KNKX Public Media

Position Title: Present and General Manager

Department: KNKX Agency

Reports To: Board of Directors

Salary Range: $230,000 - $270,000

About us:

At KNKX we work hard to create a culture where employees feel valued and respected. Employees are trusted and encouraged to be a part of process improvements that impact their work, create value for our customers, and help build trust in public media.

KNKX is a Puget Sound area public media company, dedicated to bringing jazz, blues, regional news, and NPR programs to the Northwest and beyond. As an independent dual-format station, KNKX employees are energized in their mission to provide the very best service to an audience of nearly a million on-air and online, to engage closely with community members and the public media industry to constantly improve and innovate, and to present music and stories that educate, inspire, and expand horizons. KNKX offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package, including Medical, dental, voluntary vision/life insurance, 401K, flexible spending account, employee assistance programs, and generous vacation and paid holidays. Note: (benefit eligibility is based on tenure, full- or part-time status)

KNKX is committed to looking and sounding more like the dynamic and diverse region that we call home. Learn more in our diversity statement.

President and General Manager

Passionate about public radio, jazz, blues, and trustworthy fact-driven journalism? As KNKX’s next President and General Manager, you will play a pivotal role in shaping this independent station’s identity, impact, growth, and legacy. Serving the entire Western Washington region, KNKX operates a network of 12 radio signals, as well as streaming mobile apps and smart speakers.

The Position

In collaboration with KNKX’s 11-member Board of Directors and our committed and engaged team, the President and General Manager is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the station’s operations. This leader will play a pivotal role in shaping the station’s identity, impact, growth, and legacy. The President and General Manager is tasked with ensuring the station’s financial sustainability through extensive donor cultivation and engagement and exploring new revenue streams, maintaining high-quality programming, fostering community engagement, and representing the station to various stakeholders including listeners, donors, government agencies, and the media.

They will play a crucial role in upholding the station’s mission, vision, and values, while navigating the evolving landscape of public media. The President and General Manager has five direct reports: the News Director, Music Director, Director of Development, Director of Administration & Operations, and Director of Human Resources.

The President and General Manager oversees an $8.4M budget and current staff of 56. KNKX’s current long-range vision outlines the following priorities for our next leader:

Content – Connect emotionally and deepen our relationship with our audience through memorable news and music.
Digital – Meet audiences where they are by investing in digital content and delivery.
Workplace Culture – Live our values to ensure a healthy, harmonious, and inclusive culture.
Regional – Highlight the unique flavor of the Northwest through deep storytelling and a celebration of regional jazz and blues.
Funding Our Future – Convert our audience to members and business supporters, and ultimately to owners who feel a personal stake in the station’s long-term success.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Experience serving as a President, General Manager, Executive Director, CEO, or similar role(s), or as a senior staff member of an organization, division, or department of comparable size.
Broad understanding of all aspects of running a nonprofit, digital media, or similar organization (e.g., Human Resources, Strategic Planning, Fund Development, Programming, Budgeting, and Financial Management).
Demonstrated success leading, managing, and developing staff at all levels of an organization, building connections, diversity, equity and inclusion, and inspiring confidence and commitment.
Experience working with a nonprofit board of directors including board development and relations, change management, and community engagement.
Capacity to navigate big picture strategy, while staying grounded and connected to the work of the organization. Entrepreneurial mindset and experience developing new products, programs, or revenue streams, while maintaining the core foundation of the organization’s mission and audience.

Commitment To:

KNKX’s mission, vision, and values, including a sincere passion for jazz, blues, and trustworthy, fact-driven journalism.
Transparent and inclusive leadership. Listening deeply to staff, community, and our audience and supporting solutions that reflect KNKX’s unique organizational culture and impact.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion as a critical component of leadership experience and approach. Experience navigating and guiding an organization on their equity journey.
Producing creative, innovative, and quality programming that reflects the interests of our diverse audiences.
Fostering a positive workplace culture that encourages collaboration across locations, departments, and areas of individual contributions. Support for KNKX’s hybrid work environment.

ABILITY TO:

Continue to refine and implement our strategic vision for the future.
Motivate, engage, mentor, and coach staff while providing pathways for professional development and staff success.
Build and maintain relationships with funders, major donors, sponsors and local businesses, and other potential funding partners.
Tell KNKX’s story in a sincere and captivating way to generate interest and excitement.
Successfully represent the organization in the external community and build relationships with community partners.
Navigate the changing media landscape with a clear vision and innovative ideas to help the organization balance the delivery of news and media to a diverse and growing audience.
Oversee a similar sized budget and ensure sustainable financial health.
Facilitate and create space where difficult conversations are productive.

Additional Conditions of employment:

Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position.

Candidates will be evaluated on the full range of their lived and learned experience, professional background, volunteer experience, and direct and transferable skills. While passion for public radio is critical for success in this role, direct experience in the industry is not required. We welcome candidates with a range of lived experience, business management experience, personal identities, and backgrounds. KNKX is seeking candidates with a compelling combination of demonstrated experience and skills in some, or all, of the following areas:

KNKX’s Vision is to grow our audience and become a more inclusive

Organization that brings joy, meaning and understanding into people’s lives

KNKX is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex (including gender identity), marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. Persons requiring accommodation in the application process, during the recruitment process, or who need this job announcement in an alternative format, you may direct questions to Christine Martin at christine@valtasgroup.com or Emily Lee at emily@valtasgroup.com.

The hiring manager has the right to close this recruitment at any time therefore it would be in your best interest to apply early. Applicants will be reviewed weekly.

KNKX Public Radio jobs

President General Manager