DIRECTOR OF VIDEO, WBUR Program & Production

Reports to: Chief Content Officer

Status: Full-time, exempt

ABOUT WBUR

WBUR is Boston's NPR and one of the most respected public media organizations in the country. With a legacy of editorial innovation and award-winning journalism, reaching millions of people across platforms every week, WBUR drives conversations that matter — on air, online and in the community. We are committed to journalism that serves the public interest and we're building ambitiously for what comes next.

THE OPPORTUNITY

This is a rare chance to build something from the ground up.

WBUR is launching a new video focus and we're looking for the leader who will define it. This isn't a role for someone looking to maintain a playbook — it's for a builder: someone who sees the full potential of video to deepen audience relationships, advance public media storytelling and create sustainable revenue for journalism that matters.

As Director of Video, you will establish WBUR's Video Center of Excellence, set its editorial standards, train and guide staff and shape a multi-platform distribution strategy that extends our reach across YouTube, social channels, our owned platforms and beyond. You'll partner closely with editorial, product, revenue and marketing teams.

The ideal candidate leads with editorial conviction, thinks strategically about audiences and revenue and is just as comfortable in a production workflow as they are in a senior leadership meeting.

ROLE SUMMARY

Reporting to the Chief Content Officer, the Director of Video leads WBUR's full video enterprise: strategy, production, team, distribution, analytics, revenue and operations. You will guide journalists and multimedia producers, run a broad range of editorial video work across the organization and serve as the primary champion for video as a cross-platform growth lever. You'll balance day-to-day editorial oversight with longer-horizon thinking about where video can take WBUR in the next three to five years.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy & Leadership (20%)

• Develop and execute a multi‑year video strategy aligned to the WBUR strategic pillars (editorial excellence, audience growth, deepening engagement, cross-platform strategies, innovation and sustainability).
• Define the Video Center of Excellence’s remit, governance, budget, success metrics and roadmap – including short‑term pilots (e.g., video experiments and flagship video podcasts) and a 12–24 month plan to scale successful pilots.
• Partner with Editorial leaders and WBUR departments such as Product, Engineering, Business Partnerships, Membership and Marketing, to integrate video into major projects and campaigns; champion video as a cross‑platform lever for audience growth, membership conversion and sponsorship revenue.

Editorial & Production Oversight (20%)

• Uphold the highest journalistic standards across all video content — accuracy, fairness, accessibility and ethical integrity are non-negotiable.
• Edit video scripts, guide editorial decisions and manage production processes end-to-end.
• Build production playbooks for studio work, field reporting, vertical video and live events.
• Lead editorial review and quality assurance for both editorial and sponsored content, ensuring WBUR's journalistic integrity is protected at every touchpoint.

Team building & Management (20%)

• Manage the Video Center of Excellence efforts, lead and train staff and cultivate a vetted roster of freelancers.
• Launch an embedded-producer model that advances video capacities and best practices across the local newsroom, digital team, national programs, podcast, live events and other departments.
• Run training programs to upskill editorial staff across the organization and foster a collaborative culture that balances editorial independence with creative and enterprising ambitions.

Distribution & Platform Strategy (15%)

• Own channel-level strategy for YouTube, WBUR.org, and social platforms — developing best practices for metadata, SEO, thumbnails and audience funnel strategies.
• Define platform KPIs and publishing cadence; coordinate cross-promotion across live listening, the WBUR mobile app, podcasts, newsletters, social and live events.
• Lead platform relationships and vendor partnerships tied to video distribution and monetization.

Analytics & Impact (10%)

• Work with the Product and Audience Insights teams to define and track KPIs that connect video performance to editorial impact, audience growth, engagement and revenue.
• Lead quarterly reviews of video performance trends and present findings in editorial leadership discussions.
• Run experiments and A/B tests to continuously optimize formats, lengths, posting times and distribution workflows.

Revenue & Partnerships (10%)

• Collaborate with Business Partnerships to productize video sponsorships tied to events and editorial series, with clear editorial guardrails and measurable deliverables.
• Support Membership and Development by shaping video products that can be bundled into membership experiences.
• Identify licensing and syndication opportunities and help develop packaged video services that are both mission-aligned and revenue-generating.

Operations & Technology (5%)

• Build a prioritized roadmap for equipment and facilities (studio, field kits, live-stream rigs) and manage procurement within budget.
• Implement efficient workflows for video asset management, captioning, transcription, and archiving that enable reuse, discoverability and long-term value.

Required Skills

Required

• 8+ years of professional experience producing, editing and distributing editorial video content, including at least 3 years in a managerial leadership role. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Deep editorial judgment and a genuine commitment to public media values; a demonstrable track record of producing high-quality news video.
• Hands-on fluency with video production workflows (studio and field), editing tools (e.g., Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, After Effects), live streaming platforms and digital distribution best practices.
• Proven success growing audiences on major video platforms, especially YouTube.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams to launch sustainable video products.
• Strong people management skills: you hire thoughtfully, develop talent intentionally, build inclusive teams, and know how to get the best from freelancers.
• Excellent communication skills — you can make complex editorial or technical decisions legible to individual contributors, senior leadership and external partners alike.

Preferred

• Experience in public media or nonprofit journalism environments.
• Background with live-stream production and community engagement formats.
• Familiarity with DAM systems, CMS integrations, and analytics tools (Google Analytics, YouTube Studio, Chartbeat or similar).

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.