Program Director Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Washington DC
Washington DC's program director market is anchored by federal agencies, large nonprofits, international NGOs, and government contractors like Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte Federal, and ICF. Organizations headquartered in and around DC, including those on K Street and in the broader National Capital Region, regularly sponsor H-1B visa and O-1 visas for experienced program directors managing complex, mission-driven portfolios.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
American University is a student-centered research institution located in Washington, DC, with highly-ranked schools and colleges, internationally-renowned faculty, and a reputation for creating meaningful change in the world.
Department:
Content Operations
Time Type:
Full time
Job Type:
Regular
FLSA Status:
Exempt
Work Modality:
Hybrid 01 (On Campus 3-4 Days/Week)
Union:
Excluded
Job Description:
Summary
WAMU 88.5 is a public media station owned and operated by American University. WAMU is the source for local, regional and NPR news and original programs in Washington DC. Since 1961, WAMU has been amplifying voices and sharing stories from the many neighborhoods and communities in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.
The Program Director is responsible for the strategic design, performance optimization, and operational integrity of WAMU’s live broadcast schedule. Reporting to the Chief Content Officer, this role ensures that every hour of WAMU’s broadcast reflects WAMU’s Up Next content strategy, audience growth priorities, and brand standards.
Serving as the architect of WAMU’s live listening experience, the Program Director shapes format flow, break structure, promotional cadence, and schedule cohesion across dayparts. This position ensures that WAMU’s editorial vision and strategic priorities are consistently and clearly reflected in on-air and audio delivery.
Working closely with leadership across WAMU News, 1A, Broadcast Operations, Engineering, Membership, Marketing, and Digital, the Program Director translates content strategy into a cohesive, audience-centered broadcast product. The role operates through collaboration and influence, aligning multiple departments to strengthen WAMU’s performance, sound, and audience impact.
Essential Functions:
1.) Live Broadcast Strategy and Format Optimization
- Oversee the strategic design and execution of WAMU’s daily broadcast schedule to ensure clarity, cohesion, and audience impact.
- Ensure WAMU’s Up Next content strategy is reflected in broadcast execution, including daypart rhythm, franchise visibility, promotional priorities, and overall audio presentation.
- Evaluate and optimize break structure, segment length, promotional cadence, and format flow across dayparts to strengthen listener retention and engagement.
- Partner with daypart leaders (WAMU Mornings, Midday/Weekends including The Politics Hour, and WAMU Afternoons) to align programming execution with strategic goals.
- Maintain the integrity and consistency of WAMU’s full-day broadcast sound.
2.) Traffic Log Alignment and Operational Coordination
- Ensure the daily station log accurately reflects programming priorities and strategic decisions.
- Collaborate with Traffic, Operations, and Engineering teams to support accurate scheduling and reconciliation of programming elements, including promotional announcements, legal IDs, Emergency Alert System requirements, and special coverage.
- Maintain automation templates and support custom templates for pledge drives, special programming, and live news events.
- Ensure programming metadata (RDS / PAD) is accurate and aligned with broadcast content.
3.) Audience Performance Strategy and Institutional Insight
- Serve as WAMU’s subject-matter expert on audience performance metrics, including Nielsen Audio ratings, streaming data, and related research tools.
- Lead the analysis and interpretation of audience data to identify trends, retention opportunities, growth potential, and daypart performance insights.
- Translate complex audience data into clear, actionable insights for leadership across WAMU News, 1A, Operations, Advancement, Marketing, and Digital teams.
- Establish shared understanding across departments of how WAMU measures success, including key performance indicators for broadcast and live listening.
- Partner with the Chief Content Officer to align programming strategy with measurable audience goals and long-term growth priorities.
- Present audience performance findings in internal and board-level settings as needed.
- Integrate terrestrial and digital listening data to provide a comprehensive, station-wide view of audience behavior.
4.) On-Air Promotions, Brand Voice, and Listener Experience
- Collaborate with Editorial and Advancement teams to develop and strategically place on-air promotions supporting coverage, franchise content, and membership campaigns.
- Contribute to the development and maintenance of WAMU’s Sound + Style standards to ensure consistent tone, pacing, and writing across dayparts.
- Partner with Membership to thoughtfully integrate fundraising messaging into the broadcast flow, balancing audience experience and revenue goals.
