Eau Claire County 4-H Program Educator

University of Wisconsin-Madison; Altoona (IA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Health insurance

Retirement benefits

Job summary

University of Wisconsin–Madison is seeking an Outreach Specialist to lead the Eau Claire County 4-H program, serving as the lead educator and coordinating education, youth advocacy, and volunteer management.

The role includes program administration, volunteer supervision, and collaboration with UW‑Madison Extension and the 4-H system. Evening work and in-state travel may be required, with a competitive benefits package and a starting salary aligned with state guidelines.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in programming and/or service delivery related to youth development.
• Ability to work with people from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives.
• 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.

Responsibilities

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

Skills

Youth development

Volunteer management

Communication skills

Policy compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree (preferred)

Job description

Job Profile

Outreach Specialist

Contact Information

Michele Blakeman (Human Resources)

[e-mail]

[phone]

Kristen Bruder (Hiring Manager)

[e-mail]

[phone]

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Current Employees

If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Job Category

Academic Staff

Employment Type

Regular

Job Summary

This position is based in Eau Claire County and serves as the lead educator for the Eau Claire County 4-H program. The Eau Claire County Extension office is part of Extension Area 6, which includes Eau Claire, Chippewa, and Dunn Counties and fosters a collaborative, relationship-focused culture grounded in teamwork, connection, and strong community partnerships. While this position is deeply connected to the Eau Claire County 4-H community, the educator is also part of a supportive Area 6 4-H team that shares ideas, resources, and expertise across counties while honoring the unique identity and needs of each local 4-H program.

The 4-H Program Educator is also part of the Division of Extension Wisconsin 4-H Program, which is housed within the Positive Youth Development (PYD) Institute. The PYD Institute provides works to catalyze positive change to engage Wisconsin youth in opportunities they need to learn, lead, grow, and thrive. The Wisconsin 4-H Program contributes to this work through the purposeful engagement of over 24,000 youth members and 8,000 adult volunteer leaders in 4-H clubs and groups throughout the state and tribal nations. The Wisconsin 4-H program is a youth-driven, volunteer-supported organization committed to expanding access to all and empowering youth to thrive. More information about Wisconsin 4-H can be found at https://4h.extension.wisc.edu/.

The 4-H Program Educator provides overall leadership and direction for the Eau Claire County 4-H program. This position includes three primary roles: 1) Program Administration, 2) Volunteer Management, 3) 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 regards to policy and risk management.
• Cultivates partnerships 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.
• The amount of time that is spent in each of these roles is dependent on the needs of the specific county-based 4-H program.

County Location

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

Evening/Weekend Work

This position may be required to work occasional nights and weekends to meet the program needs and priorities of the communities served.

Travel Expectations

It is expected that employees will make individual arrangements for transportation adequate to meet position responsibilities and essential job functions. Read more about UW-Madison Driver Authorization. Applicants are required to: Have a valid drivers 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.

Key Job Responsibilities

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

Department

The Division of Extension, Positive Youth Development Institute, Eau Claire County is hiring for a 4-H Program Educator.

About Extension

Extension embodies the Wisconsin Idea by developing and connecting the research and educational resources of UW–Madison with residents and communities to address local, statewide, and national issues. We teach, learn, lead and serve, transforming lives and communities.

About The Institute

The Extension Institute of Positive Youth Development prepares the youth of today to become the effective, empathic adults of tomorrow. Our research-based youth enrichment programs like teens in governance build youth and adult capacity that help both sides grow. 4-H clubs, camps and afterschool programs give young people the hands-on experiences they need to develop an understanding of themselves and the world.

Compensation

The minimum annual (12 months) starting salary for the position is $60,795 but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

This position has a bilingual preferred qualification. Upon the successful completion of a Language Proficiency Assessment, a ‘bilingual’ prefix will be added to the official title. The bilingual prefix is accompanied by a $3500.00 pay increase applied to the annual salary.

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. Please review the summary of benefits for more information.

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; and
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional work environments

Preferred Qualifications

• 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 conflicts
• Spanish or HMoob (Hmong) speaking, writing and comprehension skills; knowledge and understanding of Spanish or HMoob (Hmong) culture. Language skills will be evaluated.

Required Education

Bachelor's degree

Preferred Education

Master's degree preferably in a youth/family development related field

Application Deadline

September 16, 2026 at 11:59pm (CDT)

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. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

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