Job Description

The Audience Growth Manager leads the organization's digital audience growth strategy and oversees a small team of audience and brand specialists responsible for expanding reach, deepening engagement, and strengthening audience relationships across digital platforms.

They develop and execute audience acquisition, retention, and engagement strategies for WUSF’s mission while growing awareness, consumption, and loyalty across websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, streaming platforms, and emerging channels. The Audience Growth Manager collaborates closely with newsroom, programming, fundraising and corporate sponsorship, to ensure audience insights drive content, marketing, and engagement decisions.

Responsibilities

Audience Growth & Engagement Strategy

Develop and execute audience growth strategies, building digital reach, engagement, loyalty and retention
Identify audience segments and create targeted acquisition and engagement plans
Expand audience reach through content distribution, community partnerships, and emerging digital channels
Foster audience participation, feedback, and meaningful community connections while maintaining a consistent brand experience

Digital Marketing & Campaign Leadership

Lead integrated marketing campaigns across owned, earned and shared channels
Promote news, podcasts, events, fundraisers, cultural programming, and special projects
Oversee audience acquisition efforts through email, social media, search, partnerships, and other digital channels
Manage both paid and organic marketing strategies to maximize audience growth and impact

Data Analytics & Performance Optimization

Analyze audience data, behaviors, and performance metrics to inform strategic decisions.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) aligned with WUSF goals
Manage dashboards and reporting systems that track growth, engagement, conversion, and retention
Conduct testing and experimentation to continuously improve audience performance and user experience.

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

Lead, mentor, and develop a team of audience and brand specialists
Build a collaborative, creative, and data-driven culture with clear goals and priorities
Partner with editorial, programming, fundraising, sponsorship, and communications teams to align audience strategies with organizational objectives
Support revenue and membership goals while coordinating audience development initiatives across departments and external partners
Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: This position requires a Bachelor's degree with 5 years of experience in related positions; or a Master's degree in the fields listed above and 2 years of experience OR- equivalent combination of education and experience.

Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.

Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
(a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
(b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
(c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
(d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
(e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

Preferred Qualifications:

Demonstrated experience in managing audience development, digital marketing, growth marketing, media marketing digital campaigns and audience growth initiatives. Experience supervising or leading staff, interns, contractors, or project teams. Strong project management abilities, capable of coordinating multiple projects simultaneously.

Experience with content management systems (CMS), and visual communication principles. Demonstrated experience with email platforms (e.g., Salesforce, Mailchimp, etc.), marketing automation systems, and customer relationship management (CRM) software. Comfort working with Microsoft 365 tools and analytics platforms (Google Analytics, email dashboards) to inform decisions. Knowledgeable in web design practices.

Experience with fundraising or donor messaging especially in non-profit, media, or public media space. Creative problem solver, self-motivated, dependable, and a team player. Experienced in visual communication concepts and design principles. Knowledge of audience analytics platforms, CRM systems, email marketing tools, and social media management platforms. Experience with SEO, audience segmentation, marketing automation, and data analysis. Familiarity with podcast, streaming, and newsletter growth strategies.

About Us

Working at USF

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF‘s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

About USF

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu .

Compliance and Federal Notices

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws:

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.

University of South Florida

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Audience Growth Manager