create cohesion and consistency across marketing strategy work by lifting up best practices, strengthening and reimagining workflows, and deepening team collaboration.
• Maintain and enforce a consistent brand expression, voice, and positioning across all channels and consumer touchpoints.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to develop third-party publisher and brand partnerships to grow, diversify, and acquire new audiences.
• Strengthen the marketing team’s commitment to cultivating meaningful, collaborative partnerships with our network of Member stations.
• In close collaboration with the CMO, set operational priorities, allocate staff effectively, and manage project workflows.
• Build and maintain strong cross-functional relationships to ensure Marketing’s capabilities, role, and integration across the organization are clear.
• Measure project success using industry-standard metrics (Nielsen ratings, Cume, AQH, CTR, downloads, etc.) to evaluate show and podcast campaign performance.
• Support and optimize NPR’s consumer products marketing strategy to expand brand reach and complement revenue initiatives.
• Select, manage, and hold accountable external partners, such as digital ad agencies.

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 

• 12 to 15+ years of progressive marketing experience, with at least 7+ years in a senior management role overseeing multidisciplinary teams and project budgets.
• Proven track record of operationalizing strategic goals into execution roadmaps, managing competing priorities, and leading cross-functional project teams through complex, deadline-driven product or campaign launches. 
• Hands-on experience conceptualizing, building, and executing end-to-end integrated marketing campaigns across multiple distribution touchpoints—including broadcast, podcasting, digital display, social media, email lifecycle marketing, and mobile app ecosystems. 
• Demonstrated proficiency in establishing performance benchmarks and leveraging audience measurement metrics (such as Nielsen ratings, Cume, AQH, CTR, downloads, active users, and conversion rates) to evaluate, optimize, and report on campaign ROI. 
• Strong listening, writing, and speaking skills.
• Knowledge of best marketing practices for email, display ads, websites, and apps.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of the public media landscape, preferably with direct experience either at a Member station or in close collaboration with federated systems.
• Experience managing external creative or digital advertising agency relationships.
• Experience supporting product marketing, merchandising, or consumer brand expansion
• Demonstrated understanding of the unique dynamics, revenue models, and collaborative touchpoints between national network programming and local station engagement. 
• Hands-on experience working alongside product development, digital design, and editorial teams to align marketing strategy directly with audience UX and content lifecycle management. 

Required Skills/Competencies

• Exceptional collaboration skills with a proven ability to work cross-functionally and gain the respect and support of internal and external clients.
• Deep knowledge of modern audience acquisition, retention, and engagement practices across broadcast, podcasting, digital display, social media, lifecycle email marketing, and mobile app ecosystems. 
• Outstanding written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Creative mindset with a passion for marketing, advertising, design, and storytelling.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust, drive consensus, and maintain productive relationships across diverse departments (editorial, product development, legal, finance, and revenue teams). 

Education Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field; or equivalent practical experience. Advanced degree (e.g., MBA) preferred.

Work Location & Requirements

NPR Hybrid Permitted: This is a hybrid-permitted role. The employee will be required to be in the New York City office at least 3 days a week. The employee must also reside in New York City.

Job Type

This is a full-time, exempt position.

Compensation

Salary Range: The U.S.-based anticipated salary range for this opportunity is $216,000-$243,000 plus benefits. The range displayed reflects the minimum and maximum salaries NPR expects to provide for new hires for the position across all US locations.

NPR Benefits: NPR provides comprehensive benefits for employees and dependents. Regular, full-time employees scheduled to work 30 hours or more per week are eligible to enroll in NPR’s benefits options. Benefits include access to health and wellness, paid time off, and financial well-being. Plan options include medical, dental, vision, life/ accidental death and dismemberment, long-term disability, short-term disability, and voluntary retirement savings to all eligible NPR employees. 

Does this sound like you? If so, we want to hear from you.

#LI-Hybrid

NPR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. NPR is committed to being an inclusive workplace that welcomes diverse and unique perspectives, all working toward the same goal – to create a more informed public. Qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, religious belief, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, lactation, and reproductive health decisions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, transgender status, gender non-conforming status, intersex status, sexual stereotypes, nationality, citizenship status, personal appearance, marital status, family status, family responsibilities, military status, veteran status, mental and physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, genetic characteristics of yourself or a family member, political views and affiliation, unemployment status, protective order status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, or any other basis prohibited under applicable law.

If you are a person with a disability needing assistance with the application process, please reach out to employeerelations@npr.org.

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