North Country Public Radio is seeking an ambitious and talented sales professional to join our development team. The Underwriting Manager is responsible for generating and seeking opportunities to increase revenue through underwriting support on NCPR’s on-air broadcast and digital platforms. This position works with both for-profit and non-profit business partners (underwriters) within NCPR’s broadcast region and beyond. Reports to Development Director.

Responsibilities/Duties

• Serve as main contact for underwriting partners and establish solid working relationships with station’s underwriters.
• Meet/exceed annual sales goals.
• Perform client needs analysis and seek opportunities to increase existing accounts, develop new business partnerships, and close new accounts.
• Identify prospects through networking, personal visits, emails, phone and remote meetings.
• Oversee underwriting contract generation and ensure all aspects of account management are performed in a timely manner.
• Ensure that all aspects of underwriting contract deliverables (on-air credits, digital product text, graphics, etc.) are proactively reviewed, modified, and scheduled.
• Supervise underwriting billing management.
• Generate reports, establish underwriting rate structure, and implement changes as needed.
• Work with Broadcast Manager to ensure underwriting message language is consistent with FCC rules and regulations, as well as station policies.
• Collaborate with key station personnel on new strategies, sponsorship, and outreach opportunities.
• Communicate with station’s advisory board members to identify prospects and sponsorship opportunities.
• Work with vendors and station’s marketing, and digital teams on promotional materials as needed to support underwriting program and products.
• Participate in station fundraisers, including but not limited to social media, audio spots, and other forms of outreach.
• Public appearances on behalf of the station and at station events as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

NCPR is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We believe our work benefits from a range of perspectives and backgrounds. Becoming more diverse at all levels of our organization is the right thing to do and makes us stronger. We strongly encourage women, people of color, people with disabilities, people from diverse economic backgrounds, and gender nonconforming candidates to apply.

Headquartered at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY, NCPR is in a beautiful part of the country, including the Adirondack Mountains, the St. Lawrence River, Lake Champlain, Fort Drum Army base, Akwesasne Mohawk territory, and nearby urban areas in Burlington, Vermont, and Ottawa and Montreal, Canada.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or Associate’s degree with work-related experience is preferred, a combination of education and sales experience may be substituted and considered.

• Familiar and comfortable with advanced sales techniques and procedures
• Ability to multi-task and work with multiple clients and station departments at the same time
• Organized, Reliable, Efficient and Discrete
• Self-starter
• Must exhibit strong communication skills – both written and verbal—and must be a good listener.
• Must have a demonstrated capacity to work with a wide range of people in a wide range of situations.
• Must be knowledgeable of basic computer software (Word, Excel, etc.) and fundraising databases, with ability to learn industry-specific software.
• Must be willing to travel within the region on a regular basis, and outside the region on an occasional basis.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable vehicle.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with NCPR and with public radio standards and practices preferred.
• Familiar with regions and communities of the Adirondack North Country