Position Title:

Assistant Dean of Media and General Manager of BSU Public Media

Compensation:

$100,000 - $120,000

Department:

CCIM Deans Office

About this opportunity:

Ball State University is seeking a collaborative and forward-thinking leader to serve as Assistant Dean of Media and General Manager of BSU Public Media. Reporting to the Dean of the College of Communication, Information, and Media, this position provides strategic leadership for Indiana Public Radio and Ball State PBS while supporting the college's academic mission.
The successful candidate will oversee public media operations, digital innovation, financial stewardship, fundraising, community engagement, and FCC compliance. As a member of the CCIM leadership team, this individual will also contribute to student success through teaching and oversight of experiential learning opportunities, including the Public Media Accelerator Program.
This is an exceptional opportunity to shape the future of public media, strengthen community connections, and prepare the next generation of media professionals.

What you'll do and what you'll bring:

Position Function: Reporting to the Dean of the College of Communication, Information, and Media (CCIM), the Assistant Dean and General Manager oversees the strategic, operational, and digital transformation of BSU Public Media. The General Manager builds an integrated content ecosystem—encompassing broadcast, streaming, podcasting, web, and mobile platforms—to expand news delivery, tell community stories, and grow audience engagement across East Central Indiana and statewide. As Assistant Dean of Media and General Manager of BSU Public Media, this leader will also fully participate in the college leadership team and support CCIM’s Academic Mission.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, business, or related field by date of employment.

• Minimum of 5 years of media/broadcast management with demonstrated leadership in budgeting, fundraising, and team building.

• Expertise in digital-first distribution, audience analytics, public speaking, FCC regulatory governance, and cross-platform newsroom operations and content creation.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A terminal degree in communications, business, or a related field.

• Preferred 7+ years in public media leadership and 2 years in a university setting.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Integrated Ecosystem Leadership: Provide strategic direction that unifies Indiana Public Radio and Ball State PBS into an agile, cross-platform news and content operation designed to meet evolving audience media consumption habits.

• Audience Development & Community Engagement: Cultivate relationships with civic, business, and community leaders to expand public support, elevate brand awareness, and deepen multi-platform audience engagement.

• Resource Management & Revenue Diversification: Manage station budgets, funds, grants, and financial forecasting. Drive growth through cross-platform underwriting, major gift development and stewardship, membership strategies, and non-profit fundraising.

• Technology Infrastructure & Emerging Media Distribution: Partner with the college and University Media Services Chief Engineer to lead the acquisition, implementation, and lifecycle management of core technical infrastructure and emerging distribution technologies. Strategically allocate resources to maintain modern production facilities and build an agile, cross-platform media ecosystem that powers seamless broadcast, digital, and streaming delivery for our audience.

• Student Experiential Learning & Pedagogy: Assist in leading the Public Media Accelerator Program and co-curricular media initiatives. Teach 9 credit hours annually within CCIM.

• Organizational Leadership, Talent Development & Strategic Operations: Provide strategic leadership for BSU Public Media's workforce and daily operations by supervising key department leaders, guiding talent acquisition and development, overseeing performance and compensation practices, and ensuring HR compliance. Foster an inclusive, high-performing culture that supports employee growth and organizational success while maintaining an active, visible presence across Public Media and CCIM to strengthen collaboration, build community, and drive operational excellence.

• Statewide Innovation & News Collaboration: Partner with CCIM, Indiana broadcasting stations, and regional news outlets to pioneer collaborative media creation & delivery models that strengthen local journalism across the station.

• Regulatory Compliance & Next-Gen Infrastructure: Ensure full FCC compliance and manage licensing for stations WBST 92.1FM in Muncie, WBSB 89.5 FM in Anderson, WBSW 90.0 FM in Marion, WBSH 91.1 FM in Hagerstown, and WIPB-TV Channel 49 in Muncie for Ball State University. Collaborate with FCC legal counsel. Oversee necessary annual reports and licensure renewals.

• Community Representation & Industry Leadership: Serve as an ambassador and strategic leader representing BSU Public Media, CCIM, and Ball State University across local, state, and national committees, boards, and industry organizations to elevate institutional visibility, shape public media policy, and expand cross-platform partnership opportunities.

• Operational Adaptability & On-Site Presence: Maintain regular on-site attendance to provide visible, accessible leadership, foster direct collaboration across station teams and campus partners, and execute other related duties as assigned to support the mission of BSU Public Media.

• Perform other related duties as assigned.

How to apply:

For inquiries, please contact: Heather Hines at heather.hines@bsu.edu.

Please follow upload instructions to attach all of the required supporting documents listed below: NOTE: Do not use the Autofill feature for resume:

• Cover Letter

• CV/Resume

Applications must be received by October 16, 2026, at 12:01 AM. 

What we offer:

At Ball State University, we understand the importance of balancing professional responsibilities with personal well-being. That's why we offer paid 24 vacation days, 12 sick days and 10 holidays a year. Plus, our paid parental leave (6 weeks) is there for life's most significant moments. We offer affordable health and dental insurance, robust long-term disability and life insurance plans, as well a range of retirement benefits to provide financial security to you and your family. These benefits ensure that you can focus on your work and personal growth without worrying about the unexpected.

When you work for us, you are family. And to show our support of your family, we will cover 90 percent of your child's (or children's) undergraduate college tuition at Ball State. We do the same for you.  In fact, we'll cover 100 percent of the tuition costs for you to earn your undergraduate degree and 80 percent of your graduate tuition.  This offer is good from the very first day you start. It's just one way we do our part to uplift you.

Let's fly together toward a secure and prosperous tomorrow.

Curious about our excellent benefits package?

We have developed a calculator that shows you the value of our core benefits. Select the Total Compensation Calculator - Professional and download the spreadsheet. If you are applying for a 10-month position or one with Burris or Indiana Academy, please select the corresponding calculator.