About Iowa Public Radio
Iowa Public Radio (IPR) is where news, music, and culture meet – connecting Iowans every day to the sounds and stories that shape their world. As a community-based public radio network, IPR tells Iowa’s story – connecting all Iowans to relevant information, diverse perspectives, and culture that enriches their lives. By delivering original journalism and distinctive music programming, IPR helps create a more informed state, with engaged and vibrant communities.
A Statewide Network with National-Caliber Journalism
IPR’s history of serving Iowans started more than 100 years ago, when Iowa State University received one of the first college broadcast licenses. The University of Iowa and University of Northern Iowa later launched their own stations. IPR was then created in 2004 by the Iowa Board of Regents to bring together the radio groups operated by the three state universities. In June 2022, the Board of Regents transferred the station licenses to IPR, and the organization became an independent, community-licensed nonprofit public media network; a milestone that has given IPR the freedom and accountability to chart its own course.
Today, IPR’s network of 27 radio stations reaches all 99 Iowa counties, serving more than 200,000 listeners each week and a total weekly audience of more than 307,000 across radio, web, newsletters, and streaming. To view the current IPR signal map, click HERE.
IPR delivers three distinct services to its audiences:
- IPR News: Original local journalism, NPR programming, and award-winning reporting on the issues that matter most to Iowans, including politics, education, agriculture, health, the environment, and the arts. In 2025 alone, IPR earned an all-time-high 10 Eric Sevareid Awards, including four first prizes.
- IPR Classical: A 24/7 service celebrating the breadth of classical music and the artists, ensembles, and venues that bring it to life across Iowa, soon to be expanded with a new full-service IPR Classical signal in Mason City.
- IPR Studio One: An adult alternative music service spotlighting independent and emerging artists.
IPR is also a leader in collaborative public media journalism, including the Midwest Newsroom (with NPR, KCUR, Nebraska Public Media, and St. Louis Public Radio) and Harvest Public Media, the regional collaborative reporting on agriculture, food, and the rural Midwest.
IPR is proud to be an independent voice for Iowans: locally rooted, nationally connected, and uniquely positioned to serve as the state’s essential public media platform.
A Strong Foundation, A Bold Plan
IPR enters this leadership transition from a position of real strength: financial stability, rising audiences, deepening community partnerships, and a record of trusted, original content in news, music, and cultural programming. In FY25, the IPR community delivered the strongest membership year in IPR’s history, including 3,700 new members and $5.4M in member support. This major accomplishment was achieved, even as the organization absorbed the immediate impact of the rescission of all Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) funding. The loss of CPB funding created a roughly $1 million annual gap that the IPR community helped close through extraordinary individual support.
IPR is now midway through its FY2024 - FY2028 strategic plan, with meaningful momentum already underway. The next CEO will inherit a clear, aspirational roadmap and, importantly, will not need to develop a new strategy on day one. Instead, this leader will have the opportunity to continue executing against a plan the organization is already delivering on, while shaping the vision for IPR’s next chapter from a position of strength. Strategic initiatives already in motion include:
- Increase and appropriately serve a diversified audience, becoming the best statewide source of news, deepening Studio One and IPR Classical, and prioritizing reach to younger and more diverse Iowans, including the Latino community.
- Expand IPR’s signals and partnerships, including continued exploration of new stations, signals, and partnerships that close coverage gaps for Iowans.
- Increase and diversify revenue, growing membership, major giving, planned giving, the endowment, and underwriting, and building on the “A Resounding Future” capital campaign.
- Attract and retain talent, creating a culture where people wish to come and stay for a while, and where staff diversity mirrors the changing makeup of Iowa.
- Build and maintain critical infrastructure and operating systems, including transmitter and antenna replacements at WOI-FM, KSUI-FM, and KUNI-FM, a 10-year Master Control lease with Iowa State University, and a 10-year studio and office plan.
The Next Chapter: A Defining Moment for Public Media in Iowa
IPR is at a pivotal moment in its history. As traditional Iowa news outlets contract and the public media landscape evolves, IPR has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to step forward as the trusted statewide news source, a connective platform for Iowa’s civic and cultural life, and a model for what locally rooted, multi-platform public media can be.
