Area Extension Director - Area 18 (Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties)

Universities of Wisconsin • Waukesha, WI

3d • $105,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Division of Extension is hiring an Area Extension Director to serve as an administrative leader across Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties (Area 18). The Area Extension Director (AED) provides overarching leadership, direction and guidance within the geographic area, leading a team of county-based Extension educators and support staff to cultivate an inclusive, respectful, and collaborative work environment. Through ongoing engagement with local communities, the AED helps identify emerging needs and opportunities, aligning Extension resources and programming to address those priorities effectively. A successful AED will have the skills and competency required to work with diverse staff and clientele and have the political aptitude needed to work with county, municipal, and community partners to identify and assess new opportunities in programming, funding, and staffing. Reporting to the Assistant Dean, the AED will support the work with county governments, municipalities, and partner organizations to ensure that the educational needs of local communities are met. The AED serves as the direct supervisor for the programmatic Division of Extension staff in the Area and provides leadership in staff development and partnerships. The AED ensures compliance with equal employment opportunity and civil rights laws, regulations and policies while carrying out the primary duties. The principal responsibilities of this AED position include program and community relations; supervision and staff development; financial management; and policy implementation and management. The AED contributes to the delivery of evidence-based outreach that addresses the needs of local communities through coordination with Extension programs to identify programmatic needs and support programmatic responses to those needs.
About Extension
Extension embodies the Wisconsin Idea by developing and connecting the research and educational resources of UW–Madison with residents and communities to address local, statewide, and national issues. We teach, learn, lead and serve, transforming lives and communities.
Additional Department Details
Extension’s mission is to connect people with the University of Wisconsin. We teach, learn, lead and serve, transforming lives and communities.

Requirements

• Two or more years of demonstrated supervisory experience
• Experience delivering community-based educational programs
• Knowledge of budget management for a business, non-profit, or governmental organization
• Demonstrated success collaborating with partner organizations (e.g., government bodies, non profits, corporate entities, municipalities, and tribal nations)
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and lead effectively in both in-person and remote (e.g., video meetings) settings
• Demonstrated experience working with people from different backgrounds and perspectives
• Have a valid drivers license and a reliable source of independent transportation for periodic in-state work travel, and/or comply with requirements for UW-Madison vehicle use authorization.

Nice To Haves

• Five or more years of supervisory and/or management experience
• Experience managing a budget for a business, non-profit, or government organization
• Experience with and/or knowledge of county governments
• Experience generating additional revenue from new or existing sources of funding
• Knowledge of the legacy of Cooperative Extension, as part of the U.S. system of land-grant institutions, dedicated to service in the public good
• Experience working with Native Nations communities.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and network with key players and decision-makers within and outside an organization

Responsibilities

• Program and Community Relations
• Develop and manage the relationships with partner organizations operating within and across the geographic boundaries of the area, such as county governments, tribal nations, municipalities, and other governmental agencies.
• Assist program leadership in supporting local staff programming opportunities within the geographic area, ensuring educational needs of the local communities are met.
• Identify issues of critical importance to the community; create opportunities for increased engagement between Extension and the community
• Ensure preparation of annual educational workplans and reports of activities and impacts for the public, county government and Division of Extension administration.
• Assist Institutes in adapting and sharing program impacts and other communications to enhance the visibility of Extension programs within the Area.
• Engage with program leadership to coordinate regional and statewide programming activities to achieve local programming goals as necessary
• Supervision and Staff Development
• Supervise, coach, and lead Division of Extension staff and county support staff, including annual performance reviews and professional development activities.
• Promote a positive, supportive environment within the local offices teams through hiring practices and promotion of an inclusive work environment.
• Support and encourage professional improvement of faculty and staff.
• Manage recruitments and hiring processes for new positions within the geographic area
• Provide critical support roles for volunteer management in Extension educational programming
• Financial Management
• Develop and manage budgets for UW-Madison Division of Extensions Area offices, including salary, fringe, travel, professional development, and county level budgets.
• Develop, steward, and manage contracts and agreements established between the Division of Extension and its partners, including counties.
• Collaborate with Institutes to assess opportunities to diversify funding to support existing programs and build capacity to address emerging issues; strategies may include grants and contracts, cost recovery practices, gifts and contributions and other revenue alternatives.
• Negotiate and implement annual county extension contracts between Division of Extensions programmatic objectives and counties in Area.
• Policy Implementation and Management
• Leads the implementation of program and administrative policy and procedures within the geographic area.
• Ensure compliance of relevant policies and procedures by staff and volunteers
• Maintain regular communication with Extension leadership regarding risks and compliance
• Develops and audits administrative operating reports, budgets, policies, and procedures to comply with regulations, institution policies, and business objectives
• Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
• Directs, implements, and monitors strategic planning initiatives to ensure appropriate use of financial, administrative, and staffing resources
• Recommends, reviews, and directs personnel resource allocation to ensure appropriate utilization of resources
• Supervises managerial, professional, and support staff of the unit or division and facilitates unit staff developmental opportunities
• Serves as the unit liaison to internal and external stakeholder groups providing organizational information and representing the interests of the unit

Benefits

• This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager