Assistant Program Leader, 4-H Positive Youth Development

Experience Champaign Urbana; Champaign (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Experience Champaign Urbana seeks a senior supervisor to lead the Illinois State 4-H Office, overseeing STEM, natural resources, leadership, and several cross-cutting programs. You will guide staff, shape annual plans, and drive professional development in line with national initiatives.

The role emphasizes collaboration with campus and external partners to advance youth development and program evaluation.

Qualifications

• Experience leading state-level youth programs.
• Ability to develop annual plans of work and support staff performance.
• Ability to align programs with strategic goals and external initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct supervision to Specialists and Associates (10 direct reports) in the Illinois State 4-H Office.
• Supervise Events and Communications Coordinator and plan key events for Illinois 4-H staff.
• Direct state program staff in developing annual plan of work and conduct annual performance appraisals; manage staff promotions.
• Provide professional development opportunities to staff and assist in planning State 4-H staff meetings.
• Collaborate with Senior Program Leads and Managers to ensure staff development, data collection, financial operations, HR management, alumni engagement, and branding.

Skills

Staff supervision

Strategic planning

Program development

Collaboration

Performance management

Budget planning

Job description

Duties Responsibilities Supervision and Management

• Provide direct supervision to the Specialists and Associates (10 direct reports) in the Illinois State 4-H Office (STEM, Natural Resources Shooting Sports, Creative Cultural Arts, College Career Readiness, Leadership, Healthy Living, Livestock/Animal Science, Food Systems, New Audiences Outreach, Club Support Awards).
• Supervise the Events and Communications Coordinator and provide direction in the planning of key events for Illinois 4-H staff.
• Direct state program staff in developing annual plan of work and conduct annual performance appraisals; manage and support the Specialist promotional pathway process for direct reports.
• Provide professional development opportunities to staff to enhance collaboration and connection to the Illinois Extension strategic plan and National 4-H initiatives; assist in planning and leading State 4-H staff meetings.
• Collaborate with the Senior Program Leads and Managers within the State 4-H Office as a team to ensure staff development, data collection and evaluation, financial operations, human resource management, alumni engagement, and marketing/branding opportunities.

Strategic Program Planning and Development

• Provide leadership to ongoing and innovative 4-H youth development programs programmatically led by Specialists/Associates in the State 4-H Office.
• Lead and guide project curriculum/resource development and updates and statewide signature programs and events in partnership with administrative staff.
• Supervise and manage a statewide, peer-review process to support creation of evidence-based curriculum and programs to address the needs of the state, ensuring a strong research-based foundation.
• Lead an intentional charge to be accessible to all youth of Illinois, in accordance with the Civil Rights Act, Title IX, Rehabilitation, Americans with Disabilities Act, and the University of Illinois Extension affirmative action and Equal Employment Opportunities Program.
• Chair and lead the National 4-H Council Beyond Ready initiative in partnership with the Assistant Dean, 4-H Youth Development; lead the statewide leadership team to operationalize action related to statewide priorities.

Relationships and Partnerships

• Support the Assistant Dean, 4-H Youth Development in the development of a statewide program plan and annual budget request in response to county/regional needs, as well as emerging state and national issues.
• Monitor and facilitate collaboration and strong working relationships between state and county 4-H staff in support of Illinois 4-H program goals; create feedback loop with county 4-H staff to identify and respond to club and program support needs.
• Collaborate with the Illinois 4-H Director to support state staff engagement to develop collaborations and networks with other departments on campus and outside the University system that address the needs of Illinois youth.
• Provide leadership for building relationships with state, multi-state, national and international stakeholders, organizations and constituents.

Additional Responsiblities

• Advise the Assistant Dean, 4-H Youth Development and staff in identifying and responding to emerging opportunities to expand and strengthen positive youth development outcomes for youth in all 102 counties.
• Represent Illinois 4-H in statewide Extension and national activities as assigned by the Assistant Dean, 4-H Youth Development.
• Perform other duties that contribute to the mission of University of Illinois Extension as assigned.
• Assist staff with gathering program participant demographic information to ensure compliance with civil rights reporting requirements.