Based in Sonoma County, Northern California Public Media (NorCal) serves the San Francisco region through two public television stations, KRCB and KPJK, and one public radio station, KRCB FM. As one of the very few community-owned and operated media entities serving the region, NorCal offers PBS, NPR and Independent Public Broadcasting programming. NorCal is a place of creativity, fresh ideas, and new voices, with a team of passionate individuals fueled by our core mission to deliver honest and trusted content.

NorCal is currently seeking a Director of Technology to serve as the Chief Engineer for Broadcast, overseeing IT and leading the strategic mission of the engineering and IT departments. The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker and operational go-getter with superb organization, strong project management, and impeccable communication skills. The Director of Technology will help define and implement organizational and technological strategies, and be responsible for two television stations (one PBS and one independent Public Media station) transmitting from Sutro Tower, and an FM radio station with multiple transmitters in Sonoma County, CA. The Director of Technology will play a critical leadership role in cultivating an inclusive culture that embraces change and innovation. This is an exciting and challenging multi-dimensional management position with many responsibilities. This role reports to the CEO.

Bilingual Spanish speakers are encouraged to apply.

Key Responsibilities:

• Overall responsibility for all-day-to-day TV & FM broadcast activities, including compliance with all regulatory and governmental agencies (FCC, OSHA, etc.), station asset management, transmission facilities, information technology systems, and remote facilities
• Work closely with station leadership to develop, maintain, and execute NorCal’s Technology and Engineering Plan. This includes both short and long-term projects, support for new initiatives, and maintenance/compliance schedules
• Responsible for creating Engineering and IT expense budgets and administering the technology component of the station’s Capital Budget
• Supervise Engineering, IT and Master Control staff, including training, FCC procedures and safety
• Manage Emergency Alert System
• Maintain the public file, complete all applicable FCC reports and file them in a timely manner
• Manage contractor/vendor/consultant relationships and contracts
• This position has ultimate responsibility for the TV technical plant, FM Studios, transmitters, and must maintain a proactive role in maintenance to prevent on-air failures. Must be able to respond rapidly in case of outages (due to equipment failure, vendor outage, weather, etc.)
• Work in concert with the CEO, COO, Radio Station Manager, Television Executive Producer, and Digital Media Manager to provide the tools and systems which support TV and FM content development and delivery across multiple platforms. Will also work interdepartmentally to identify new technologies which will increase efficiencies and enable new deliverables
• Oversee the maintenance and repairs of the studios (FM & TV), transmitters, telephone systems, and IT infrastructure
• Provide systems (specification/implementation/maintenance) to support NorCal’s TV & FM Production efforts
• Manage local Engineering, IT, and certain building maintenance efforts (includes managing all ancillary systems responsible for supporting the on-air operation, such as HVAC, networking, electrical, generators, and mechanical)
• Manage the relationship and projects with our IT MSP

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Deep experience and training in broadcast engineering, personnel management, compliance, and broadcast facility management
• The Director of Technology is responsible for the organization’s administrative IT infrastructure and must be experienced with real-time and non-real-time digital video-audio technology, broadcast automation, traffic systems, and digital television delivery
• Expert contemporary knowledge in Broadcast, IT, Digital, and Automation Technologies, including Design, Integration/Commissioning, Maintenance, and Project Management. This includes TV & FM Broadcast systems (encoders, STLs, transmitters), plus computer-based Video and Audio Production and playout/storage systems
• Responsible for compliance reporting for all the above, including EAS systems
• Interact and collaborate with management and staff at all levels in a personable, professional manner
• Strong prioritization, communication, analytical, design, planning and management skills
• Provide timely updates on technology and engineering issues to CEO/COO
• Five years minimum of Broadcast Engineering Management experience, ideally including TV & FM studios, RF Systems, VoIP telecom and digital mass-storage systems
• Proven experience leading technical operations in a local/regional broadcast organization. Able to effectively lead and manage in a dynamic and challenging environment. Demonstrated leadership and strategic decision making
• A participative leadership approach that fosters collaboration and innovation. Ability to recognize and identify opportunities (and/or challenges), so as to enable development of targeted strategies to drive growth and performance improvements
• Experience managing budgeting processes and strategic planning
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Technical area or Business, or equivalent experience managing Local Television Station Broadcast Operations and Engineering staff
• Able to be on-call after hours for emergencies or routine maintenance as needed
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and current vehicle insurance
• Other duties as assigned by station management

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Effective verbal and written communication skills, strong attention to detail
• Commitment to excellence, transparency, and high standards
• Strong organizational skills: able to manage priorities and meet deadlines
• Versatility, flexibility, and a willingness to work within constantly changing priorities with enthusiasm
• Knowledge of ProTrack Traffic, Crispin Automation, Broadstream playout system, Harmonic encoders, Wide Orbit automation, Wheatstone AoIP Infrastructure & control surfaces
• Knowledge of Title 47, Part 73 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Federal Communication Commission License First Class, General Radiotelephone, or Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) certification
• Degree in Engineering (Electrical or Electronic) or a related field, BA/BS degree preferred

For more information on NorCal visit us at www.norcalpublicmedia.org