Project & Engagement Manager

Job Description

Project & Engagement Manager

Team: Children's Media and Education & General Audience Programming

Status: Regular/Full-time/Project (Funded by a grant for up to 22 months)

PBS is seeking an experienced Project Manager/Engagement Manager to lead the design and planning process of an impact and engagement strategy for Ken Burns' The American Revolution, premiering in 2025. The strategy will rely on activating educators, PBS member stations and external partners to inspire diverse audiences of all ages across America to learn about how the Revolutionary War shaped our country's identity and is essential in understanding today's most vital issues.

The position will report to Engagement Directors in both PBS' Education and Station Relations units, and will be responsible for crafting, managing and overseeing all facets of the strategic planning process with the aim of increasing the film's impact. In particular, this position requires a demonstrated understanding of the ways in which the telling and re-telling of the American Revolution impacts all communities in the United States. The successful candidate will have experience leveraging multiple perspectives to engage audiences and will also have established relationships with organizations whose mission is to critically examine dominant historical narratives and share authentic histories instead.

The incumbent should have expertise in developing strategic partnerships, engagement activities and event strategies with educators, PBS stations (or a similar membership organization) and key stakeholders. This role will also be responsible for developing and working with an advisory board and subject matter expert consultants, so a background in American History is preferred.

Essential duties include, but are not limited to:
• Develop a strategic engagement plan that can be implemented nationwide, and includes the best thinking from educators, historians and station engagement professionals.

• Maintain a 360-degree view of the project over the course of its life, acting as a main point of contact and repository for information regarding the strategic engagement plan.

• Establish and engage a large advisory board with an eye toward ultimately leveraging these partnerships during an implementation phase.

• Manage day-to-day calendar and schedule of deadlines, communicating with partners on a weekly, monthly, quarterly basis, in order to keep planning on track and keep groups informed of deadlines.

• Identify, hire and work with subject matter consultants and experts.

• Manage and distribute associated research project

• Identify educator and station needs and create suggested activities (such as workshops, summer programs, youth media challenges, etc) that uphold these needs while also elevating the core values and messages of the film.

• Write and communicate project summaries for dissemination to internal and external partners.

• Coordinate, facilitate, and/or moderate meetings with key staff, advisory board members and outside partners.

• Act as the liaison between producers, key departments within PBS, and other external stakeholders, ensuring strong communication, collaboration, and responsiveness across all areas.

• Coordinate and produce presentations at PBS system meetings or webinars.

Requirements for success:
• 10+ years of project planning & management experience.

• Bachelor's degree in Media, Education, History, Project Management, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Strong familiarity with public television programming and production on a local, national, and independent level.

• Strong understanding of station relations, engagement, and outreach on local and national level.

• Excellent project management and organizational skills, including the ability to work on and manage multiple aspects of a project in numerous stages of development and completion.

• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Ability to work with PBS management, staff, and external partners and vendors in successful project execution.

PBS is an Equal Opportunity Employer in accordance with the EEOC and the Commonwealth of Virginia

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-r028kj-3-17-28-48-42 in your application.