Work at WUWM

WUWM 89.7 - Milwaukee's NPR, a department of UW-Milwaukee and an NPR member station, offers an exciting and creative work environment. WUWM looks for dedicated people who are ready for a challenge.

THE STATION:

Recently celebrating 60 years of public service, WUWM 89.7 FM - Milwaukee’s NPR is southeast Wisconsin’s leading public radio station, reaching over 100,000 people a week through our broadcast signal. Over the course of an average month, our content also reaches an additional 200,000 people through non-broadcast channels. Headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, our broadcast signal reaches 13 counties in Southeast Wisconsin, reaching as far north as Sheboygan, west to Madison, and south to Gurnee, IL.

WUWM is a service of University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (UWM). UWM is Wisconsin’s second-largest university, with a unique dual mission of access and research to provide high-quality education for students from all backgrounds. UWM is one of 146 top research universities recognized as “R1” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

MORE ABOUT THE AREA:

Milwaukee is a city of contrasts and connections, where rich cultural traditions meet a spirit of reinvention, and where neighborhoods, nature, and industry intersect in dynamic ways. Nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee offers big-city amenities with a small-town feel: a nationally recognized food scene, a thriving arts and music community, major league sports, and some of the most affordable housing among peer cities. With a diverse population, a deep history of civic engagement, and an expanding innovation economy, Milwaukee is a place where individuals and families can put down roots, make an impact, and enjoy a high quality of life. Whether you're biking along the lakefront, exploring historic neighborhoods, or connecting with communities doing meaningful work, Milwaukee offers both opportunity and authenticity.

JOB OPENINGS

Assistant Director of Communication

The communication manager is a newly developed role to lead the strategy and ongoing work of the newly integrated digital and marketing teams at WUWM. We are seeking an assistant director to develop, direct and implement a cohesive, cross-functional communication and audience development strategy for the organization.

THE POSITION
This position oversees a staff team of four professionals that manage marketing, brand assets, digital distribution, social media, events, community partnerships and volunteer engagement. The role works with the communications team on how to use resources to connect with new and existing audiences, using data to determine distribution of WUWM created content beyond our radio broadcast. As we work to become a multi-platform media organization, a cohesive regional communications strategy and supportive team structure are required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

4+ years work experience in communications, marketing, digital or brand strategy
2+ years of experience supervising professional staff
Bachelor's Degree

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Demonstrated success designing and implementing a data driven digital communications strategy for a media organization
Ability to discuss and consider various audience segments or target markets and how they consume digital content
Experience working in a news organization, public media preferred
Experience identifying and executing successful campaigns to reach and maintain new audience segments
Previous experiences working in a cross-functional, collaborative leadership or project management role

> Learn more and apply here.

Student Social Media Producer

THE POSITION
The student social media producer will work closely with our communications team to create and publish social media content. This person will also do photography and videography on identified projects to amplify WUWM and its reporting. Ideal position for a student with strong creative skills and an interest in public media.

Qualifications:

Must be a current UWM student.
Experience using and creating content for social media platforms – including Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
Photography experience.
Videography experience.
Graphic Design experience.
Strong writing and editing skills.
Able to work quickly and efficiently to reach deadlines.
Able to work independently and collaborate with others.
Strong attention to detail.
Demonstrates eagerness to learn.

Preference:

Junior, senior or graduate student.

To apply: Review full position description here. Email resume, cover letter and work samples (include photos, video and graphic design) to Valeria Navarro Villegas, WUWM’s digital operations manager, at navarrve@uwm.edu WUWM will start reviewing candidates on December 5.

Vice President of Content (Director of Programming)

WUWM, Milwaukee’s NPR is excited to announce the search for a new Vice President of Content. WUWM works to inspire, connect and engage the Milwaukee community through storytelling that reflects the diverse perspectives of our incredible city and region.

THE POSITION

The Vice President of Content will play a key role in this pivotal moment for WUWM and public media as we continue our evolution from a legacy public radio station into a dynamic, multi-platform public media organization. As the station’s top news executive, this role will lead a mission-driven content team to deepen our editorial integrity and grow our practice of community-informed journalism while also expanding the scope and impact of our local content. This role offers a unique opportunity to enhance the trust of long-time listeners through traditional broadcast while also driving innovation that attracts and engages our next generation of listeners through digital, on-demand, and non-broadcast platforms. The successful candidate will bring vision and discipline to ensure that our journalism and storytelling remains independent, community-informed, and locally rooted while also helping to shape a content strategy that connects, inspires, and engages the richness, complexity, and diversity of life in southeast Wisconsin.

Reporting to the President/General Manager, the WUWM Vice President of Content is responsible forleading the strategy to achieve the mission and vision of WUWM. The VP of Content serves as a member of the senior leadership team and leads an award-winning content team, which includes our newsroom and Lake Effect, our daily current affairs talk show. This role also supports our programming team, which includes on-air hosting and cohesively scheduling national radio programming alongside our local storytelling, to sustain and build audience.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

The VP will supervise the content team as they develop and prepare content for distribution across the station’s various radio broadcasts, digital channels and other platforms.

The candidate must be able to combine organizational strategy & visionary skills with the day-to-day management of station programming and personnel. We seek someone who gets excited about creating great content individually, as well as managing and leading a creative team. An ideal candidate is excited by the prospect of leading the news teams from a 60-year-old public radio station to a community-engaged, digital-forward, public media organization. The person must be a proven coach and collaborator who understands the creative media landscape and has experience training staff to develop radio and audio content that can cross over into digital and social platforms with ease.

Just as importantly, we’re looking for someone who brings joy to the work, who leads with curiosity, encourages fun, and isn’t afraid to embrace a little whimsy in the pursuit of meaningful storytelling.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum of 5 years full-time experience in managing/overseeing news and information creation and distribution
• Minimum of 3 years in a supervisory role

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Background in broadcast journalism
• Experienced developing, communicating and implementing mission driven strategy to a news and information content creation team
• Demonstrated experience at a successful public radio news-formatted station which integrates withthe NPR public radio network
• Experience tracking and integrating audience data into the development of coverage
• Demonstrated track record in building and developing audiences through multiplatform content distribution
• Experience in audio/video production and comfortable acting as the voice of a radio station for fund drives, sponsorships or on-air hosting
• Experience leading through organizational change, including engaging stakeholders in planning, communication, and implementation of new processes or systems

> Apply here

INTERNSHIPS

WUWM is committed to providing meaningful internships to students. We are unable to provide this opportunity at this time and hope to do so again in 2025.

WUWM is an Equal Opportunity Employer

WUWM / UW-Milwaukee is an AA / EEO employer strongly committed to maintaining a climate supporting equality of opportunity and respect for differences based on gender, culture, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, age and lawful activities. We particularly encourage applications from individuals who would enhance and diversify our workforce.

To comply with Section 73.2080©(6) of the FFC's 2002 rule on equal employment opportunities, WUWM posts its EEO Public File Reports.

WUWM notifies organizations and groups that assist job seekers when there is an opening at the station. If your organization would like to be added to the list, send contact information to Ann Piatt via email.