5.) Strategic Program Acquisition and Partnerships
- Manage relationships with NPR and external programming partners.
- Evaluate programming opportunities based on audience growth potential, strategic fit, and schedule cohesion.
- Advise the Chief Content Officer on special programming decisions and schedule evolution.
- Maintain awareness of national public media programming trends and performance benchmarks.
6.) Cross-Departmental Leadership and Influence
- Lead regular coordination with News, 1A, Operations, Engineering, Membership, Marketing, and Digital teams to ensure alignment in broadcast execution.
- Identify workflow improvements that strengthen broadcast execution and reduce friction between departments.
- Serve as a strategic thought partner to the Chief Content Officer on live listening performance, broadcast evolution, and long-term audience growth.
7.) Regulatory Compliance and Broadcast Standards
- Participate in cross-departmental efforts to ensure WAMU’s broadcast operations comply with FCC regulations and public radio standards.
- Collaborate with Operations and relevant leadership to ensure programming decisions align with regulatory requirements.
- Contribute to maintaining clear documentation and consistent application of broadcast policies and procedures.
Competencies:
- Prioritizing and Organizing.
- Acquiring and Analyzing Information.
- Evaluating and Implementing Ideas.
- Collaborative Leadership.
- Leading and Inspiring People.
- Making Accurate Judgments and Decisions.
- Developing Plans.
- Managing Talent.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:
- Full-time.
- 35 hours per week.
- Evening or weekend work may be required during pledge drives, breaking news coverage, or special programming.
- Hybrid 1 work modality (3 - 4 days in office per week).
Salary Range:
- $110,000.00 - $130,000.00 annually.
Required Education and Experience:
- Bachelor's degree.
- 8 - 10 years of relevant experience.
- Progressive experience in radio programming, broadcast operations, audience research, format strategy, or related fields.
- Strong knowledge of FCC rules and regulations required.
- Demonstrated experience interpreting audience data and applying insights to programming decisions.
- Experience working collaboratively across departments in a live news environment required.
Preferred Education and Experience:
- 10+ years of relevant experience.
- Public radio experience strongly preferred.
- Experience aligning broadcast strategy with multiplatform content initiatives.
- Experience presenting audience insights to executive leadership or boards.
- Experience supporting listener-supported fundraising strategies.
Additional Eligibility Qualifications:
- Excellent writing and editing skills for broadcast and digital platforms.
- High attention to detail and operational rigor.
- Strong understanding of trends in public and commercial audio.
- Ability to lead in a fast-paced live news environment.
- Demonstrated commitment to WAMU’s mission and American University’s values.
Other Duties:
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Benefits
AU offers a competitive benefits package.
Other Details
- Hiring offers for this position are contingent on successful completion of a background check.
- Employees in staff positions at American University must deliver their services to the university from either the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia, or perform work on-site at the university.
- Please note this job announcement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
- American University is an E-Verify employer.
Current American University Employees
American University current employees must apply through their employee Workday account. If you are a current employee at American University, please log into Workday and select the Find Jobs report which will take you to our internal career listings.
Contact Us
For more information or assistance with the American University careers site, email theworkline@american.edu.
American University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, personal appearance, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, source of income, veteran status, an individual’s genetic information or any other bases under federal or local laws (collectively "Protected Bases") in its programs and activities.
INTRODUCTION
American University is a student-centered research institution located in Washington, DC, with highly-ranked schools and colleges, internationally-renowned faculty, and a reputation for creating meaningful change in the world.
Department:
Content Operations
Time Type:
Full time
Job Type:
Regular
FLSA Status:
Exempt
Work Modality:
Hybrid 01 (On Campus 3-4 Days/Week)
Union:
Excluded
Job Description:
Summary
WAMU 88.5 is a public media station owned and operated by American University. WAMU is the source for local, regional and NPR news and original programs in Washington DC. Since 1961, WAMU has been amplifying voices and sharing stories from the many neighborhoods and communities in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.
The Program Director is responsible for the strategic design, performance optimization, and operational integrity of WAMU’s live broadcast schedule. Reporting to the Chief Content Officer, this role ensures that every hour of WAMU’s broadcast reflects WAMU’s Up Next content strategy, audience growth priorities, and brand standards.
