4-H Program Educator

UWMSN University of Wisconsin Madison; Wisconsin; On-site; USD 55,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous vacation and holidays

Retirement benefits

Job summary

University of Wisconsin–Madison seeks a 4-H Program Educator to lead county 4-H programming, oversee volunteers, and advocate for youth development. The role emphasizes administration, partnership building, and education delivery to diverse youth audiences.

The position is based in Oshkosh, WI with travel and evening/weekend commitments as needed to serve Winnebago County and surrounding areas.

Qualifications

• Experience in programming and/or service delivery related to youth development.
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• Experience managing and/or supervising volunteers and/or staff.
• Ability to apply policies, procedures and regulations including risk and data management.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to foster professional environments.

Responsibilities

• Leads the implementation of programs, policies, and procedures through oversight of day-to-day activities for program staff and volunteers.
• Identifies and maintains external partnerships to support the outreach program.
• Schedules resources and coordinates logistics for outreach activities.
• Delivers outreach program content and materials to community members.
• Communicates plans and achievements to stakeholders and managers.
• Develops and evaluates curriculum and programs with recommendations for improvement.
• Monitors outreach program budget spending where applicable.

Skills

Program administration

Volunteer management

Youth development

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Job description

Job Summary

The 4-H Program Educator is a part of the Division of Extension Wisconsin 4-H Program, which is housed within the Positive Youth Development (PYD) Institute. The 4-H Program Educator provides overall leadership and direction for a county-based 4-H program. This position includes three primary roles: Program Administration, Volunteer Management, and Education and Youth Advocacy.

Program Administration

• Provides leadership to the county 4-H program focused on expanding 4-H membership and ensuring quality membership experiences.
• Responsible for assuring that all programs bearing the 4-H name and emblem are consistent with the purpose, vision, and values of the Wisconsin 4-H program including chartered 4-H clubs and groups.
• Responsible for providing oversight for all 4-H programs in regard to policy and risk management.
• Collaborates with other organizations to expand 4-H programming opportunities.

Volunteer Management

• Manage volunteers that deliver 4-H programming.
• Establishes and maintains a comprehensive 4-H volunteer development and management system that includes identification, selection, orientation and training, utilization, recognition, and evaluation.
• Provides ongoing coaching and support to volunteers in delivery of 4-H programs.
• Ensures compliance with Wisconsin 4-H, UW-Madison Division of Extension, and USDA policies and procedures.

Education and Youth Advocacy

• Utilizes a variety of delivery methods to provide resources and teach content in youth development, organization development, and volunteer development.
• Serves as the connection to the educational resources of Wisconsin 4-H, UW-Madison Division of Extension, and the USDA.
• Supports youth engagement and leadership in 4-H clubs, groups, programs, projects and activities.
• Facilitates the positive development of young people through 4-H programs, projects and activities.

County Location

The main office for this position is located in Oshkosh, WI, and the primary programming focus is Winnebago County; however, some programming may also be conducted over a broader geographical area.

Work Requirements

• In Person: The position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location.
• Evening/Weekend Work: The position may be required to work occasional nights and weekends to meet the program needs and priorities of the communities served.
• Travel Expectations: Employees will make individual arrangements for transportation adequate to meet position responsibilities and essential job functions. Employees are required to have a valid driver's license and a reliable source of independent transportation for periodic in‑state work travel, and/or comply with requirements for UW-Madison vehicle use authorization.
• Physical Requirements: Ability to lift 30 pounds with assistance.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Leads the implementation of programs, policies, and procedures through oversight of day-to-day activities for program staff and student and community volunteers.
• Identifies, promotes, and maintains external partnerships to support the outreach program.
• Schedules and secures resources and communicates logistics in support of an outreach program.
• Delivers outreach program content and materials to community members.
• Communicates plans, activities, and achievements to the Area Extension Director, program managers, and any other relevant stakeholders.
• Researches, develops, and facilitates outreach program content and materials.
• Develops and evaluates curriculum and programs and provides recommendations for improvement.
• May assist with the monitoring of outreach program budget spending.

Compensation and Benefits

• Compensation: The minimum annual (12 months) starting salary for the position is $60,795.00 but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.
• Benefits: Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and paid time off; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. Benefits information can be found at https://hr.wisc.edu/benefits/.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in programming and/or service delivery related to youth development.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively work with people from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives.
• Demonstrated experience managing and/or supervising volunteers and/or staff.
• Ability to apply relevant policies, procedures and regulations including reporting requirements and risk and data management.
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional work environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting youth development, educational, community-based, nonprofit, Extension, or volunteer-focused programs.
• Two years of experience leading, managing and/or evaluating educational programs.
• Ability to work cooperatively with other agencies, community-based services, or organizations to address educational needs.
• Demonstrated ability to resolve conflict.

Education

• Required Education: Bachelor's Degree in a field related to this position's focus.
• Preferred Education: Master Degree in a field related to this position's focus.

Eligibility and Compliance

• Applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e., a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.
• Application Deadline is October 1, 2026 at 11:59pm (CDT).
• Employment may require a criminal background check.
• Employment may require references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.
• WIST System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released.
• Contact Information: Michele Blakeman (Human Resources) [e-mail] [phone]; Liliana Ramirez Gonzalez (Hiring Manager) [e-mail]; Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1.

Institutional Statement on Diversity

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison.

We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community.

We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies.

We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.