Assistant/Associate Extension Agent (4-H Youth Development)

Louisiana State University

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The LSU AgCenter West Carroll Parish Office seeks an Extension Agent to lead the parish-wide 4-H youth development program. The office is in Oak Grove, Louisiana, and serves West Carroll Parish, which has approximately 10,000 residents, five schools, 13 school, community, and project clubs, approximately 250 4-H members, and a potential youth audience of 1,200. The program is supported by approximately 35 adult and youth volunteers. Its goals include increasing youth leadership development and community service learning, strengthening the partnership between 4-H and formal education, and expanding volunteer involvement to increase contact hours per youth.

The agent will develop and deliver engaging, relevant youth programming and build effective working relationships with volunteers, the West Carroll Parish 4-H Advisory Committee, community organizations, and LSU AgCenter colleagues. The role also includes collaborative and interdisciplinary projects, service to schools outside 4-H programming, development of educational and scholarly materials, participation in professional associations and AgCenter service, and annual planning and reporting. Assistant/Associate agents are expected to attain promotion and tenure under LSU AgCenter guidelines.

The position requires a baccalaureate degree in a listed or closely related field and specified minimum GPA qualifications, or an eligible master’s degree and GPA. A master’s degree in a listed field is desired. The role requires a personal automobile and appropriate insurance; a travel allowance is provided. The employee must complete specified graduate-level coursework to meet promotion eligibility requirements.

Requirements

• Baccalaureate degree in education, vocational education, agricultural sciences, family and consumer sciences/human ecology, biological or social sciences, recreation and leisure studies, or a closely related area.
• Undergraduate degree with an overall GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale and a GPA of at least 3.0 for any graduate work attempted; alternatively, a master’s degree with an overall GPA of at least 3.0 or a current GPA of at least 3.0 on at least 12 graduate credit hours.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with culturally, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse audiences.
• Ability to build and maintain working relationships with volunteers, community organizations, advisory groups, and colleagues.
• Organizational skills and ability to function with minimum supervision.
• Ability to work with and through others and cope with change.
• A personal automobile and appropriate insurance coverage.
• Satisfactory completion of a specific three-credit graduate-level extension course in the second or third year of employment, before promotion eligibility to associate agent.
• For faculty without a related master’s degree, completion of an additional 12 hours of related graduate-level coursework for promotion to associate agent within the first seven years of employment; additional agent experience may substitute for these 12 hours, but not for the required extension course.
• Satisfactory pre-employment background check.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in one of the listed or closely related fields.
• Experience recruiting, training, and supervising volunteers.
• Experience teaching and applying leadership development principles to youth and adults.
• Knowledge of public relations.
• Ability to use social media in a variety of formats.
• Comfort presenting to small and large audiences.
• Experience establishing partnerships and developing projects.
• Experience in project management and innovative audience engagement.
• Experience creating lesson plans, developing instructional materials, and applying audience-appropriate teaching methods.
• Experience working in multicultural settings and coursework or training on multicultural topics.
• Highly self-motivated, resourceful, creative, enthusiastic, and innovative.

Responsibilities

• Plan, develop, teach, evaluate, and report on youth educational programs that address the needs of West Carroll Parish’s diverse population and align with Louisiana 4-H strategic direction.
• Deliver youth development programming through community clubs, special interest groups, school enrichment, day camps, after-school programs, events, and other activities.
• Coordinate youth and volunteer participation in multi-parish, state, regional, and national 4-H programs and events.
• Recruit, screen, train, and manage adult volunteers, and build their competencies using state and national research-based methods.
• Equip volunteers to guide 4-H projects in STEM subjects, animal sciences, environmental education, robotics, agriculture, arts, entrepreneurship, career development, leadership, nutrition, healthy living, and citizenship.
• Identify volunteer opportunities in management and leadership roles and recruit, train, and support volunteers in those roles.
• Implement and maintain volunteer screening and oversee 4-H program risk management in accordance with Louisiana 4-H Headquarters and local policies.
• Develop program delivery strategies that use focused virtual platforms, with up to 25% virtual programming as appropriate to available technology and stakeholder needs.
• Support health equity programming and systems for youth as resources are available.
• Use needs assessments to target programming to youth and reflect the parish’s diverse population and educational needs.
• Develop partnerships with parish and government departments, businesses, social service agencies, and other organizations to create educational opportunities for positive youth development.
• Strengthen existing programs and implement new policies; maintain enrollments and records; assess risks; communicate through social media; manage program finances; and create educational materials.
• Seek and manage financial resources for 4-H programming and follow LSU AgCenter and 4-H Foundation financial policies.
• Follow LSU AgCenter policies and best practices for affirmative action, program development, evaluation, and reporting.
• Develop and implement communications for program participants, families, volunteers, and stakeholders using contemporary approaches, including social media.
• Write content for newspapers, radio, newsletters, websites, and social media to promote and report on programs and educate the public.
• Work with agencies and organizations on cooperative and interdisciplinary projects within the parish and across multiple parishes.
• Provide service to schools outside 4-H programming; develop presentations, professional posters, web-based education, and scholarly publications; and participate in professional associations and AgCenter service activities.
• Document work through an annual plan of work and report of accomplishment.
• Complete required graduate-level extension coursework and, where applicable, additional related graduate coursework or qualifying experience for promotion to associate agent.

Benefits

• Retirement.
• Multiple medical insurance options.
• Supplemental insurance options, including dental, life, long-term disability, accident, vision, and long-term care insurance.
• Tax Saver Flexible Benefits Plan for certain child care and medical expenses.
• 14 university holidays, typically including a week off at Christmas.
• Annual vacation leave and sick leave.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Possible educational leave and tuition exemption for coursework at LSU System campuses.
• Travel allowance.

What This Job Offers

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