Serving as the architect of WAMU’s live listening experience, the Program Director shapes format flow, break structure, promotional cadence, and schedule cohesion across dayparts. This position ensures that WAMU’s editorial vision and strategic priorities are consistently and clearly reflected in on-air and audio delivery.
Working closely with leadership across WAMU News, 1A, Broadcast Operations, Engineering, Membership, Marketing, and Digital, the Program Director translates content strategy into a cohesive, audience-centered broadcast product. The role operates through collaboration and influence, aligning multiple departments to strengthen WAMU’s performance, sound, and audience impact.
Essential Functions:
1.) Live Broadcast Strategy and Format Optimization
- Oversee the strategic design and execution of WAMU’s daily broadcast schedule to ensure clarity, cohesion, and audience impact.
- Ensure WAMU’s Up Next content strategy is reflected in broadcast execution, including daypart rhythm, franchise visibility, promotional priorities, and overall audio presentation.
- Evaluate and optimize break structure, segment length, promotional cadence, and format flow across dayparts to strengthen listener retention and engagement.
- Partner with daypart leaders (WAMU Mornings, Midday/Weekends including The Politics Hour, and WAMU Afternoons) to align programming execution with strategic goals.
- Maintain the integrity and consistency of WAMU’s full-day broadcast sound.
2.) Traffic Log Alignment and Operational Coordination
- Ensure the daily station log accurately reflects programming priorities and strategic decisions.
- Collaborate with Traffic, Operations, and Engineering teams to support accurate scheduling and reconciliation of programming elements, including promotional announcements, legal IDs, Emergency Alert System requirements, and special coverage.
- Maintain automation templates and support custom templates for pledge drives, special programming, and live news events.
- Ensure programming metadata (RDS / PAD) is accurate and aligned with broadcast content.
3.) Audience Performance Strategy and Institutional Insight
- Serve as WAMU’s subject-matter expert on audience performance metrics, including Nielsen Audio ratings, streaming data, and related research tools.
- Lead the analysis and interpretation of audience data to identify trends, retention opportunities, growth potential, and daypart performance insights.
- Translate complex audience data into clear, actionable insights for leadership across WAMU News, 1A, Operations, Advancement, Marketing, and Digital teams.
- Establish shared understanding across departments of how WAMU measures success, including key performance indicators for broadcast and live listening.
- Partner with the Chief Content Officer to align programming strategy with measurable audience goals and long-term growth priorities.
- Present audience performance findings in internal and board-level settings as needed.
- Integrate terrestrial and digital listening data to provide a comprehensive, station-wide view of audience behavior.
4.) On-Air Promotions, Brand Voice, and Listener Experience
- Collaborate with Editorial and Advancement teams to develop and strategically place on-air promotions supporting coverage, franchise content, and membership campaigns.
- Contribute to the development and maintenance of WAMU’s Sound + Style standards to ensure consistent tone, pacing, and writing across dayparts.
- Partner with Membership to thoughtfully integrate fundraising messaging into the broadcast flow, balancing audience experience and revenue goals.
5.) Strategic Program Acquisition and Partnerships
- Manage relationships with NPR and external programming partners.
- Evaluate programming opportunities based on audience growth potential, strategic fit, and schedule cohesion.
- Advise the Chief Content Officer on special programming decisions and schedule evolution.
- Maintain awareness of national public media programming trends and performance benchmarks.
6.) Cross-Departmental Leadership and Influence
- Lead regular coordination with News, 1A, Operations, Engineering, Membership, Marketing, and Digital teams to ensure alignment in broadcast execution.
- Identify workflow improvements that strengthen broadcast execution and reduce friction between departments.
- Serve as a strategic thought partner to the Chief Content Officer on live listening performance, broadcast evolution, and long-term audience growth.
7.) Regulatory Compliance and Broadcast Standards
- Participate in cross-departmental efforts to ensure WAMU’s broadcast operations comply with FCC regulations and public radio standards.
- Collaborate with Operations and relevant leadership to ensure programming decisions align with regulatory requirements.
- Contribute to maintaining clear documentation and consistent application of broadcast policies and procedures.
Competencies:
- Prioritizing and Organizing.
- Acquiring and Analyzing Information.
- Evaluating and Implementing Ideas.
