Department Head - Agronomy

Kansas State University; Manhattan (KS); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Kansas State University invites applications for Professor and Head, Department of Agronomy, a fully on-site, 100% administrative role. You will lead faculty, staff and students across research, teaching, extension, and service, shaping a bold NextGen land-grant strategy.

Minimum qualifications emphasize leadership, teaching/extension experience, and strategic planning with strong collaboration and communication skills. Sponsorship is not provided; residency in the U.S. is required upon hire.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership, administration, or program management experience.
• Strong strategic planning and relationship-building abilities.
• Ability to collaborate across diverse stakeholder groups (faculty, staff, students, industry).
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills; able to engage university leadership and external partners.
• Clear vision for the Kansas State University Department of Agronomy in a NextGen land-grant framework.

Responsibilities

• Foster excellence in research, extension, teaching, and service at national and international levels.
• Promote quality instruction in undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Lead governance through committees and stakeholder engagement.
• Oversee budgeting and fundraising efforts to support department activities.
• Recruit and retain faculty, staff, and students and promote professional development.

Skills

Leadership experience

Strategic planning

Collaboration

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Vision for department

Job description

About This Role

The Department of Agronomy invites applications for the position of Professor and Head, Department of Agronomy. This is a 100% administrative position. The department seeks an energetic, visionary, and creative individual who will lead the faculty, staff, and students in their research, teaching, extension, and service missions.

• Foster excellence in research, extension, teaching, and domestic and international service.
• Promote quality instruction in undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Actively involve faculty in shared governance of the department using appointed and elected committees.
• Provide leadership in planning and supervising programs relevant to the department’s mission within the land-grant university system,
• Manage departmental budgetary and financial matters and assist in generating extramural support for departmental activities.
• Recruit and retain productive faculty, staff, and students.
• Evaluate, counsel, and promote professional development of faculty, staff and students.
• Communicate effectively with faculty, staff, students, university leadership, department clientele, industry, and supporters.
• Represent and promote the department to the college, university, state, agricultural clientele, and funding agencies.
• Create an environment that fosters collegiality and teamwork.

Worksite Description

This position is On-site.

All employees must reside in the United States when they begin working to comply with state law. K-State is unable to provide remote or hybrid work opportunities for residents of the state of Idaho.

What You’ll Need to Succeed

Minimum Qualifications:

• Understanding of teaching, research, and extension functions in the land-grant mission.
• Demonstrated success in teaching, research, and/or extension within a land-grant university or comparable institution.
• Record of scholarly achievement consistent with appointment as a tenured Professor in the department.
• Demonstrated experience in leadership, administration, or program management.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across a variety of clientele groups.
• Demonstrated success as a strategic planner and as a relationship builder with exceptional collaboration, communication, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal skills.
• A strong vision for the Kansas State University Department of Agronomy in a NextGen land-grant university.

The degree requirement is necessary for accreditation purposes and to ensure candidates possess the specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities that can only be attained through a formal educational program at this level.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience leading or contributing to interdisciplinary programs, public-private partnerships, and/or other collaborations.
• Success in securing extramural funding or developing externally supported programs.
• Experience with budget management, personnel supervision, and strategic planning.
• Experience supporting student success, recruitment, and retention initiatives.

Sponsorship eligibility:

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship

Application Window

Applications close on: November 30, 2026

Anticipated Hiring Pay Range

Commensurate with education, experience and qualifications