Assistant Dean of Media and General Manager of BSU Public Media
About The Position
Ball State University is seeking a collaborative and forward-thinking leader to serve as Assistant Dean of Media and General Manager of BSU Public Media. Reporting to the Dean of the College of Communication, Information, and Media, this position provides strategic leadership for Indiana Public Radio and Ball State PBS while supporting the college's academic mission. The successful candidate will oversee public media operations, digital innovation, financial stewardship, fundraising, community engagement, and FCC compliance. As a member of the CCIM leadership team, this individual will also contribute to student success through teaching and oversight of experiential learning opportunities, including the Public Media Accelerator Program. This is an exceptional opportunity to shape the future of public media, strengthen community connections, and prepare the next generation of media professionals.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in communications, business, or related field by date of employment.
- Minimum of 5 years of media/broadcast management with demonstrated leadership in budgeting, fundraising, and team building.
- Expertise in digital-first distribution, audience analytics, public speaking, FCC regulatory governance, and cross-platform newsroom operations and content creation.
Nice To Haves
- A terminal degree in communications, business, or a related field.
- Preferred 7+ years in public media leadership and 2 years in a university setting.
Responsibilities
- Provide strategic direction that unifies Indiana Public Radio and Ball State PBS into an agile, cross-platform news and content operation designed to meet evolving audience media consumption habits.
- Cultivate relationships with civic, business, and community leaders to expand public support, elevate brand awareness, and deepen multi-platform audience engagement.
- Manage station budgets, funds, grants, and financial forecasting. Drive growth through cross-platform underwriting, major gift development and stewardship, membership strategies, and non-profit fundraising.
- Partner with the college and University Media Services Chief Engineer to lead the acquisition, implementation, and lifecycle management of core technical infrastructure and emerging distribution technologies. Strategically allocate resources to maintain modern production facilities and build an agile, cross-platform media ecosystem that powers seamless broadcast, digital, and streaming delivery for our audience.
- Assist in leading the Public Media Accelerator Program and co-curricular media initiatives. Teach 9 credit hours annually within CCIM.
- Provide strategic leadership for BSU Public Media's workforce and daily operations by supervising key department leaders, guiding talent acquisition and development, overseeing performance and compensation practices, and ensuring HR compliance. Foster an inclusive, high-performing culture that supports employee growth and organizational success while maintaining an active, visible presence across Public Media and CCIM to strengthen collaboration, build community, and drive operational excellence.
- Partner with CCIM, Indiana broadcasting stations, and regional news outlets to pioneer collaborative media creation & delivery models that strengthen local journalism across the station.
- Ensure full FCC compliance and manage licensing for stations WBST 92.1FM in Muncie, WBSB 89.5 FM in Anderson, WBSW 90.0 FM in Marion, WBSH 91.1 FM in Hagerstown, and WIPB-TV Channel 49 in Muncie for Ball State University. Collaborate with FCC legal counsel. Oversee necessary annual reports and licensure renewals.
- Serve as an ambassador and strategic leader representing BSU Public Media, CCIM, and Ball State University across local, state, and national committees, boards, and industry organizations to elevate institutional visibility, shape public media policy, and expand cross-platform partnership opportunities.
- Maintain regular on-site attendance to provide visible, accessible leadership, foster direct collaboration across station teams and campus partners, and execute other related duties as assigned to support the mission of BSU Public Media.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Benefits
- Paid 24 vacation days
- 12 sick days
- 10 holidays a year
- Paid parental leave (6 weeks)
- Affordable health and dental insurance
- Robust long-term disability and life insurance plans
- A range of retirement benefits
- 90 percent of child's (or children's) undergraduate college tuition at Ball State
- 100 percent of tuition costs for you to earn your undergraduate degree
- 80 percent of your graduate tuition
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
