Extension Specialist, Farm Enterprise & Entrepreneurship, Center Profitable Agriculture

Extension Specialist, New Farm Enterprise & Entrepreneurship, Center for Profitable Agriculture: UTIA

Columbia, TN, United States

The Extension Specialist – New Farm Enterprise and Entrepreneurship provides leadership for planning, implementing, evaluating and reporting statewide educational programs in new farm enterprise analysis, planning, development, management and sustainability; entrepreneurship; landowner education (focusing on slowing the rate of farmland loss); and value-added agriculture. The position is full-time, non-tenure track, 100% Extension position. The Specialist will:

• Lead the development of curriculum, publications and other resources for statewide educational programs in new farm enterprise analysis, planning, development, management and sustainability; entrepreneurship; landowner; and value-added agriculture.
• Teach educational programs for land owners, agricultural producers, industry partners and Extension agents.
  Coordinate educational programs such as workshops, webinars, tours, and conferences.
• Provide consultations and technical assistance for designated subject matter topics via farm and office visits.
• Secure extramural funds through grants, fee-based programs, and gifts.
• Evaluate and report program inputs, outcomes, impacts and accomplishments.
• Develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with relevant Extension colleagues and industry partners.
• Assume other duties as assigned.

• Program Development (including curriculum and publication development and grantsmanship).
• Teaching (in-service training for agents and multi-county programs for producers, landowners, and industry partners) Teaching the program as a train the trainer to employees throughout the state.
• Conducting needs assessment and environmental scanning. Keeping current on all current trends in their program area and ability to create curriculum to teach and share with other employees who may also teaching it to clientele. Conducting assessments to find the needed programs in portions of the state.
• Program evaluation – Evaluating number of contacts throughout the state for area program. What impact it has provided or not provided. How to update the program from the data.
• Coordinate and select tasks forces within UTIA for action.
• Program management
  - Determining changes and updates to the statewide program.
• Public relations-Publications, websites, videos, social media, and other ways of contacting the public with our programs. Must provide a professional image of Extension.
• Other duties as assigned.

• M.S. Degree in Agricultural Business, Agricultural Economics, Economics, Finance, Marketing, Business Administration or closely related field

OR

• M.S. Degree with two or more years of relevant experience in Agricultural Business, Agricultural Economics, Economics, Finance, Marketing, Business Administration or closely related field. Candidates completing required degrees prior to June 1, 2026, are welcome to apply.

• Knowledge and skills that demonstrate promise in Extension program development, implementation, teaching, evaluation and reporting.
• Knowledge and skills that demonstrate promise in new farm and value-added enterprise analysis, planning, development, operation and management.
• Knowledge and skills that demonstrate promise in entrepreneurship.
• Effective communication skills (written and verbal).
• Ability to effectively work independently and serve as a team leader and team member.
• Ability to effectively utilize computer applications such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Internet (Web, e-mail), etc.

• Bachelor’s degree in the relevant fields, knowledge of or experience in agriculture.

• 1-3 years of relevant experience.

• Knowledge of agricultural Extension programs and the land‑grant mission.
• Knowledge and skills in grant writing.

• Location:
  
  University of Tennessee, Institute of Agriculture, Extension, Center for Profitable Agriculture at the Ridley 4‑H Center in Columbia, Tennessee
• Onsite