Vice President & Chief Impact Officer

Vice President & Chief Impact Officer
Keywords:
Community Engagement, Education, Institutional Philanthropy
THE EMPLOYER: Nine PBS is one of America’s most accomplished public media organizations, a community-licensed institution with more than 70 years of distinguished service to the St. Louis region. Nationally recognized as the number one most-watched PBS station per capita in the country for five of the past six years, Nine PBS has also earned consistent recognition through regional Mid-America Emmy® Awards from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. These distinctions place Nine PBS in rare company within the public media landscape and reflect an organization with the talent, leadership, and operational excellence for success at the highest level of the industry.
Nine PBS connects people through educational programming, meaningful storytelling, and shared experiences that reflect the values and aspirations of the communities it serves. Operating across television, streaming, digital, and community engagement platforms, the organization reaches audiences throughout the bi-state region and beyond, approaching its work as both a media enterprise and an essential institution guided by a commitment to community, trust, equity, and learning.
Led by a mission-driven team and governed by a board of directors committed to long-term sustainability, audience growth, and civic impact, Nine PBS maintains strong relationships with PBS and affiliate systems nationally. Executives who join Nine PBS become part of an organization that holds a unique and valued place in the life of St. Louis and takes seriously both its mission and its people.
Position Summary:
Reporting to the President and CEO and serving on the Executive Team, the Vice President and Chief Impact Officer (VP/CIO) directs the strategy and implementation of Nine PBS’s community impact and education initiatives – including early learning, literacy, educator and family engagement, and the organization’s recently awarded federal Ready To Learn grant – and leads institutional philanthropy to secure and steward funding for impact, education, and mission-aligned content.
As a trusted thought partner to the CEO and Executive Team, the VP/CIO breaks down silos, fosters cross-functional collaboration, and aligns programmatic priorities, organizational capacity, and financial sustainability to translate Nine PBS’s mission into measurable regional impact.
Key Responsibilities
Community Impact & Engagement
Anchor Nine PBS’s work in sustained, reciprocal community engagement guided by its nationally recognized Engagement Model;
listen to community members, educators, families, and civic leaders, and translate community insights into relevant initiatives, services, and content.
Build and steward partnerships with schools, districts, educators, caregivers, nonprofits, and civic leaders to advance collaborative approaches to regional needs;
represent Nine PBS in community and funding coalitions.
Partner with other teams to ensure programming and storytelling reflect community priorities, support learning and engagement, and extend Nine PBS’s reach and impact.
Education & Ready To Learn
Direct Nine PBS’s education strategy and programs, including early childhood learning, literacy, educator professional learning, and family engagement.
Provide executive oversight of the federal Ready To Learn grant, including implementation, partner coordination, deliverables, reporting, fiscal stewardship, compliance, evaluation, and timely achievement of grant commitments.
Institutional Philanthropy & Grants Management
Lead institutional philanthropy and fundraising strategy, cultivating and stewarding foundation, corporate, government, and other institutional support for impact, education, and content.
Oversee proposals, grant budgets, funder communications, reports, and multi-year funding plans, aligning commitments with program capacity, organizational priorities, and revenue goals.
Manage a coordinated portfolio of restricted grants and program investments, partnering with other teams and program staff to monitor financial performance, compliance, deliverables, and sustainability.
Serve as staff liaison to board committees and partner with individual board members on strategies to achieve contributed revenue goals.
Measurement & Impact Communication
Support program evaluation efforts by advancing quantitative and qualitative measures of reach, participation, learning, partnership effectiveness, and community outcomes;
use findings to strengthen programs and build a data-informed culture.
Communicate Nine PBS’s community impact – and its alignment with mission, values, and strategic goals – to the Board, staff, donors, and the public.
Executive Leadership
Advise the CEO on community and education priorities, contribute to organization-wide strategy, and communicate progress, opportunities, and risks to leadership and the Board.
Serve as a strategic partner to the leadership team by maintaining an organizational mindset and working toward the greater good.
Lead, coach, and develop the Impact Team;
set clear priorities, annual plans, budgets, and performance measures, and cultivate an inclusive, high-performing culture grounded in shared purpose, accountability, and succession planning.
Bachelor’s degree required;
advanced degree preferred. Seven or more years of progressively responsible leadership experience in community engagement, education, nonprofit or public media programs, or a related field.
Demonstrated success leading teams and partnerships, overseeing complex grant-funded programs, and managing budgets and performance.
Proven track record securing and stewarding institutional funding.
Strong communication, strategic planning, and cross-functional leadership skills;
experience with donor and grant-management systems.
Leadership Competencies:
Success in this role is measured by both results and how they are achieved. The VP/CIO will:
Think and act strategically to advance organizational priorities.
Build trust and confidence across teams through transparent communication and information sharing.
Delegate, empower, and coach staff to reach their full potential.
Exercise sound judgment, making decisions that prioritize the long-term success of Nine PBS as a whole.
Lead with a solution-focused approach, openness to feedback, and a growth mindset.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
St. Louis, MO (hybrid) This position is eligible for a hybrid schedule, typically 2–3 days on-site each week, including team meetings and in-person events as requested, including evening and weekend hours. Some travel required.
More about Nine PBS: We are an equal opportunity employer committed to equity and fairness in all aspects of employment.We invest in our team’s wellbeing, growth, and work-life balance. Here are highlights of Nine PBS benefit offerings.
Health, dental, and vision insurance
403(b) retirement plan
Life, AD&D, and disability insurance
Flexible/hybrid schedule (up to 1-2 days remote per week)
Half-day Fridays year-round
Generous PTO that grows with tenure, plus 12 paid holidays and pre-holiday half days
4–6 week paid parental leave
Leadership development opportunities
EAP support for staff and family
Relocation assistance
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