- Collaborative Leadership.
- Leading and Inspiring People.
- Making Accurate Judgments and Decisions.
- Developing Plans.
- Managing Talent.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:
- Full-time.
- 35 hours per week.
- Evening or weekend work may be required during pledge drives, breaking news coverage, or special programming.
- Hybrid 1 work modality (3 - 4 days in office per week).
Salary Range:
- $110,000.00 - $130,000.00 annually.
Required Education and Experience:
- Bachelor's degree.
- 8 - 10 years of relevant experience.
- Progressive experience in radio programming, broadcast operations, audience research, format strategy, or related fields.
- Strong knowledge of FCC rules and regulations required.
- Demonstrated experience interpreting audience data and applying insights to programming decisions.
- Experience working collaboratively across departments in a live news environment required.
Preferred Education and Experience:
- 10+ years of relevant experience.
- Public radio experience strongly preferred.
- Experience aligning broadcast strategy with multiplatform content initiatives.
- Experience presenting audience insights to executive leadership or boards.
- Experience supporting listener-supported fundraising strategies.
Additional Eligibility Qualifications:
- Excellent writing and editing skills for broadcast and digital platforms.
- High attention to detail and operational rigor.
- Strong understanding of trends in public and commercial audio.
- Ability to lead in a fast-paced live news environment.
- Demonstrated commitment to WAMU’s mission and American University’s values.
Other Duties:
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Benefits
AU offers a competitive benefits package.
Other Details
- Hiring offers for this position are contingent on successful completion of a background check.
- Employees in staff positions at American University must deliver their services to the university from either the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia, or perform work on-site at the university.
- Please note this job announcement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
- American University is an E-Verify employer.
Current American University Employees
American University current employees must apply through their employee Workday account. If you are a current employee at American University, please log into Workday and select the Find Jobs report which will take you to our internal career listings.
Contact Us
For more information or assistance with the American University careers site, email theworkline@american.edu.
American University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution that operates in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The university does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, personal appearance, gender identity and expression, family responsibilities, political affiliation, source of income, veteran status, an individual’s genetic information or any other bases under federal or local laws (collectively "Protected Bases") in its programs and activities.
Program Director Job Roles in Washington DC
See all 104+ Program Director Jobs in Washington DC
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Search Program Director Jobs in Washington DCProgram Director Jobs in Washington DC: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for program directors in Washington DC?
Federal contractors and consulting firms are the most active sponsors in DC, including Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte, SAIC, Leidos, and ICF International. Large nonprofits and international development organizations, such as the World Bank Group, USAID implementing partners, and global health NGOs, also have established sponsorship track records for program directors managing grants, policy initiatives, or technical assistance portfolios.
Which visa types are most common for program director roles in Washington DC?
The H-1B is the most common visa for program director roles, provided the position requires a specialized bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field such as public policy, international development, public health, or business administration. The O-1A is an option for candidates with demonstrated exceptional achievement. Some multinational employers in DC also use the L-1A for intracompany transferees moving into director-level management roles.
How to find program director visa sponsorship jobs in Washington DC?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically by visa sponsorship eligibility, making it straightforward to find program director roles in Washington DC without sorting through positions that don't sponsor. You can filter by role and location to surface openings at federal contractors, nonprofits, and international organizations in the DC area, which collectively represent the largest concentration of program director sponsorship activity in the country.
Which areas in Washington DC have the most program director sponsorship jobs?
Most sponsoring employers are concentrated in DC proper, particularly around Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, and the K Street corridor where consulting firms and advocacy organizations cluster. The broader National Capital Region also matters, as many federal contractors with large program management teams are headquartered in Northern Virginia (Tysons, Arlington, McLean) and suburban Maryland, all within the DC metro labor market.
Are there any DC-specific considerations for program directors seeking visa sponsorship?
Program director roles in DC frequently sit at the intersection of public sector work and formal degree requirements, which strengthens the H-1B specialty occupation case. However, roles that blend general management with loosely defined responsibilities can face more scrutiny during adjudication. Candidates with graduate degrees in directly relevant fields, such as public administration, international affairs, or public health, generally present a stronger petition. Many DC employers work with experienced immigration counsel given the volume of sponsored hires.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored program director jobs in Washington DC?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.