County Extension Director and Agriculture/Natural Resources Program Extension/Extension Agent II - IV

Cty Ext Dir & Ext Agent II - IV or Prg Ext Agent II - IV

You Belong at a University that’s Leading the Way

The University of Florida (UF), the flagship university for the state of Florida, is a land grant institution with core values of unique purpose, excellence, integrity, collaboration and partnership, lifelong learning, responsiveness, innovation, communication, and global reach.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is creating an environment that affirms community across all dimensions. We particularly welcome applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF .

Please note: The Extension Agent track is permanent status‐accruing and the Program Extension Agent track is non‐permanent status accruing in the Florida Cooperative Extension Service (FCES). The track followed by a successful candidate who does not currently hold permanent status in FCES will be agreed upon by UF and the candidate and will depend on current position and experience. A successful candidate who currently holds permanent status in FCES will follow the Extension Agent track. The programmatic focus of this position is Agriculture/Natural Resources.

The Opportunity

We are looking for candidates with academic and people skills who work well in teams, honor their commitments, and innovate in a rapidly changing world. As an Extension Agent and County Extension Director (CED), you will work jointly for UF/IFAS Extension and Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department. The academic program focus of this Extension Agent position is Agriculture/Natural Resources. As the CED (about 70% of your time), you will lead the total Miami-Dade extension program. As the Agent (about 30% of your time), you will lead through the design, implementation, and evaluation of agricultural education programs designed to assist clientele in small farm management in a resource‐efficient and environmentally sensitive manner. The Agent’s extension education program will be guided by an advisory committee that incorporates the needs of the county’s varied population.

As County Extension Director the candidate will be able to:

• Lead, supervise, mentor, and evaluate county faculty and staff.
• Foster an inclusive environment and build effective relationships with stakeholders, county government, community leaders, private sector clientele, media, government agencies, county residents, and UF/IFAS faculty, staff, and extension administration.
• Assemble and regularly consult an overall advisory committee reflective of county demographics and stakeholders to ensure that all county extension programs are important and relevant and effectively advocate for community extension.
• Assure that each county faculty member maintains an extension advisory committee in his/her respective subject matter and areas of responsibility.
• Prepare and defend the annual county budget that supports the Miami-Dade County Extension Service office and oversee, review, and approve expenditures for the department.
• Demonstrate resourcefulness, creativity, enthusiasm, collaboration, leadership, and innovation to strengthen current educational programs while reviewing and implementing new policies, evaluating performance, maintaining records, assessing risks, communicating, marketing effectively across multi-media platforms, managing financial resources, directing strategic planning, and creating educational materials and opportunities for Miami-Dade County.

As the Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent, the candidate will be able to:

• Maintain an effective and varied advisory committee to assist with extension program design, direction, and operation.
• Target programs to reflect the area’s population and unique educational needs using a variety of program marketing and delivery methods, including in-person, site visit consultations, and focused virtual platforms such as webinars, videos, and social media.
• Collaborate with local growers and UF/IFAS Research Center faculty to help design, conduct, and evaluate studies (including demonstration trials) that assess agriculture and natural resources in Miami-Dade County.
• Produce creative, scholarly works and audience-appropriate publications.

Further Information:

UF/IFAS employs more than 2,000 faculty and staff statewide. UF/IFAS Extension is a partnership between state, federal, and county governments to provide quality, relevant education, and research-based expertise to foster healthy people, a healthy environment, and a healthy economy. We employ 375 Extension Agents and have an office in each of Florida’s 67 counties. We attribute our success to a workforce that embraces the contributions of people of all backgrounds and ability levels. The Extension Agent will contribute to a community that provides space for innovation, creativity, collaboration, growth, and development for all.

Miami-Dade County, with a population of over 2.6 million, is located on the southern tip of the Florida peninsula. The main Extension office is located in Homestead, approximately 1 mile from the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center. There are also three satellite offices in Hialeah, Miami Lakes, and Virginia Key. Miami-Dade County Extension is part of the Southeast Extension District made up of twelve counties and the Seminole Tribe.

UF/IFAS Miami-Dade County Extension partners with Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces. It is the third largest county park system in the United States, consisting of more than 285 parks and 40,000+ acres of parks and natural areas, comprised of active, passive parklands and nature preserves. It is one of the most unique park and recreation systems in the world and focused on placemaking, health and fitness, and conservation and stewardship.

Employment is contingent on the results of a physical examination, a substance screening, and a national background screening.

In the event of an emergency, all employees are considered essential personnel and may be required to perform alternate duties at the county or district level.

Candidates must have the ability to possess (or be able to obtain) a Florida driver’s license, be able to work flexible hours, and have the willingness to occasionally work long and irregular hours, including evenings, weekends, and overnight travel.

Candidates will be reviewed as applications are received, but please be aware that interviews might not be scheduled until 4 to 6 weeks after the position closing date. Are you a good match? Apply today!

Commensurate with Education and Experience

• A master’s degree in agriculture/natural resources or a related field.
• At least 5 years of professional extension experience or equivalent.
• Self-starting, energetic, and team-oriented.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills.
• Resourcefulness, creativity, enthusiasm, and innovativeness.
• Good organizational development and management skills.
• Ability to establish solid partnerships and work in teams.
• Ability to use information technology and apply social media to extension work.
• A commitment to positive and proactive customer service.
• Expertise in managing competing priorities and adaptability to handle unexpected situations.
• Candidates must also have a commitment to UF core values.

• Expertise in getting groups to work together for a higher goal, managing competing priorities, and adaptability to handle unexpected situations is a plus for this role.
• Experience creating lesson plans, developing instructional materials, and applying teaching methods appropriate for a varied audience.
• Outstanding management skills (coach, mentor, motivator, etc.).
• A strong commitment to the community.
• Familiarity working in political settings.
• Experience creating a vision and getting buy-in from others.
• Evidence of exceptional collaborations, partnerships, and marketing with community agencies and groups.
• Experience working in multicultural settings; bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.
• Technological literacy necessary for communication and program management, including social media.

Apply at Careers at UF by 11:55 p.m. (Eastern) of the posting end date, and attach:

• Cover letter that describes how your experience and qualifications have prepared you for this position
• Résumé or Curriculum vitae
• Unofficial copies of all transcripts (showing coursework) of your academic degrees

The following documents are also required and may either be submitted through the above link at the time of application or sent separately to our office (below).

• Current and Previous Employment Form
• A minimum of 3 reference rating forms from your professional/academic references. Applicants are responsible for sending the rating form link to their references.
• Reference forms will be kept on file for 1 year and will be automatically used with any of our extension agent positions you apply for during that time.

Reference rating forms and unofficial transcripts not submitted at the time of application should be submitted/postmarked by the next business day after the position’s closing date. They may be submitted to:

UF IFAS Human Resources
Faculty Recruitment and Hiring
P O Box 110281
Gainesville, FL 32611-0281

ifas-hr@ifas.ufl.edu

Fax: (352) 392-3226

Selected candidate will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible. Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. The University of Florida is a public institution and subject to all requirements under Florida Sunshine and Public Record laws.

The University of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Institution. The University and greater Gainesville community enjoy a variety of cultural events, restaurants, year-round outdoor recreational activities, and social opportunities.