Senior​/Principal Faculty Specialist OR Associate Professor​/Professor OR Senior​/Principal Agent AND Hughes Center

Hughes Center For Agro-Ecology Director

The Hughes Center, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization affiliated with the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, seeks a visionary leader to serve as the Center's next Director. Building on the Center's twenty-five-year legacy of providing leadership to address the complex issues facing Maryland's agriculture and forestry communities through research, outreach, and collaborative partnerships, the new Director has a unique opportunity to expand the Center's growth, visibility, and impact.

Reporting to the Associate Dean for Research and Associate Director of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) and the Hughes Center Board, the Director is the outward face of the Hughes Center and the leader of the Center's team serving as the primary contact with the Board, external stakeholders, leadership at the University of Maryland, and the Center's team.

The Director will maintain existing relationships while seeking new partnerships and opportunities to broaden the Center's reach and impact.

The successful candidate will be an innovative leader and administrator who can work independently and collaboratively to develop and execute a clear and strategic vision to expand the Center's impact. The selected candidate will possess the following professional qualifications and characteristics:

• A master's degree in agriculture, environmental science, public policy, or a closely related field.
• At least five years of experience in leading and managing an organization or team of comparable size, preferably within university systems, government agencies, or nonprofit organizations.
• Experience and knowledge of finances and budgets with multiple funding sources.
• Track record of successfully leading both large and small projects.
• Demonstrated success in raising and sustaining competitive and non-competitive funding from the public and non-profit sectors.
• A record of collaborative leadership and ability to advocate for the organization.
• Evidence of positive relationship-building with internal and external stakeholders and leaders across all sectors.
• Experience with building board relations and recruiting and engaging with a diverse board of directors.
• The ability to, orally and in writing, communicate effectively with all parties.
• The ability to recruit and foster staff members.
• Understanding of the operations of a non-profit organization and a university.
• Familiarity with Maryland's agriculture and environmental communities.

Both external and internal (to AGNR) candidates are encouraged to apply for this position. If an external candidate is selected, the initial appointment will be part-time at 0.5 FTE with the possibility of the position being up to a full-time position (1.0 FTE) if appropriate funding can be secured by the Director. The initial appointment will be as a Senior Faculty Specialist (a non-tenure accruing professional track faculty) and Director in AGNR.

The chosen candidate should possess the scholarly accomplishments necessary for appointment at the rank of Senior Faculty Specialist within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Maryland, College Park. If an internal candidate is selected, the candidate must be a current AGNR tenured faculty member at the associate professor/professor or senior/principal agent rank; or a current AGNR professional track faculty member at the senior/principal professional track rank.

The position will require the individual's presence at the Center's offices at Wye Research and Education Center, Queenstown, Maryland, although the position allows flexibility given the FTE appointment level and AGNR's teleworking policy. Candidate must be eligible to work in the United States at the time of hiring. The department will not provide sponsorship for work visa requirements.