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[JOB] Product & Business Owner for WNYC’s Discover App, New York Public Radio

Product & Business Owner, WNYC’s “Discover” App
New York Public Radio
New York, NY, United States
Full-Time

New York Public Radio is reinventing the way audiences engage with the best audio programming from public radio and beyond.

You are a digital product entrepreneur who thinks big and moves fast, who’s strategic-minded yet acutely attuned to solving user problems, who can cultivate opportunities for partnerships and expansion while managing and inspiring a compact team of product design and development, who loves the voice and mission of public radio and is energized by the exploding world of podcasting and audio discovery.

We have the job for you.

The Background:
New York Public Radio – home of WNYC and WQXR, Radiolab and Freakonomics RadioOn the MediaThe TakeawayStudio 360 and Death, Sex & Money – is also a home to digital innovation.

In Spring 2014, we released “Discover,” a feature of the WNYC mobile app that lets users download playlists of segmented content based on their preferences and how much time they have.

Ever since, Discover has driven downloads and listens, inspired loyal usage, and won the attention of producers and programmers across the public radio system.

And we’ve only just begun.

Discover is pointing us toward new forms of audio curation, delivery and distribution, and new ways of engaging listeners.

With the support of the Knight Foundation, we’re building a small dedicated team to spearhead the next year of innovation and development for Discover – expanding it from a feature nested within an app to a platform that gathers and delivers audio in new ways to new audiences through partnerships with other major public radio stations.

We’re onto something big with Discover. And we’re looking for someone to drive it.

The Job: 

  • Working with leaders from across the NYPR organization – including Business Development, Marketing, Research/Analytics, Digital Product and Content — defines and executes a plan to optimize the features of Discover, build scale by exposing it to broader audiences, and deepen the engagement and loyalty of its users.
  • Working closely with NYPR’s Vice President of Digital Product and Technology, manages a front-end developer/designer and back-end developer, while also partnering with project-management, product design and QA resources; owns the product roadmap and manages resources for execution and timely delivery.
  • Partners with NYPR Content team and other stakeholders to manage content partnerships, audio workflow, tagging/metadata and editorial practices to ensure a robust and responsive listening experience.
  • Manages partnerships with counterparts at other key public radio stations in major markets that may incorporate the Discover API in their own apps.
  • As necessary, provides regular updates to funders on project status and delivery against goals.
  • Ensures that product releases reflect experience gained from external market activities, customer discussions, usage analysis, competitive response and market research.

Qualifications: 

  • A record of conceiving, building and marketing new, innovative and consumer-focused digital products, preferably within a startup environment;
  • An entrepreneurial spirit and the proven ability to tie a product strategy to a business plan.
  • Experience building delightful and efficient user experiences around audio a definite plus;
  • A passion for public media;
  • Full comfort working with agile methodologies and teams;
  • Technical fluency and proven ability to direct a team of front- and back-end developers;
  • Exceptional leadership and communication skills—both oral and written, in person and remotely—with the ability to inspire excitement and commitment to a product and business vision;
  • The intellectual curiosity, maturity, self-confidence and interpersonal skills to work effectively and/or interact with the other staff, executives, colleagues and vendors as needed; and
  • Bachelor’s degree

Note: The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees, and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer. 

To Apply:
To apply for this opportunity, please submit cover letter with salary requirements and resume. New York Public Radio must receive all information requested in order to consider your candidacy. New York Public Radio is an Equal Opportunity Employer and invites and encourages qualified applicants from all walks of life.