County Extension Director

NC State University; North Carolina; Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

NC State University, through North Carolina Cooperative Extension in Gates County, is seeking a County Extension Director to provide visionary leadership for a comprehensive county Extension program in partnership with NC A&T State University. The role requires coordinating staff, advising county government, and developing resources to meet community needs.

The Director will lead program planning, staff supervision, budgeting, and community outreach, while maintaining strong relationships with

Qualifications

• Master’s degree with relevant field and professional leadership exposure.
• Bachelor’s degree with required years of Cooperative Extension or similar experience, or enrollment in graduate degree with one-year completion plan.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate county Extension staff to develop an effective educational program.
• Manage administration, budgets, and resource development.
• Represent Extension to county government, agencies, schools, and community partners.
• Provide staff development, evaluations, and align work responsibilities.
• Plan and direct marketing of Extension programs and impacts.
• Travel within the district as required.

Education

Master’s degree in Extension/educational programming, administration, organizational leadership, or public administration

Bachelor’s degree in extension/educational programming, administration, organizational leadership, or public administration

Job description

Position Information

Position Overview

Are you looking for a rewarding career that will let you give back to your community? NC State Extension extends research-based knowledge to all North Carolinians, helping them transform science into everyday solutions that improve their lives and grow our state. We are the model of excellence in non-formal, research-based education that advances agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, youth and communities, while creating prosperity for all North Carolinians. Working for NC State Extension allows you to teach without being tied to a classroom and school bell.

While our employees are located in NC County offices, they reap the benefits of employment at NC State University. Some of our benefits include:

You Belong Here! At NC State, our goal is for all employees to reach their fullest potential at work. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our https://news.hr.ncsu.edu/you-belong-here/ and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

The County Extension Director is a leadership position with Cooperative Extension at North Carolina State University. The major responsibility of the job is to provide leadership for and coordinate the efforts of the county Extension staff in developing an effective total county Extension educational program in cooperation with North Carolina A&T State University’s Cooperative Extension Program.

The position requires a dynamic individual to provide visionary leadership for a comprehensive Extension program to meet the needs of all segments of the population. The County Extension Director serves as the County Extension administrative leader with responsibilities for administration, public policy issues, and community/leadership development. The County Extension Director is responsible for maintaining an effective advisory leadership system representative of all program areas. The County Extension Director provides leadership and expertise in coordinating/securing resource development for all program areas. Responsibilities include marketing Extension programs and impacts.

The County Extension Director must maintain a strong, collaborative relationship in assisting the staff in delivering educational programs with county government input and support. Also, to meet the needs of county citizens, the position must network and collaborate with agencies and organizations, county departments, schools, town officials, area agencies, and University and Extension personnel. The position will be responsible for coordinating staff development, and training. The individual must demonstrate the ability to plan, organize, and work well with people.

Primary Function of Organizational Unit

North Carolina Cooperative Extension gives our residents easy access to the resources and expertise of NC State University and NC A&T State University. Through educational programs, publications, and events, Cooperative Extension field faculty deliver unbiased, research-based information to North Carolina citizens.

Gates County, located in the quiet, scenic Inner Coastal Plain of northeastern North Carolina, combines a deep agricultural heritage with a strong sense of community. Known for its rich farming history in peanut, cotton, corn, soybean and timber production, the county is deeply rooted in agribusiness and natural resource stewardship. Bordered by the iconic Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and the Chowan River, Gates County offers an exceptional quality of life with abundant outdoor recreation, while sitting within convenient driving distance of the Hampton Roads area of Virginia and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The County Extension Director must be able to both lead and manage an interdisciplinary team, including coordination and alignment of agent educational programs to meet the needs of their clientele and of county government. This is a county department head level position and the County Extension Director will be expected to perform at that level and be accountable. Close communications with both the County Manager, County Commissioners, County Liaison as well as with University administration are required.

The County Extension Director is required to have an active Extension Advisory Council that meets on a regular basis. This group of volunteers represents all Extension program areas and performs both as advisors and advocates for the local Extension program. The County Extension Director is responsible for all supervision, staff development, evaluations, and alignment of work responsibilities.

Other responsibilities include, but are not limited to, organizing and allocating resources, marketing the Extension program, preparing budgets, maintaining administrative relationships, interpreting and communicating policy, teaching, evaluating, and reporting in the assigned county.

Other Work/Responsibilities

• Responsibilities include organizing and allocating resources, marketing the Extension program, preparing budgets, maintaining administrative relationships, interpreting and communicating policy, teaching, evaluating, and reporting in the assigned county.

The ability to work with a broad range of people, staff, customers, elected officials, and volunteers is essential. The County Extension Director must maintain an effective, collaborative relationship in delivering educational programs by working closely with county government agencies and organizations, county departments, local officials, area agencies, University, and Extension personnel in nearby counties. This position is responsible for coordinating staff development and training, conducting performance evaluations, and aligning staff work responsibilities. The position will also be assigned programming responsibility for subject matter area(s). Travel within the district, as well as occasional travel outside the district is required. Travel is reimbursed following state guidelines.

Number of Permanent Employees this Position Supervises

6

Percent of Time Spent

50% administrative. 50% in one of the following areas: Agriculture/Horticulture, Family and Consumer Sciences or 4-H Youth Development

Requirements and Preferences

Identify if the Position is Mandatory / Essential / Key

Identify if the Position is Mandatory / Essential / Key Key Personnel

Work Schedule

8:00 am - 5:00 pm, evenings and weekends as required

The major responsibility of the job is to provide leadership for and coordinate the efforts of the county Extension staff in developing an effective total county Extension education program.

Other responsibilities include:

• organizing and allocating resources
• marketing the Extension program
• maintaining administrative relationships
• interpreting and communicating policy, teaching, and evaluating
• reporting in the assigned county.

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s degree from an accredited institution in a field related to Extension/educational programming, administration, organizational leadership, or public administration, and a minimum of (3) three years of service with Cooperative Extension or similar work experience in a university or community outreach organization or program
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in a field related to Extension/educational programming, administration, organizational leadership, or public administration, and a minimum of (10) ten years of service with Cooperative Extension or similar work experience in a university or community outreach organization or program. A candidate applying with a Bachelor’s degree and less than 10 years of experience must be actively enrolled in an accredited graduate degree program and confer the degree within one year of hire.

Preferred: Administrative and supervisory experience, including experience with human resource development, fiscal resource management, and external relations.

Department