Managing Director of Public Affairs and Civic Engagement
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
Job Category: Television
Job ID: 72172
Employment Type: Full time
Salary: per year
Posted: 02.12.2025
Occupations:
Job Description:
POSITION SUMMARY:
Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) is one of the most innovative public media organizations in the country. For more than sixty-five years TPT has served as Minnesota’s storyteller. Home to outstanding children’s education, arts & culture, public affairs, and history programming, TPT has set a strategic goal to be the most trusted media source in the Midwest region, and a leader among PBS stations nationally.
TPT is committed to enriching lives and strengthening communities through the power of media, driving engagement, sparking learning, and building community. Every day, TPT uses the power of media to increase our investment in programming that is most important to our audiences— history, arts/culture, education, and public affairs. We are excited to announce that we are hiring a Managing Director of Public Affairs and Civic Engagement.
This role will be a strong editorial leader, creative force, and leader of people on TPT’s Content Team during a time of strategic transition and multichannel growth for TPT’s Public Affairs and Civic Engagement unit. Reporting to the Chief Content Officer, they will have senior-level oversight of diverse content development, production, and multi-platform distribution as well as long-form, short-form, and digital news and information content designed to maximize TPT’s audience, brand impact and community service.
The Managing Director provides strategic, well-formulated, and proactive approaches to all phases of the content development and production process, offering editorial oversight and ensuring the creation of content aligns with TPT's content strategy, audience growth initiatives, diversity and inclusion priorities, and our strategic plan. TPT’s Public Affairs team is at an exciting inflection point as we seek to develop more community centered content, multiplatform experiences, and in-person engagement to enable more civic engagement, public dialogue, and relevance for our audiences. This role will oversee and guide the current work of the TPT’s Public Affairs unit including Almanac and Almanac at the Capital. It will also guide the development and evolution of the Almanac series, ensuring a relevant and strong future for TPT’s flagship Public Affairs programming. The Managing Director will also lead strategies to grow TPT’s community and civic engagement-based content and expand TPT’s Minnesota and regional content creation through increasing coverage in the areas of health, economic development, agriculture and natural resources, among others.
The Managing Director will work collaboratively with other senior leaders across Marketing, Communications, Revenue, Technology, Finance, Education and Community Engagement to ensure the creation of content delivers on creative, brand, ratings, funding, budget, and revenue goals.
The ideal candidate will lead with the utmost journalistic integrity and have live media, pre-produced, and digital production experience. They will have strong relationships both in Minnesota and national creative communities, as well as the media industry. TPT is committed to increasing our diversity so that the communities we serve will also see they are represented and valued within our organization.
Compensation: $130,000 to $145,000 annually (depending on qualifications) in addition to company provided benefits.
Hybrid Work Environment: Candidates must live in or be willing to relocate to the Twin Cities Metro area and report to onsite office three days per week.
MAJOR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:
Public Affairs Department Leader (40% of time)
- Oversight and High-level management of the long running statewide, weekly live public affairs series, Almanac and Almanac at the Capitol.
- Provide editorial oversight for TPT’s public affairs content creation across multiple platforms including streaming, broadcast, on demand, written, YouTube, TikTok, etc.
- Guide the evolution and growth of the Almanac series in service of broadening its audience to include a younger and more diverse audience while maintaining its current loyal and devoted audience.
- Lead talent recruitment and development to enhance TPT public and affairs programming and impact.
- Implement the vision and growth of the Almanac series of programming, working collaboratively with staff and across the organization.
- Develop in person engagement models and events series for local public and civic affairs, news and information content.
- Partner with key stakeholders across the organization to identify funding and revenue opportunities for public and civic affairs content and staff.
- Ability to step in and live produce Almanac, Almanac at the Capitol, or other live productions.
Civic Engagement (30% of time)
- Oversight and high-level development, content creation, distribution and management of new public and civics affairs programming.
- Advance a strategic vision to expand civic engagement, public dialogue, and relevance for TPT’s audiences, evaluating platform potential, editorial approach, and leveraging multiplatform solutions.
- Utilize audience data and performance metrics to inform additional expanding areas of coverage relative to public affairs and civic engagement.
- Lead the expansion of and development of new content including focusing on health, natural resources, agriculture, economic development, and the development of new series and specials.
- Lead evaluation of present and future talent needs and guide both the recruiting and development of respective talent.
