Executive Director – Agriculture, Natural Resources & Strategic Centers, USU Extension

Utah State University•Logan, UT

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Utah State University Extension is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and forward-thinking leader to serve as Executive Director & Extension Professor – Agriculture, Natural Resources & Strategic Centers. Based at Utah State University’s main campus in Logan, Utah, this position provides statewide leadership for Extension’s agriculture, natural resources, and strategic center portfolio and also serves as the State Agriculture Extension Program Leader. As a senior leader within USU Extension, the Executive Director provides strategic leadership and administrative oversight for a diverse portfolio of Extension programs, centers, facilities, and statewide initiatives. Reporting to the Vice President of USU Extension, the Executive Director works across these areas to establish strategic direction, align people and resources, strengthen partnerships, support organizational leaders, and increase the collective impact of Extension programs and facilities throughout Utah. This position serves as a leader of leaders, providing direction, support, and accountability to directors, faculty, and personnel responsible for the day-to-day leadership of programs and centers within the portfolio. The Executive Director also serves as a member of USU Extension's senior leadership team, contributing to organization-wide strategy, resource planning, policy development, and decision-making. While each area within the portfolio has a distinct mission, audience, and expertise, the Executive Director is responsible for identifying opportunities to connect programs, people, facilities, partnerships, and resources in ways that strengthen USU Extension's statewide mission and service to Utah communities. The successful candidate would be expected to represent USU Extension at social and donor events, industry conferences, and other events where USU Extension leadership is expected to represent USU with distinction.

Requirements

Master's degree in an agriculture or natural resources related field (i.e. animal science, range management, horticulture, agronomy, forestry) plus substantial progressively responsible leadership experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Rank of Extension Professor or Professor with tenure or if outside Utah State University the equivalent of Full Professor rank with tenure.
Demonstrated experience leading complex organizations, programs, centers, or multiple functional areas.
Demonstrated experience supervising, developing, and supporting employees.
Experience with strategic planning, organizational development, financial management, resource allocation, and decision-making.
Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain productive relationships with various internal and external stakeholders.
Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Experience working with elected officials, especially county elected officials.
Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and lead effectively within a complex organization.

Nice To Haves

Significant leadership experience within Cooperative Extension, higher education, agriculture and/or natural resources.
Experience working as a county faculty/agent or Extension specialist.
Experience leading statewide or geographically dispersed programs and personnel.
Experience overseeing significant facilities, centers, land, or public-facing operations.
Experience working with state, federal, county, grants, gifts, program-generated, and other funding sources.
Demonstrated success developing external partnerships and securing resources.
Experience leading organizational change or developing new programs and initiatives.
Knowledge of the land-grant university and Cooperative Extension mission.

Responsibilities

Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for Agriculture & Natural Resources and the centers and initiatives within the assigned portfolio.
Establish priorities that align with USU Extension and Utah State University goals.
Translate organizational priorities into actionable plans and measurable outcomes.
Work with faculty and staff to establish goals, priorities, and expectations for their respective areas.
Identify emerging opportunities, challenges, and needs throughout Utah and position Extension to respond effectively.
Advise Extension executive leadership regarding programs, facilities, personnel, resources, partnerships, risks, and opportunities.
Lead and support organizational change and strategic initiatives.
Identify opportunities for collaboration across programs and centers while preserving the distinct mission and strengths of each area.
Provide executive leadership for USU Extension's statewide agriculture and natural resources portfolio.
Support Extension faculty, staff, specialists, programs, and initiatives serving Utah's agricultural producers, landowners, communities, industries, home horticulture, and natural resources.
Strengthen connections among county and statewide Extension programming, academic departments, researchers, industry, government agencies, and community partners.
Support development of responsive programming addressing current and emerging agricultural and natural resource needs.
Encourage interdisciplinary approaches that connect university expertise with practical needs throughout Utah.
Identify opportunities to strengthen, expand, and sustain high-impact Extension programming.
Advocate for the personnel, financial, and program resources necessary to support effective statewide delivery.
Provide executive leadership and long-term strategic direction for the USU Botanical Center, Davis Agricultural Heritage Center, Ogden Botanical Gardens and Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter.
Support the distinct educational, agricultural, horticultural, environmental, conservation, research, demonstration, and community-facing missions of the centers.
Work with center leadership to establish long-term strategic and operational priorities.
Provide strategic oversight for significant Extension facilities, land, equipment, and other physical assets.
Identify opportunities to increase utilization, programming, partnerships, visibility, and community impact.
Coordinate facility, capital, maintenance, and infrastructure priorities with appropriate university partners.
Support sustainable operational and financial models for Extension centers.
Encourage collaboration among centers and other Extension programs when shared expertise, facilities, or resources can increase impact.
Ensure responsible stewardship of university facilities, land, equipment, and other resources.
Provide direct leadership, supervision, coaching, and development to county Agriculture and Natural Resources faculty and program coordinators.
Administrate the promotion and tenure process for county faculty in the Agriculture and Natural Resources department.
Build a strong and collaborative leadership team across programs and centers.
Establish clear roles, responsibilities, decision-making authority, expectations, and accountability.
Support faculty in addressing complex organizational, personnel, programmatic, and operational issues.
Evaluate organizational structures and workforce needs and recommend changes when appropriate.
Oversee and support recruitment, retention, professional development, and succession planning.
Foster a culture of collaboration, professionalism, innovation, transparency, accountability, service, and responsible stewardship.
Encourage communication and collaboration across geographically dispersed personnel and programs.
Provide strategic oversight of financial, personnel, facility, and program resources across the portfolio.
Work collaboratively with Extension executive leadership and Extension Business Services to establish funding and resource priorities.
Provide strategic direction regarding allocation and use of resources while maintaining appropriate financial controls and administrative responsibilities.
Review financial and operational performance and identify areas requiring attention or investment.
Evaluate the long-term financial sustainability of programs, centers, facilities, and initiatives.
Support development of grants, gifts, partnerships, program revenues, and other external resources.
Ensure resources are aligned with Extension priorities and used responsibly.
Promote accountability and stewardship of state, federal, county, grant, gift, program-generated, and other university resources.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with county and municipal governments, state and federal agencies, agricultural organizations, industry, businesses, nonprofit organizations, community partners, donors, and other stakeholders.
Represent USU Extension in appropriate statewide, regional, university, and community discussions.
Identify opportunities for collaborative programming, shared investment, and strategic partnerships.
Strengthen connections between university expertise and the needs of Utah communities.
Work with Extension and university leadership to develop partnerships that advance organizational priorities.
Serve as an advocate for the programs, people, centers, and communities represented within the portfolio.
Encourage innovation and responsible experimentation across Extension programs and centers.
Support development and implementation of new programs responsive to emerging needs.
Establish expectations for evaluation, outcomes, and organizational performance.
Use data, program outcomes, financial information, and stakeholder feedback to inform decisions.
Communicate accomplishments, outcomes, opportunities, and challenges to Extension executive leadership.
Ensure operations within the portfolio comply with applicable university policies and state, federal, contractual, and funding requirements.
Establish expectations for appropriate financial, personnel, operational, and program accountability.
Work collaboratively with Extension Business Services, Human Resources, Sponsored Programs, Facilities, Risk Management, and other university partners.
Identify significant organizational and operational risks and ensure they are appropriately addressed.
Promote appropriate internal controls and responsible stewardship of university resources.
Ensure faculty and staff within the administrative portfolio understand and fulfill their responsibilities for compliance and accountability.
Perform other duties as assigned in support of USU Extension and Utah State University priorities.