WHRO is recruiting for the position of President and CEO

WHRO Public Media seeks an accomplished and visionary President and CEO to lead one of the nation's most distinctive community-licensed public-media organizations at an important moment of opportunity. The new President and CEO will lead WHRO’s continued evolution as an integrated public-media organization, expanding its audience and impact across broadcast, streaming, digital journalism, education, and community engagement.

The new leader will be a highly visible fundraiser, with the experience to strengthen and diversify WHRO’s funding base through strategic initiatives that support growth, innovation, and long-term financial sustainability.

About WHRO Public Media
Based in Norfolk and serving communities across Eastern Virginia, WHRO employs 100 professionals with a $19 million operating budget and a $60 million endowment. The organization operates in the nation’s 44th-largest television market and has a strong community support base, including more than 25,000 member households. WHRO has been recognized multiple times as one of the region’s best places to work.

WHRO Public Media occupies a distinctive position at the intersection of public media, education, journalism, and community service. It is a community licensee owned by a consortium of 21 local school districts. A 35-member governing board representing communities throughout Eastern Virginia oversees the President and CEO. The President and CEO reports to the board and serves as an ex officio voting member.

WHRO’s assets include PBS and five additional broadcast TV channels on WHRO-TV; the region’s NPR station, with a growing local news presence digitally and on WHRV 89.5 FM; a 24/7 locally hosted classical music station on WHRO 90.3 FM; and WFOS 88.7 FM, a recently acquired radio station with an oldies format.

WHRO’s core mission extends well beyond broadcasting. Since its founding in 1961, it has played a vital educational role in Virginia’s schools. WHRO’s education division includes 18 staff members and operates with a budget of more than $2.4 million. Its services include online courses and a web-based library of multimedia learning resources used by over 286,000 students and 25,000 teachers.

The Opportunity

• Grow and diversify revenue. Build on WHRO's strong philanthropic base by personally cultivating major donors, strengthening development, and expanding fundraising beyond the traditional public media donor base.
• Advance an integrated public-media strategy. Bring television, radio, journalism, streaming, digital, education, and community engagement together around a coherent audience strategy.
• Accelerate digital transformation and innovation. Guide WHRO’s digital evolution, including audience development, product strategy, data and analytics, mobile and streaming experiences.
• Strengthen local journalism Strategically build on WHRO's role as a trusted source of independent, high-quality, non-partisan local journalism.
• Leverage the education mission. Further deepen WHRO's relationships with the region's school systems and unlock the strategic value of its education assets.
• Lead change and develop the next generation of leadership Navigate uncertainty and complexity in the public media landscape, while developing the executive team, attracting outstanding talent, and sustaining a strong, collaborative, and productive organizational culture.

The Community
At the center of WHRO’s service area is Hampton Roads, a coastal metropolitan region of nearly 1.8 million people where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.

Home to over 15 distinct localities, residents can enjoy the vibrant city life of Norfolk, the sunny beaches of Virginia Beach, the peaceful farmlands of Suffolk, and the storied past of Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown.

Hampton Roads is shaped by significant institutions including the world’s largest naval installation, NATO’s North American headquarters, major health systems, and dozens of colleges and universities. The region also offers a cultural life that is unusual for a metropolitan area of its size. Norfolk is home to the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Virginia Arts Festival, and major performance venues.

For WHRO’s next President and CEO, Hampton Roads offers both an excellent quality of life and the opportunity to lead a trusted media institution serving one of Virginia’s most consequential regions.

Position Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for WHRO’s media portfolio, ensuring high-quality content across radio, television, web, mobile, and social media.
• Lead and develop a team of 100 full-time staff, including eight senior leaders in education, content, technology, development, digital strategies, marketing and communications, journalism, and finance.
• Ensure strong fiscal stewardship of WHRO’s operating budget and endowment in partnership with the governing board.
• Lead comprehensive strategic planning in collaboration with the staff and governing board.
• Serve as chief spokesperson, articulating a compelling vision to donors, board members, educators, journalists, elected and civic leaders, and community partners.
• Play a highly visible role in cultivating and soliciting major donors and partners, and work with the board and development team to increase philanthropic revenue.
• Recruit, develop, and retain an outstanding staff and leadership team through clear expectations, effective performance management, and professional development.
• Champion an organizational culture rooted in respect, inclusion, collaboration, professional growth, and shared accountability.
• Serve as primary liaison to the governing board and help establish strategic objectives while ensuring compliance with board policies and directives.
• Integrate education into WHRO’s overall strategy, while maintaining productive relationships with area superintendents and school boards.
• Foster an environment so WHRO journalists can pursue rigorous, independent local journalism while protecting editorial integrity, following the established WHRO Statement on Editorial Integrity and Independence.

Requirements
The successful candidate will bring at least seven years of senior executive leadership experience in public media, journalism, education, nonprofit organizations, media, technology, or a related field.

Experience leading a complex, mission-driven organization with multiple revenue streams and constituencies is particularly valuable. A vital trait is a passionate commitment to WHRO’s public service mission.

• Essential capabilities include:
  
  • Organizational leadership
  • Financial stewardship
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Demonstrated major gift fundraising
  • Board relations
• Valuable experiences include:
  
  • Public media leadership
  • Media/digital leadership
  • Local journalism
  • Educational media
  • Public policy and governmental relations
  • A bachelor’s degree, advanced degree, or an equivalent combination of education
  • and relevant executive experience

How to Apply
The anticipated salary range is $250,000-$300,000, commensurate with experience. WHRO offers a competitive benefits package.

Candidates should submit applications to Apply@netaconsulting.org. A complete application must include a letter of introduction detailing your experience and interest; a resume; and, in no more than one page, a description of the opportunities you see for WHRO and the leadership priorities you would bring to the role. For best consideration, please submit applications by November 16, 2026.

NETA Consulting is partnering with WHRO’s search committee in this process. For additional information related to this position, contact Skip Hinton at skip@netaconsulting.org or Tom Rieland at tom@netaconsulting.org

WHRO Public Media is an E-Verify, Affirmative Action, and Equal Opportunity Employer.