Vice President, Talent Strategy

OVERVIEW

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Across our organization were 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.

Reporting directly to the Chief Content Officer (CCO) the Vice President of Talent Strategy serves as the principal architect relationship builder and strategic scout for creative journalistic and host talent across this role you will work side-by-side with the CCO and editorial leadership to align talent acquisition career stewardship and creator partnerships directly with NPRs long-term multimedia vision.

You will nurture trusted relationships with our established roster of award-winning journalists hosts and commentators while proactively identifying evaluating and attracting emerging voices from independent media podcasts newsletters and digital platforms. Serving as an executive bridge across Content People Legal and Member station network you will champion a collaborative environment where exceptional storytellers can thrive and expand public medias reach across platforms.

This is an NPR editorial role covered under the terms of the NPR Ethics Handbook. All editorial staff are bound by this guidance. Editorial staff is defined as staff members who play a role in shaping the journalistic or creative direction of NPRs content including events.

• Executive Talent Relationship Management: Serve as the primary executive liaison and trusted advisor to high-profile journalists hosts and creative contributors cultivating sustainable career pathways and retention strategies in close collaboration with the CCO.
• Talent Scouting & Pipeline Development: Design and lead a comprehensive discovery strategy across traditional broadcast podcasting newsletter platforms social ecosystems and independent journalism to build an ongoing diverse pipeline of on-air and digital talent.
• Cross-Functional Mediation & Advocacy: Act as the central connective tissue between creative talent talent representatives (agents managers attorneys) and internal executive teams (People Team Legal Marketing and Operations) to align individual goals with organizational priorities.
• Complex Contract Structuring & Negotiations: In close coordination with the CCO Legal and People teams oversee talent agreement frameworks leading contract renewals compensation structures and rights agreements with precision and diplomatic finesse.
• Editorial Standards & Mission Alignment: Ensure all talent recruitment onboarding and partner strategies rigorously reflect NPRs core mission journalistic ethics and commitment to public service.
• Audience Forecasting & Metric Analysis: Partner with Content Insights and divisional leadership to evaluate audience consumption trends and identify future talent requirements across evolving media such as video episodic audio and experiential storytelling.
• DEI Talent Initiatives: Systematically embed diversity equity and inclusion principles into every phase of talent identification pipeline cultivation and retention.

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.

• 12 years of progressive executive leadership in talent management talent relations media recruiting or creative talent strategy within news podcasting digital media or broadcast entertainment.
• Demonstrated active network of professional relationships with journalists creators literary and talent agencies management firms and digital-first storytellers.
• Proven track record of structuring and negotiating complex multi-party talent contracts intellectual property rights and compensation agreements in compliance with organizational policies.
• Demonstrated success building and sustaining diverse multi-perspective talent rosters that engage cross-generational and culturally diverse audiences.
• Substantive experience acting as a trusted mediator in high-stakes creative environments resolving interpersonal contractual or operational friction with discretion and high emotional intelligence.
• Unwavering commitment to editorial independence high-integrity journalism and the civic mission of public media.

• Prior experience navigating talent relations within a federated public service or non-profit media network operating alongside union collective bargaining agreements (e.g. SAG-AFTRA).
• Proven experience executing creator-led co-productions live podcast tours or multi-platform distribution partnerships.
• Familiarity with the commercial and sponsorship frameworks unique to digital audio podcast monetization and multi-market station networks.

• Executive Relationship Building: Exceptional diplomatic presence with the proven ability to build trust quickly with high-profile personalities agents and senior internal stakeholders.
• Contractual & Negotiation Acumen: Strong fluency with creative intellectual property rights talent deal points non-disclosure terms and talent contract structuring.
• Audience & Format Vision: Forward-looking creative perspective capable of identifying how emerging digital storytellers can translate their voices to public radio and multimedia platforms.
• Strategic Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to lead complex cross-functional alignments involving Legal Finance People and creative stakeholders without friction.
• Crisis Management & Discretion: Exceptional judgment confidentiality and composure when navigating sensitive personnel or creative matters under public or time pressure.

Bachelors degree in Journalism Communications Media Studies Business Administration or a related field or equivalent practical work experience demonstrating equivalent executive capability.

• Hybrid Permitted: This is a hybrid permitted role. The employee will be required to be in the office at the Washington D.C. location at least 3 days a week. The employee must also reside in Washington D.C. / Maryland / Virginia.

• This is a full-time exempt position.

Salary Range: The U.S.-based anticipated salary range for this opportunity is $243000 - $290000 plus benefits. The displayed range reflects the minimum and maximum salaries NPR expects to offer new hires for the position across all U.S. 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 NPRs 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.

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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.

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