Managing Producer

Full Time based in Oakland/Bay Area

Making Contact, www.radioproject.org seeks a managing producer with a passion for non-commercial public media. We amplify the voices of community members who are seeking solutions to issues of economic, environmental and social justice. Salary rate DOE.

We seek an energetic, passionate, well-organized team-player with leadership experience. The candidate should understand the craft of long-format feature radio production and the art of a good in-depth interview. Strong audio editing and sound mixing skills preferred.

The role of the managing producer is to produce and mix editions of Making Contact, and be responsible for supervising and coaching producers. The managing producer delegates to others and is the point-person for scheduling the productions and managing changes. Approx. 65% of their time is spent producing episodes of Making Contact, 15% guiding and supervising producers and production processes and  20% of their time is dedicated to communicating and strategizing with organizational staff regarding online distribution/audience engagement, marketing, and fundraising/development. This position reports to and is in partnership with Making Contact’s executive director.

We are looking for someone who is highly productive and enjoys contributing to many facets of new journalism including fostering collaborations with other media outlets and community groups, helping experiment with our digital delivery methods and podcasts, and engaging our broadcast and digital audiences to create impact.  Great post for someone who’s as adept at managing others as they are self-managing their own time and projects.

This new hire will join our small yet effective organization consisting of three part-time producers and our pool of freelancers; our marketing, fundraising and administrative staff and contractors.

Duties and Responsibilities:

    The same as other producers:

• produce original radio content and adapt others’ work
• edit and mix segments and shows
• apply journalistic standards of fairness, accuracy, due diligence in reporting and fact-checking
• apply a journalistic approach including inviting input from community members to help identify topics and conceptualize pieces that inform, inspire, and move people to take action.
• review pitches, commission and edit freelancers’ work
• participate in show review/evaluation, and work-in-progress listening sessions at staff meetings

     Duties distinct from other producers:

• supervise and coordinate the producers’ work and ensure production calendar and program descriptions are updated
• In semi-monthly meetings with Executive Director and in thrice-monthly all-staff meetings, discuss editorial plans and strategize about organizational initiatives.
• Plan and facilitate weekly production meetings make sure others have updated our Podio “Basecamp-type” project management system — ensure communication flows

More granular details available in second-round discussions.

Required Skills/Experience

Demonstrated writing and script editing skills

Demonstrated audio editing and multitrack sound-mixing skills

Track record of delivering pieces on deadline

Experience managing, coaching and editing radio producers and freelance reporters  

Strong voice-craft skills and experience

Track record of journalistic work –dedicated to fairness, accuracy and fact-checking

Ability to read and synthesize research

Familiarity with key issues of our times and timeless issues

Highly organized and communicative

Commitment to building Making Contact as a whole, and to participating in a team process

Ability to work on collaborative productions and promotions with other media and groups

Enthusiastic about participating in fundraising and audience engagement

Preferred Skills

Entrepreneurial

Multimedia experience:  video, photography, radio plus print packages

Experience with online distribution methods, social media, audience building and engagement

Energetic and able to think on your feet

Sense of humor

Making Contact is an affirmative action employer. We actively recruit applications from people of color, women, LGBTQ folks, and disabled people.

Position Open Until Filled. Aiming for start date in Jan 2016. Oakland/Bay Area is job location.

Please email resume, cover letter, writing sample (radio script preferred) and links to several radio work samples to lrudman@radioproject.org.

In subject line: MANAGING PRODUCER + First name Last name

More info

Our radio programs and podcasts are a blend of evocative storytelling with analysis, and explore the power and relationships between individuals, groups and systems. We’re looking for someone committed to our greater social justice mission and who wants to strengthen Making Contact's non-profit organization as a whole.

Making Contact has produced a nationally broadcast, progressive weekly radio series for 20 years. Our high quality public-affairs and documentary radio programs are broadcast on 104 radio stations in the U.S., Canada, and Australia; thousands more listen via our website and podcasts. Our award-winning work has repeatedly been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists Northern California Chapter, among others.

We recently completed a crowdfunding effort to fuel our miniseries coming up in 2016 on Immigrants and Elections, featuring the work of freelancers who are deeply rooted in immigrant communities. We have a paid Community Storytelling Fellowship with one fellow each quarter, working with one producer for 10 weeks. We are active participants in both radio and journalism networks such as The Media Consortium of independent media outlets. We lead or participate in collaborations across platforms and genres; one example is wtfcorporations.com