- Collaborate with Supervising Producer and content leadership team to implement expanded content offerings and experiences including social media, digital media, in person events, and community convenings.
- Develop clear measures of success that correspond to business goals, communicate progress across the organization, and ensure an ongoing understanding of impact.
- Work directly with senior leadership to design and execute overall business strategy and chart the future path of the expanded content unit.
- Create, identify and pursue significant revenue opportunities within existing and new audiences to increase philanthropic and earned revenue.
Leadership & Staff Management (15% of time)
- Manage and lead the leaders overseeing the day-to-day operations of Public Affairs and Civic Engagement unit.
- Manage team developing emerging content unit expanding coverage in the areas of health, civics, economic development, natural resources and agriculture.
- Lead, mentor, inspire, educate, guide, and develop team and staff members.
- Hire and manage part-time and contracted staff as needed.
- Champion and cultivate an inclusive, collaborative and ambitious culture that seeks out diverse viewpoints, encourages risk-taking and learning, and rewards great teamwork.
- Oversee the hiring, staffing, evaluation, overall management and training of staff.
- Coach and mentor team members through ambitious goals and support for professional development.
- Cultivate a fun, engaging, and balanced work environment.
- Strong focus on the hiring and development of on-camera talent for Public Affairs, and other program priorities.
External Relationship Maintenance and Creation (10% of time)
- Manage, maintain and build productive relationships with external organizations, funders, producers, and talent within the community, across the state, and nationally.
- Identify innovative ways to integrate and expand multi-platform content and initiatives that entertain, educate, and empower audiences while adhering to PBS Editorial Standards & Practices.
Other duties as assigned (5% of time)
- Participate as an active member of the Content Leaders Team and Department Leaders Team.
- Contribute to shared goals and collaborate with colleagues on achievement of priorities.
- Other duties as assigned.
Job Requirements:
QUALIFICATIONS
Required Experience
- 10+ years live broadcast, documentary, multi-platform non-fiction and journalism experience.
- 7+ years of experience managing and developing content teams.
- Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Digital Media, Communications, Media Studies, or related degree.
- Experience in content, business and strategic planning, and partnerships.
- Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills and the credibility and leadership presence to present to a wide range of internal partners and external stakeholders.
- Management and delivery against audience and revenue targets.
- Previous experience building media product roadmaps, digital products, and evaluating audience metrics.
- Demonstrable success in defining and driving comprehensive content strategies to transform and grow audiences and revenue.
- Extensive experience developing and implementing social media and multichannel media.
- Experienced utilizing multiple and integrated media and content distribution channels.3+ years previous project management experience.
Preferred Experience
- 15+ years of live broadcast, documentary, digital, multi-platform, and non-fiction and journalism experience.
- 10+ years of experience in managing and developing content teams.
- Experience in business and strategic planning/business partnership, management and delivery against P&L targets required
- Prior experience working with a variety of funders and revenue models.
- Experience with digital media platforms, including social media, streaming, websites, and mobile apps.
- Strong financial and operational acumen.
- Public speaking and meeting facilitation experience.
- Prior senior level experience in a media, news, publishing or entertainment company
Knowledge, skills, and abilities:
- Passion for the mission of Twin Cities PBS with a strong focus on audience and end user needs.
- Champion and cultivate an inclusive, collaborative, and ambitious culture that seeks out diverse viewpoints, encourages risk-taking and learning, and rewards great teamwork.
- Experience communicating planning and decisions widely across the company to ensure understanding and awareness in all functions and levels.
- Ability to adapt individually and to pivot/flex team to be agile amongst a changing environment and shifting business priorities.
- Experience in creating, cultivating and maintaining strategic partnerships.
- High degree of emotional intelligence and ability to flourish under pressure.
- Willing to expand knowledge relating to industry drivers and trends, foster a mindset of continuous learning.
- Exceptional written and verbal communications skills. Able to adapt and tailor communication to meet audience needs.
- Commitment to advancing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) priorities within the organization.
- Must have strong organizational skills and the ability to meet deadlines for time sensitive assignments.
- Commitment to ethical business practices and high standards of editorial integrity consistent with the brand of TPT and public media.
- Ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively with all team members.
- Enthusiasm for hearing and considering diverse points of view, and comfort with making decisions when surrounded by divergent opinions.
- Ability to travel to locations in the greater metro area on a frequent basis. Occasional travel out of the state with a valid driver’s license and/or access to reliable transportation.