Position Highlights

The University of Arizona (UArizona), Arizona's flagship and land-grant university, seeks a strategic and innovative leader to be the next Director of the UArizona Cooperative Extension System (CES) https://extension.arizona.edu/.

The CES Director is a senior executive leader who must work closely with 15 County Extension Directors, four Associate Directors, 10 Academic Unit Heads, Directors of three research / policy centers, two Associate Deans in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), the Director of the Arizona Experiment Station (and affiliated research centers), the Associate Vice President for Finance, Administration and Operations, and Development, Alumni, Advocacy and Corporate Relations. They must liaise with peers in other UArizona colleges, federal and state personnel, agricultural producers and commodity groups, external advisory committees, UArizona administrators, 4-H (and other youth programs), and other CES stakeholders throughout the state. Under the direction of UArizona Government and Community Relations, the CES Director may be required to represent the CES to elected and appointed officials in five tribal nations and county, state, and federal government.

As the vital contributor to the communities in which it serves and a visible ambassador of UArizona throughout the state, the CES has more than 400 employees and nearly 2,500 volunteers delivering Extension programs that serve Arizona’s private and public sectors.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; state and optional retirement plans; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!

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Duties & Responsibilities

• The Arizona CES Director reports directly to the Vice President of the Division of Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences, and Cooperative Extension (ALVSCE) and is responsible and accountable for managing and leading the CES including: responding to federal and state legislation relating to CES and addressing federal and state compliance requirements; developing a vision and implementing a plan for the CES to contribute to every aspect of Arizona’s economy,  human wellness, and health equity that increases its economic and social impact;  directly addressing Arizona’s future demographics; identifying and delivering on key metrics and benchmarks to measure progress towards CES’ strategic goals and its contribution to the goals of the division, university, and Arizona Board of Regents.
• The CES Director will be responsible for recruiting, professionally developing, investing in, and retaining diverse, world-class CES employees as well as developing strong multidisciplinary teams to increase its dynamic innovation and entrepreneurialism.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated understanding of Extension’s role in the 4th Industrial Revolution
• Demonstrated delivery of increased diversity, inclusion, equity, and access

Minimum Qualifications

• Earned doctorate or equivalent in a relevant discipline, and be qualified for an appointment at full rank as a specialist or agent with continuing status at the University of Arizona
• Experience in managing and leading a large and geographically dispersed organization responsive to the needs of diverse stakeholders in the context of changing environments, demographics, and funding
• Experience working in Advocacy, Alumni and Corporate Relations, and Development
• Work experience with advisory board members and other external stakeholder groups

Documents Needed to Apply

Curriculum Vitae (CV), Cover Letter, and Four Additional Documents

Special Instructions to Applicant

For your application to be considered complete, please submit the following required documents:

• Cover Letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• 1. Statement of Research and/or Extension Accomplishments and Future Plans (upload as an Additional Document)
• 2. Statement of Administrative and Leadership Experiences, including vision and strategy statement (upload as an Additional Document)
• 3. Diversity Statement that addresses how your personal experiences and professional plans support UArizona’s commitment to diversity and inclusiveness (upload as an Additional Document)
• 4. Names and Contact Information for three professional references, that in sum can speak to the applicant's breadth of qualifications (upload as an Additional Document)

https://arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/4/home/requisition/8109?c=arizona