Underwriting Specialist

SCOPE OF POSITION

The Underwriting Specialist supports WPSU’s revenue-generating efforts by developing and maintaining relationships with businesses, organizations, and community partners that provide financial support through underwriting and sponsorship. This position identifies prospective underwriters, cultivates relationships, develops sponsorship opportunities, coordinates underwriting agreements, and provides ongoing service and stewardship to existing clients.

Working collaboratively with WPSU development, programming, communications, and other staff, as well as colleagues across WPSU and WHYY, the Underwriting Specialist helps grow earned revenue while ensuring underwriting messages and activities align with public media guidelines and WPSU’s mission.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and maintain relationships with businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other prospective and current underwriting partners.

• Develop and manage a portfolio of underwriting and sponsorship accounts, including prospecting, outreach, proposal development, closing, renewal, and stewardship.

• Meet with prospective and current clients to understand their goals and recommend appropriate WPSU underwriting and sponsorship opportunities.

• Prepare proposals, presentations, agreements, and other materials that clearly communicate available underwriting opportunities and their value.

• Develop customized underwriting packages across WPSU radio, television, digital platforms, events, and other appropriate channels.

• Work toward established underwriting revenue, renewal, and new-business goals.

• Maintain regular communication with existing underwriters to strengthen relationships, encourage renewals, and identify opportunities for expanded support.

• Coordinate with programming, traffic, production, finance, development, and other teams to ensure underwriting agreements are accurately implemented and fulfilled.

• Assist with the development and review of underwriting copy to ensure compliance with FCC regulations, public media standards, and organizational policies.

• Maintain accurate records of prospects, client communications, agreements, revenue, renewals, and other account activity in applicable database or CRM systems.

• Track underwriting activity and prepare reports on revenue, pipeline activity, renewals, and other performance measures.

• Stay informed about WPSU programming, audiences, services, events, and community initiatives in order to effectively present opportunities to prospective partners.

• Monitor local and regional business and community trends to identify prospective underwriting opportunities.

• Represent WPSU at business, community, networking, and station events as appropriate.

• Provide responsive and professional service to underwriting clients and community partners.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, communications, advertising, nonprofit management, or a related field preferred. An equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.

• Minimum of three to five years of successful sales experience, preferably in media, sponsorship, advertising, nonprofit fundraising, or integrated marketing sales. Experience selling multi-platform sponsorships, including broadcast, digital, and live events, is strongly preferred.

• Highly proficient use of Microsoft Office software and CRMs.