Job Listings Title:
County Extension Director - University of Florida IFAS

Post Date
3/24/2025

Expiration Date
6/22/2025

Details:
The Opportunity

We are looking for candidates with academic and people skills who work well in teams, honor their commitments, and innovate in a rapidly changing world. As a County Extension Director (CED) and Extension Agent, you will work jointly for UF/IFAS Extension and Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Department. As the CED and Extension agent, you will provide leadership and support for administering and supervising the total extension program within Miami-Dade County. Your guidance will be informed by an advisory committee that addresses the diverse needs of the county's population, aiming to enhance community capacity through effective leadership.

As County Extension Director, the candidate will be able to:

  • Lead, supervise, mentor, and evaluate county faculty and staff.
  • Work closely with county extension personnel concerning staff relationships, morale,budgets and compensation, professional development, and performance evaluations.
  • Foster an inclusive environment and build effective relationships with stakeholders, county government, community leaders, private sector clientele, media, government agencies, county residents, and UF/IFAS faculty, staff, and extension administration.
  • Assemble and regularly consult an overall advisory committee reflective of county demographics and stakeholders to ensure that all county extension programs are important and relevant and effectively advocate for community extension.
  • Assure that each county faculty member maintains an extension advisory committee in his/her respective subject matter and areas of responsibility.
  • Provide strong and positive leadership to faculty to develop and implement educational programs.
  • Prepare and defend the annual county budget that supports the Miami-Dade County Extension Service offices and oversee, review, and approve expenditures for the department.
  • Demonstrate resourcefulness, creativity, enthusiasm, collaboration, leadership, and innovation to strengthen current educational programs while reviewing and implementing new policies, evaluating performance, maintaining records, assessing risks, communicating, marketing effectively across multi-media platforms, managing financial resources, directing strategic planning, and creating educational materials and opportunities for Miami-Dade County.
  • Collaborate with local growers and UF/IFAS Research Center faculty to help design, conduct, and evaluate studies (including demonstration trials) that assess agriculture and natural resources in Miami-Dade County.
Further Information:

UF/IFAS employs more than 2,000 faculty and staff statewide. UF/IFAS Extension is a partnership between state, federal, and county governments to provide quality, relevant education, and research-based expertise to foster healthy people, a healthy environment, and a healthy economy. We employ 375 Extension Agents and have an office in each of Florida’s 67 counties. We attribute our success to a workforce that embraces the contributions of people of all backgrounds and ability levels. The Extension Agent will contribute to a community that provides space for innovation, creativity, collaboration, growth, and development for all.

Miami-Dade County, with a population of over 2.6 million, is located on the southern tip of the Florida peninsula. The main Extension office is located in Homestead, approximately 1 mile from the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center. There are also three satellite offices in Hialeah, Miami Lakes, and Virginia Key. Miami-Dade County Extension is part of the Southeast Extension District made up of twelve counties and the Seminole Tribe.

UF/IFAS Miami-Dade County Extension partners with Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces. It is the third largest county park system in the United States, consisting of more than 285 parks and 40,000+ acres of parks and natural areas, comprised of active, passive parklands and nature preserves. It is one of the most unique park and recreation systems in the world and focused on placemaking, health and fitness, and conservation and stewardship.

Employment is contingent on the results of a physical examination, a substance screening, and a national background screening.

In the event of an emergency, all employees are considered essential personnel and may be required to perform alternate duties at the county or district level.

Candidates will be reviewed as applications are received, but please be aware that interviews might not be scheduled until 4 to 6 weeks after the position closing date. Are you a good match? Apply today!

Expected Salary:    
Commensurate with Education and Experience

Minimum Requirements:    
  • A master’s degree in agriculture, natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community development, educational administration, other behavioral sciences, or a related field.
  • Attained Permanent Status, Tenure, or equivalent with at least 5 years of professional extension experience.
  • Evidence of administrative leadership, managerial skills, and the ability to work with administrators, faculty, and government personnel.
  • Self-starting, energetic, and team-oriented.
  • Strong interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills.
  • Resourcefulness, creativity, enthusiasm, and innovativeness.
  • Good organizational development and management skills.
  • Ability to establish solid partnerships and work in teams.
  • Ability to use information technology and apply social media to extension work.
  • A commitment to positive and proactive customer service.
  • Expertise in managing competing priorities and adaptability to handle unexpected situations.
  • Candidates must also have a commitment to UF core values.   
  • Candidates must have the ability to possess (or be able to obtain within two months of hire) a Florida driver’s license, be able to work flexible hours, and have the willingness to occasionally work long and irregular hours, including evenings, weekends, and overnight travel.

Preferred Qualifications:    
  • A doctoral degree is preferred.
  • Expertise in getting groups to work together for a higher goal, managing competing priorities, and adaptability to handle unexpected situations is a plus for this role.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills and knowledge of extension program development processes, including working with advisory committees, leadership development, and program evaluation.
  • A strong commitment to the community.
  • Familiarity working in political settings.
  • Experience creating a vision and getting buy-in from others.
  • Evidence of exceptional collaborations, partnerships, and marketing with community agencies and groups.
  • Experience working in multicultural settings; bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.
  • Technological literacy necessary for communication and program management, including social media.
Applications close April 9, 2025. Click here for additional information and application.