Director, Alabama Cooperative Extension System
 Auburn | |
 United States, Alabama, Auburn | |
| 1550 East Glenn Avenue (Show on map) | |
 Jun 05, 2025 | |
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Director Alabama Cooperative Extension System
The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) invites applications for a nationally recognized leader to serve as the Director of ACES at Auburn University. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System is truly unique in the nation. The strengths of two universities come together in one public agency under the joint leadership of the 1862 Extension Director (Director) of ACES at Auburn University and the 1890 Extension Administrator (Administrator) at Alabama A & M University. The Office of the Director is located at Auburn University. For more information on the position visit www.aces.edu/go/directorposition ACES is the primary outreach and engagement organization for the two land-grant universities, Alabama A & M University and Auburn University. These universities are dedicated to delivering research-based educational programs that transform lives and communities throughout the state of Alabama and beyond. The Director will be responsible for providing innovative, joint leadership to more than 700 faculty and staff located on two university campuses and in 67 counties across the state. The Director will oversee an annual budget of approximately $75 million. The Director will pursue collaborative leadership with the Administrator and members of the administrative team. The successful candidate will be a skilled relationship- builder and advisor with outstanding interpersonal skills and a strong focus on teamwork and collaboration. Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: Leadership and Direction: * Represent Alabama Extension within the Auburn University leadership team on leadership groups, cross-divisional teams, and the President's Leadership Council. * Serve as a member of the ACES Leadership Team to establish strategic goals and evaluation metrics to plan services and programs for rural, urban and suburban audiences that support the organizational mission. * Provide leadership to evaluate capacity building, direction, and reporting to university, county, and state leadership. * Provide effective budgetary planning leadership and oversight for annual and biennial budgets. Partnership Development and Management: * Develop and maintain partnerships with a wide range of public and private organizations, advisory groups, and state/federal agencies involved in supporting Alabama Extension. * Maintain strong partnerships with academic deans, directors of the Agricultural Experiment Station and administrators at Alabama A&M University and Auburn University, including negotiating and monitoring inter-institutional agreements that define funding and collaborative programming and developing integrated research and Extension activities. Resource Development and Management: * Develop long-term strategies to increase and diversify revenue streams and cultivate external and other sources of support for Extension System programming, including philanthropic activity, traditional sources, new, innovative, and entrepreneurial sources. Qualifications and Characteristics In addition to being an imaginative and experienced leader with a commitment to supporting the mission, values, and strategic goals of ACES, the ideal candidate will bring many of the following qualities, skills, and experiences: * Demonstrated leadership experience with university extension and outreach and the fundamental mission of a land-grant institution in improving the quality of lives of all citizens. * Sensitivity to the educational needs of both traditional and non-traditional audiences and demonstrated experience in managing the relationship between research and statewide Extension programs. * Ability to lead faculty and staff efforts to demonstrate the scholarly value and measurable impacts of Extension education. * Earned terminal degree in a discipline or combination of disciplines that provides adequate background in developing, implementing, and evaluating formal and non-formal educational programs with credentials appropriate for rank of Professor with tenure. * Familiarity with the principles of shared faculty governance, and a commitment to the processes through which they are realized. * Demonstration of emotional intelligence, genuineness, self-confidence, judgement, fairness, creativity, discretion, decisiveness, diplomacy, tact, resiliency, adaptability, courage of convictions, and tolerance for ambiguity. * Exceptional skills in communications and interpersonal relations, including the ability to present difficult and complex issues to internal and external audiences. * Initiative and self-discipline to bring about positive outcomes working with others. * Unquestioned integrity and trustworthiness. * Ability to make good, consistent, and fair decisions (based on data and fact). Application and Nomination Process The Search Committee will begin reviewing applications immediately and will continue to accept applications and nominations until the position is filled. Applicants must submit a current curriculum vitae and a letter of interest describing relevant experience. Submission of materials via email is strongly encouraged. Nomination letters should include the name, position, and contact information for the nominee. All nominations and applications will be handled in confidence. Applications and letters of nomination should be submitted to: Search Committee - ACES Director Attention: Director, Breckenridge Partners Email: lhm@breckenridgepartners.com Phone: 847-525-7847 Auburn University is an EEO/Vet/Disability Employer | |