Senior or Principal Agent & Assistant Director of -H Youth Development

Job Description Summary

Organization's Summary Statement:
The University of Maryland Extension (UME) seeks applicants for the Assistant Director and Program Leader position for 4-H Youth Development. This is an administrative position in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR), a leading Land-Grant institution providing teaching, research, and extension to all Marylanders and beyond. This position provides statewide leadership to advance the Maryland 4-H Youth Development Program across Maryland.

The incumbent reports to the UME Associate Dean/Associate Director and is a member of the Senior Leadership Team, focusing on the mission and goals of 4-H Youth Development programs while ensuring that 4-H priorities align with those of UME and AGNR. Nationally, 4-H is the largest youth development organization in the United States. Maryland 4-H Youth Development helps youth reach their fullest potential through community-focused, research-based, experiential educational programs.

Maryland 4-H is offered through 23 county and Baltimore City Extension offices, focusing on
1) Food Availability for the Future,
2) Youth Health and Well-being,
3) Career Readiness and Academic Pathways, and
4) Technology Competencies.

This position provides leadership and direction for UME 4-H Youth Development programs and sets the strategic direction in collaboration with faculty, staff, volunteers, youth, and stakeholders. Duties include identifying issues and opportunities aligned with organizational priorities, and collaborating with faculty and partners to develop, implement, and evaluate educational programs that meet the statewide needs of youth, residents, agencies, organizations, industries, and communities in these areas.

• Leadership and oversight of non-formal 4-H Youth Development programs and applied research projects in alignment with 4-H Program goals and priorities.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and coaching for faculty, including planning, implementing, and evaluating research-based, community-focused youth development programs.
• Provide leadership to faculty in long-range planning, writing, reporting, professional development, and grant management.
• Secure funding and support faculty in acquiring and managing extramural funds for enhancing 4-H programs from diverse funding sources.
• Provide leadership in developing and maintaining effective teamwork among state and county/city faculty, staff, volunteers, and stakeholders.
• Mentor faculty to set clear expectations for Extension programming, scholarship, and service, and offer support for success.
• Recruit, mentor, and evaluate 4-H faculty, including the review of Individual Extension Plans and performance evaluations.
• Personnel supervision and evaluation of Maryland 4-H state staff, including Maryland 4-H Foundation and Maryland 4-H Environmental Education & Camping Center staff.
• Provide annual reports for various reporting requirements, including federal reporting on Extension programs and their impacts.
• Work collaboratively with UME Programs (i.e., Agriculture and Food Systems, Environment and Natural Resources–Sea Grant, Family and Consumer Sciences), departments, and colleges to develop partnerships and interdisciplinary programs.
• Oversee statewide 4-H program evaluation and impact assessments and processes to demonstrate outcomes and ensure improvements.
• Serve as an active and collaborative member of the UME senior leadership team, with a diverse portfolio of duties as assigned, including contributions to leadership meetings, strategic planning, programming, and training.
• Provide vision and leadership to create an environment that welcomes all young people, with particular attention to expanding enrollment across the state and communities.
• Provide fiscal oversight and management of the 4-H operations and programming budget, including the 4-H Environmental and Camping Center.
• Supervise MD 4-H Foundation staff who manage all grants funded by the National 4-H Council cooperatively with the Maryland 4-H Foundation Board of Directors.
• Provide oversight of statewide policies, procedures, and risk…