The next CEO will have the opportunity to accelerate IPR’s digital growth and expanded community impact; to deepen the trust and relevance of IPR’s journalism, music, and cultural programming; to grow philanthropic support and diversify revenue for the long term; and to cement IPR’s role as Iowa’s essential public media platform: locally rooted, statewide in reach, and uniquely Iowan.
Learn more at iowapublicradio.org.
The CEO Opportunity
In 2026, as part of a planned succession to the current Chief Executive Officer, Iowa Public Radio will welcome its next leader.
IPR seeks a strategic, collaborative, and mission-driven CEO to lead the organization into its next chapter of growth, modernization, and impact. This is an outstanding opportunity to lead a vital public media organization at a time of great strength, to make a lasting difference for the people of Iowa, and to shape the future of independent public media in the Midwest.
Reporting to a strong, engaged Board of Directors, the CEO will provide vision, strategic leadership, and overall accountability for IPR’s programmatic, financial, cultural, and operational success. The CEO will serve as the public face of IPR and act as a trusted ambassador across Iowa and within the broader public media ecosystem.
The CEO will lead a talented and dedicated team of ~70 full-time staff located in 4 offices in Des Moines, Iowa City, Cedar Falls, and Ames. The CEO will also oversee an annual operating budget of approximately $10 million (FY25: $9.98M operating revenue, $9.52M expenses; total assets approximately $16M).
Key responsibilities of the CEO include, among others:
Vision & Strategic Leadership
- Lead the continued execution of IPR’s FY2024–FY2028 strategic plan, while shaping a bold, ambitious vision for IPR’s next chapter; one that builds on recent momentum and positions IPR as the leading public media organization in the state.
- Partner with the Board, staff, and stakeholders to set future strategic priorities for content, audience, technology, revenue, and impact.
- Anticipate the evolving public media landscape and position IPR to lead in audio, digital, video, and emerging platforms.
Fundraising, Revenue Diversification, & External Engagement
- Serve as IPR’s most visible ambassador, spending a substantial share of time externally engaging major donors, foundations, corporate partners, policymakers, and community leaders.
- Partner with the Development Director and the 12-person Development team to grow membership, mid-level giving, major gifts, planned giving, and the endowment, and to set ambitious, achievable revenue goals.
- Drive innovation in revenue diversification, including underwriting, foundation funding, earned revenue, and digital monetization, to reduce reliance on any single source.
- Engage Board members and other community supporters in growing financial support and advocacy for IPR.
Programming, Audience, & Brand
- Champion editorial independence and the highest standards of public media journalism and music programming.
- Set the tone for content innovation across IPR News, IPR Classical, and IPR Studio One, supporting strong content leaders and elevating IPR’s reputation as a destination newsroom and cultural platform.
- Elevate IPR’s brand and statewide visibility, ensuring that Iowans across every region see IPR as a trusted, free, and inclusive resource.
- Deepen IPR’s digital presence through continued investment in podcasts, newsletters, video, streaming, and on-demand content.
Financial Stewardship & Operational Excellence
- Provide rigorous financial oversight, partnering with the Director of Finance & Operations and the Board on budgeting, multi-year financial planning, and stewardship of operating reserves and the endowment.
- Lead complex, multi-year initiatives with operational discipline, including the Master Control lease with Iowa State University, transmitter and antenna replacements, signal expansion, and digital growth.
- Use data to set goals, track progress, prioritize investment, and continuously improve programs and services.
People & Culture
- Lead with transparency, integrity, and steadiness, building trust across IPR’s multi-city, hybrid workforce.
- Build, inspire, retain, and develop a diverse, high-performing senior leadership team and an organizational culture grounded in kindness, collaboration, and accountability.
- Champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging across IPR’s newsroom, leadership, and audience engagement, ensuring staff diversity mirrors the changing makeup of Iowa.
- Be present, accessible, and visible across IPR’s offices and stations, from Des Moines to Iowa City, Cedar Falls, Ames, and beyond.
Governance & Board Partnership
- Partner with a strong, engaged Board of Directors, ensuring transparent communication, sound governance, and alignment around mission, strategy, and impact.
- Engage and activate the Community Advisory Board and other stakeholder networks to inform IPR’s programming and community presence.
