Director of Live Listening, WBUR Program & Production

About WBUR

WBUR is Boston's NPR and a public media leader. We deliver trustworthy journalism across airwaves, digital platforms including podcasting and digital audio and live events. Our mission is to produce high-quality reporting and enriching experiences that inspire understanding, connection and community for an ever-growing audience. As a member-supported news institution licensed to Boston University, WBUR thrives through the dedication of its listeners and supporters.

Position Overview:

The Director of Live Listening plays a pivotal leadership role responsible for expanding audiences and revenue through WBUR's live listening experiences. With an audience-first approach, the Director leads strategic initiatives aligned with WBUR's priorities of editorial excellence, engagement growth, and fiscal sustainability. Working closely with senior leadership, the role supports WBUR's stature as Boston's premier news source by elevating local and national journalism and expanding national program carriage.

Key Responsibilities:

Programming and Format Strategy

• Manage and optimize the formatics of WBUR's live and recorded breaks to maximize live news airtime and deliver a compelling daily radio experience.
• Analyze story lengths, promotions, audience engagement tactics and break structures to enhance programming.
• Lead regular cross-departmental coordination meetings to ensure programming and audience messaging are managed with consistency and collaboration.
• Drive operational improvements by updating station procedures in partnership with Programming, News, Traffic, Engineering and related teams.

Audience Growth and Data Analysis

• Design and implement experiments to boost audience discovery, engagement and retention.
• Leverage listening data and audience research, including surveys to refine strategies for linear and emerging platforms.
• Analyze market trends and audience metrics to provide actionable insights guiding scheduling and programming decisions.

Presentation and Branding

• Develop a comprehensive "Sound + Style" guide to define WBUR's local identity, aesthetic, and on-air personality.
• Promote a modern, conversational writing style for all live-read copy to strengthen listener connection.
• Collaborate with Membership and Development teams to optimize news-driven messaging and breaks during fundraising.

Cross-Platform Coordination

• Partner with teams across program production, podcasting, digital, live events and video to align audience growth strategies across WBUR's platform channels.
• Recommend new workflows that showcase WBUR's enterprise journalism and signature content.
• Guide audience journeys to live listening experiences to maximize overall engagement, impact and connection.

Leadership and Partnership Development

• Serve as a strategic thought partner to station leadership, driving innovation and audience growth.
• Oversee syndication efforts and manage the Syndication team to grow national program carriage and station relations.
• Represent WBUR in programming partnerships by cultivating relationships with distribution partners and industry networks.
• Identify and pursue new opportunities to expand WBUR's presence and influence.

Required Skills:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience; 8+ years in progressive leadership roles in news programming, content strategy and/or audience development.
• Passion for public media's mission and values, with strong commitment to editorial independence, diversity and public trust.
• Proven success designing audience-centered content strategies across broadcast and digital platforms.
• Excellent communication, organizational and editorial decision-making skills.
• Ability to manage complex, fast-paced news environments with composure and authority.
• Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration capabilities.
• Collaborative leadership style with high emotional intelligence.

Salary: $150,400 - $210,600

Location: Boston, MA (On-site)

Position Type: Full-Time/Regular