Field Specialist in Community Development – Jackson County, MO

Hiring Department

University of Missouri (MU) Office of Extension and Engagement – Business and Communities Extension

MU

Title:

Assistant/Associate/Full Extension Professional

Location: Kansas City, Missouri – primarily serves Jackson, Clay, and Platte Counties in the Urban West Region, with additional service across the state as needed.

Community Development Program Specialization: The Community Development (CD) program works collaboratively with communities across Missouri to build civic capacity through fostering community belonging, civic contribution, collective leadership, and place-based vitality. The CD program is housed within the Business and Communities Extension program and partners closely with the Business Development, Regional Economic Development, and Workforce Development teams.

• Foster research‑based community leadership programming in all counties of responsibility and statewide, including Neighborhood Leadership Academy, Neighborhood Leadership Fellows, Youth Empowerment Project, Public Boards Training, Build Your Board.
• Support community leaders with asset mapping, planning, resource development support, and resident empowerment tools.
• Develop new leadership programming and curriculum using data and evidence‑based models.
• Participate with Extension engaged neighbor team.
• Collaborate with other Community Development specialists for statewide impact.
• Collaborate with various UM System departments and programs for interdisciplinary impact.
• Collaborate with external partners to broaden community impact.
• Assess, document, and evaluate programming.
• Actively pursue resources to support both local and organizational operations and programming through grants, contracts, gifts, fees, and partnerships.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support the mission and purpose of MU Extension.

• Educate
  . MU Extension specialists design, conduct, and evaluate educational programs. They teach research‑based information via meetings, in‑person and online courses, continuing education classes, technical assistance, volunteer training, media, websites, consultation, and other educational methods. They provide educational programs that support the individual, organizational, and community goals of Missouri’s learners and clients.
• Create
  . MU Extension specialists develop innovative and research‑informed educational products, services, materials, and other scholarly works, including curricula, publications, presentations, educational tools, websites, and similar resources. They obtain and use extramural funding to support creative works and contribute to the scholarship of Extension and Engagement by evaluating programs that result in learning and behavior changes that impact individuals and communities.
• Connect
  . MU Extension specialists engage with learners, stakeholders, volunteers, and communities, including county extension councils, government officials and agencies, partners, and University and professional organizations. They listen and respond with care and intentionally foster engaged partnerships and robust connections to the wide array of programs offered by the whole University of Missouri System.

• Engage with councils, commissions, legislators, and stakeholders in all coverage counties to identify educational needs and collaborate with appropriate internal and external partners to meet those needs.
• Create an annual plan‑of‑work that reflects local needs and aligns with statewide program area efforts. Provide a monthly report of impact and attend at least one county extension council meeting each month to provide an oral update on program efforts.
• Collaborate with campus‑based specialists…