Candidate Profile
While it is understood that no candidate will offer every desired skill, quality, and characteristic, the following offers a detailed, aspirational view of the ideal candidate profile:
A Passion for Public Media & a Genuine Commitment to Iowa
- A deep, authentic passion for public media’s role in informing and connecting communities, and an unwavering belief in the mission of Iowa Public Radio.
- A genuine commitment to Iowa and its diverse communities, with the intent to invest in the state’s civic life and culture, and to build connections to IPR donors and staff spread across the state.
- An ambassador for IPR’s values — Integrity, Curiosity, Belonging, Respect, and Innovation — bringing infectious excitement and an unwavering belief in IPR’s potential to be all Iowans’ go-to resource for local news, music, arts, and culture.
- Ideally brings demonstrated credibility in journalism, broadcasting, or media, and commitment to protecting editorial integrity and championing the value of independent, nonpartisan journalism.
A Visionary, Bold Leader
- A galvanizing presence with the ability to articulate a shared vision and rally diverse stakeholders, both internally and externally, towards bold, ambitious goals.
- Entrepreneurial energy and creativity, with the discipline to translate vision into focused, high-impact strategies.
- Resilience and grit, with the ability to remain nimble and steady amid an evolving public media, political, and funding landscape.
- Comfort with calculated risk; willing to try new approaches, and to learn quickly from what does and doesn’t work.
- Strategic and systems-level thinking that connects content, audience, technology, and revenue into one coherent path forward.
A Dynamic External Ambassador & Skilled Fundraiser
- Thrives in highly visible, public-facing roles, with the presence, charisma, and credibility to serve as a compelling organizational champion both statewide and nationally.
- A clear and compelling storyteller, able to articulate mission and impact to a diverse range of stakeholders including listeners, donors, foundations, corporate underwriters, policymakers, and beyond.
- Politically savvy without being partisan; skilled at building authentic relationships across civic, business, philanthropic, and political spheres, and bridging urban and rural communities with equal authenticity.
- A natural convener who can deepen partnerships with stakeholders including public universities, arts and cultural organizations, foundations, community-based nonprofits, and beyond.
- Ideally brings a track record of growing philanthropic revenue including major gifts, foundation funding, planned giving, and earned/underwriting revenue.
A Steady, Transparent, & Empathetic People Leader
- A trusted, transparent leader who communicates honestly, follows through, and brings calm steadiness to a team navigating transition.
- High emotional intelligence, paired with humility, accessibility, and genuine care for team and colleagues.
- A culture-builder who can strengthen connection across teams, ideally with experience leading multi-city, hybrid workforces.
- A people-first leader with deep experience in attracting, hiring, developing, managing, and retaining talent.
- A present, accessible, and visible leader, who can build credibility across a team.
A Strategic Operator with Financial & Business Acumen
- Strong financial and business acumen, ideally with a working understanding of nonprofit finance, multi-year planning, and the economics of public media, or a commitment to learning quickly.
- Data-informed and decisive; able to set clear priorities, make timely calls, and hold the organization accountable to outcomes.
- Able to guide and partner with teams to execute complex, multi-year initiatives, often focused on adapting or growing technology and infrastructure.
- Comfort partnering with a strong, engaged Board, working closely with the senior leadership team, and empowering subject-matter experts across the organization.
Location
This role is based at IPR’s Des Moines headquarters, with consistent in-state, in-person leadership presence expected across IPR’s offices and stations.
Des Moines is Iowa’s capital and largest metropolitan area, and is a growing, diverse city recognized for its vibrant arts and culture scene, strong civic identity, robust philanthropic community, and high quality of life. Des Moines has received numerous accolades for its affordability, corporate engagement, and commitment to attracting families, young professionals, and businesses.
To learn more about Des Moines and all of its offerings, please visit: https://www.greaterdsmusa.com/.
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range for this role is anticipated to be $185,000 - $205,000 commensurate with experience. Iowa Public Radio values its employees and offers a comprehensive benefits package.
Contact
DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Cheryl Stevens and Claire Hunt. Express interest in this role by filling out our Talent Profile or emailing the search team directly at [email protected]. All inquiries are strictly confidential.
DSG | Koya is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding accommodations for the application and interview process.