Regional Community Vitality Extension Specialist

Kansas State University Extension Programs is seeking a Regional Community Vitality Extension Specialist focused on Community Coaching. Based in Phillipsburg at the Huck Boyd Community Center, this specialist will shape the regional coaching ecosystem by providing transformational leadership, strategic guidance, and technical support for Extension professionals, local units, coalitions, and community leaders.

The specialist will serve as a connector between grassroots community efforts, local Extension offices, and campus partners. They will champion evidence-informed coaching models that equip community organizations and emerging initiatives to build local capacity from grassroots beginnings through long-term organizational sustainability.

Statewide Curriculum, Training & Resource Development

Team Leadership
:
Establish and lead a specialized Community Coaching Team consisting of local unit agents, regional specialists, and campus partners to develop a robust, statewide coaching curriculum adhering to K-State publication standards.

Resource Creation
:
Create practical, highly accessible community tools, diagnostic guides, and training modules designed for use by communities of varying capacity, including rural towns, underserved groups, and emerging coalitions.

Agent & Volunteer Development
:
In collaboration with system-wide volunteer specialists and local agents, design and lead structured professional development on volunteer recruitment, onboarding, retention, volunteer management, succession planning, and board/coalition leadership.

Framework Instruction
:
Apply and teach evidence-informed community development approaches, including appreciative inquiry, community capitals, and other asset-based frameworks.

Regional Community Coaching, Field Support & Programming

Core Community Coaching
:
Coach Extension professionals, community coalitions, and civic leaders through community assessment, visioning, goal setting, strategic planning, initiative implementation, evaluation, and long-term sustainability.

Local Unit Collaboration
:
Partner directly with local Extension units through both in-person and remote coaching to proactively identify and address regional programming gaps via stakeholder-driven networks and localized initiatives.

Program Implementation
:
Guide regional local units through all state-level Community Vitality program rollouts, facilitation frameworks, and coalition-building processes.

Impact Evaluation & Data
:
Facilitate and streamline the collection of community coaching data, utilizing Program Evaluation and Reporting System (PEARS) reporting alongside community feedback and stakeholder input to demonstrate measurable impact and continually refine programming.

Partnerships, Sustainability & Professional Development

Strategic Partnerships
:
Actively engage in regional and statewide networking to build multi-sector collaborations and expand programming across the region.

Multi-Dimensional Sustainability
:
Support local units and regional initiatives in building long-term community ownership, leadership pipelines, cross-sector partnerships, and organizational resilience.

External Funding Support
:
Identify and pursue appropriate grant, partnership, and cost-recovery opportunities that support sustainable programming, assisting local units with grant readiness and extramural proposal development.

Credentialing & Field Presence
:
Maintain active coaching credentials, participate in statewide Extension teams, and maintain a visible, engaged presence across regional communities.

K-State Extension improves Kansans' lives, livelihoods and communities through education, research, engagement and leadership. With scientists, educators and volunteers in each of the state's 105 counties, our professionals strive to make the university's research and scientific accomplishments accessible and relevant to every household.

This position is On-site
. Specialists will live and work in their designated region. This position requires regular travel throughout the region to deliver in-person community coaching, support local unit activities, and attend evening and weekend community meetings as appropriate, balanced with remote delivery tools.

All employees must reside in the United States when they begin working to comply with state law. K-State is unable to provide remote or hybrid work opportunities for residents of the state of Idaho.

Minimum…