Vice President, Underwriting Sales

Who We Are:  

Southern California Public Radio (SCPR) is a member-supported public media network whose mission is to strengthen the civic and cultural bonds that unite Southern California's diverse communities by providing the highest quality news and information service on air at LAist 89.3, online at LAist.com and through LAist Live Programming & Events. Since our founding in 1999, SCPR has been a fast growing, innovative, multi-platform public service newsroom. Every day, our staff helps audiences catch up on the latest headlines, solve the complexities of life in Southern California, and connect curious communities to one another.

 

About Us: 

SCPR is home to LA’s #1 NPR station LAist 89.3, it’s digital companion LAist.com, and the podcast studio LAist Studios. Engaging audiences on multi-platforms under the LAist name, it sets out to reach Angelenos wherever they are: on radio, digital and social, and via live events. Key to its future is advancing this multi-platform sale with a dynamic forward thinking sales leader, experienced in providing innovative and impactful client solutions, and managing a sales team energized by its public service mission. 

 

Position Summary: 

The Vice President, Underwriting Sales is a critical leadership role at Southern California Public Radio (SCPR) responsible for creating and growing a multiplatform strategy maximizing our radio, digital, podcasts, live events and social platforms. The VP spearheads our sales strategy, drives revenue growth, and elevates our underwriting sales team's performance. SCPR recognizes that public media users get their news, information, and storytelling in a variety of ways. The VP prioritizes presenting clients with ad solutions across our portfolio of offerings to meet our public media audience wherever they are.

 

With a strong foundation in digital ad sales & an understanding of the evolving marketplace, the ideal candidate will bring a proven track record of success, a strategic mindset, and a passion for leading, mentoring, finding and developing talent. As a culture creator, you will embody our core values and foster an environment that promotes teamwork, innovation, excellence and success The incumbent will provide the management and leadership in revenue generation from public media underwriting while aggressively growing the existing revenue base.  The VP will develop and execute sales projections and plans for multi-platform activities.

 

Compensation: 

The salary for this opportunity will be no less than $170,000 annualized and no more than $205,000 annualized, plus commission. Exact salary determined by experience and education related to the role, organizational compensation structure, budget and internal equity.

 

Position Responsibility: 

• Develop and execute a comprehensive sales strategy that aligns with the company's overall growth objectives.
• Lead, mentor, and scale a high-performing sales team to exceed revenue targets and deliver exceptional client service.
• Create a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging professional growth and environment of team and knowledge sharing within the team.
• Maintain a deep understanding of the digital advertising landscape, identifying and anticipating trends, challenges, and opportunities for innovation.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing, product, and analytics, to ensure cohesive and consistent strategies and maximize revenue opportunities.
• Serve as a key executive team member, contributing to overall company strategy, operations, and culture.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key clients, partners, and industry stakeholders
• Develop and implement strategies for marketing underwriting opportunities to for-profit and not-for-profit organizations with an emphasis on strategies to derive revenue from multi-platform activities.
• Establish underwriting revenue goals for the Company and prepare departmental budgets.
• Manage day-to-day sales strategy implementation, execution, promotions, decisions and acts on plans and directly participate on a regular basis in client or agency sales presentations.
• Develop, present and execute sales projections and plans.
• Manage day-to-day department activities including but not limited to: inventory pricing strategies, rate card development and overall compliance, off-rate card analysis and decision making, coordination of client accounts receivable issues with Company and third-party sales representation.
• Responsible for the management and leadership in revenue generation, in underwriting, advertising and sponsorships, event generation, non-t