56-22 Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development/Animal & Equine Science, Douglas County

Updated: over 1 year ago
Location: Castle Rock, COLORADO
Deadline: 11 Jul 2022

Posting Details
Posting Detail Information


Working Title 56-22 Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development/Animal & Equine Science, Douglas County
Position Location Castle Rock, CO
Research Professional Position No
Posting Number 202200877AP
Position Type Admin Professional/ Research Professional
Classification Title Project/Prgm Mngmt I
Number of Vacancies 1
Work Hours/Week 40
Proposed Annual Salary Range The salary range for this position is $50,000 - $97,000. Starting salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
Employee Benefits
Colorado State University (CSU) is committed to providing employees with a strong and competitive benefits package that supports you, your health, and your family. Visit CSU’s Human Resources website for detailed benefit plan information for permanent full-time and part-time faculty and administrative professional employees in the following University benefit areas: https://hr.colostate.edu/hr-community-and-supervisors/benefits/benefits-eligibility/ & https://hr.colostate.edu/prospective-employees/our-perks/ .
Desired Start Date 09/01/2022
Position End Date (if temporary)
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on 07/11/2022
Description of Work Unit
We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of all backgrounds and abilities. We invite you to review Colorado State University’s Principles of Community that guide our mission and vision of access, teaching, service, and engagement.
Douglas County—recognized as one of the most pro-business, fiscally healthy, and effective local governments in the United States—is a unique mix of rural to urbanizing communities with a rich agricultural heritage. The county is interested in developing programs to engage youth, residents, partners, and communities in urban agriculture, horticulture, agricultural appreciation, small farm operations, small acreage management, and STEM opportunities.
Colorado State University Extension (CSUE) and Douglas County work cooperatively to provide Extension programming and engagement in the county. The direction Extension programming takes is locally driven. CSUE contributes onsite and campus-based expertise, and university and land grant system resources and connections across the state to enhance local programming efforts. The Douglas County Extension office consists of a director, three agents (one horticulture and natural resources, two 4-H youth development), two program associates (one Colorado Master Gardener, one 4-H youth development), and two administrative assistants. To learn more, visit Douglas County Extension at www.douglascountyextension.org or the county’s website at www.douglas.co.us . Colorado State University Extension information is available at http://extension.colostate.edu .
CSU encourages professional development and offers 9 credits of higher education per fiscal year to eligible full-time employee types. For more information regarding the employee study privilege, please go to http://www.hrs.colostate.edu/benefits/study-privilege.html . 
Position Summary
The Extension Agent develops, promotes, delivers, and evaluates non-credit youth development programming within the Douglas County 4-H program in livestock, equine, and small animal project areas. The agent works as a member of the local Extension 4-H team to provide inclusive and experientially rich programs in response to community needs in Douglas County. The agent is expected to employ broad outreach efforts to engage with and meet the needs of the county’s unique and varied communities.
This position will provide leadership, guidance, direction, and educational program support to the 4-H youth development program, its youth, and volunteers. This individual will have primary responsibility for the 4-H club program in Douglas County, including coordinating club development, overseeing club chartering process, and developing club leader educational training opportunities. The individual in this position works as a member of the local county Extension team in partnership with the other 4-H agent to screen, train, and manage 4-H volunteers, and oversees various 4-H councils and committees. The agent may also contribute to programming for adult and community audiences in areas of expertise. Assignments may be reallocated and/or shared in the future based on interest and expertise. Flexibility in scheduling; night, weekend, and overnight work (able to be scheduled in advance) is required. The agent is a local representative of Colorado State University Extension and works under the supervision of the Extension Director of Douglas County.
This individual will work regularly with other Extension agents across program and county lines, actively participate on state 4-H work teams and committees, and work collaboratively with other local youth serving organizations. The position also receives guidance, training, and support from the State 4-H Office.
Required Job Qualifications
  • Completed bachelor’s degree.
  • One degree must have been conferred in animal or equine sciences, environmental or natural science, agriculture, youth development, education, non-profit management, or a closely related field.
  • A successful candidate without a completed master’s degree will be required to complete a master’s degree within five years from the start of employment. The degree process must be initiated with 12 months of the hire date. Failure to do so will result in termination unless a compelling reason is accepted by the Vice President of Engagement and Extension.
  • Minimum 2 years’ professional experience working with youth and youth-serving organizations, including an understanding of positive youth development and youth program management.
  • Degree, significant coursework, or professional experience working with livestock, equine, small animals, and/or related industries.
  • Personal or professional commitment to diversity as demonstrated by persistent effort, active planning, allocation of resources and/or accountability for diversity outcomes.
  • Demonstrated experience working with people as individuals and in groups. Ability to forge equitable and successful partnerships and utilize effective conflict resolution and mediation methods.
  • Professional experience or training in the recruitment, training, and management of volunteers.
  • Evidence of leadership, drive, and initiative. Must be a self-starter.
  • Ability to communicate through teaching, public speaking, facilitation, presentation, and writing as demonstrated through application materials and experience.
  • Demonstrated use of technology in managing and/or delivering educational programs.
  • Must have a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain a driver’s license or access to a licensed driver by the employment start date.
Preferred Job Qualifications
  • Completed master’s degree.
  • Demonstrated experience in developing financial support for educational programs including grant writing, fundraising, contracting, or cost recovery efforts.
  • Demonstrated experience in audience needs identification, program development, and evaluation.
  • Experience marketing, promoting, or creating public awareness of programs and opportunities including using social and mass media (e.g., TV, Internet, Facebook, newspaper, etc.).
  • Bi-lingual and bi-literate English and Spanish.
Diversity Statement
Personal or professional commitment to diversity and inclusion as demonstrated by persistent effort, active planning, allocation of resources and/or accountability for diversity and inclusion outcomes.

Essential Duties


Job Duty Category Program Planning, Development, Delivery, Evaluation, and Reporting
Duty/Responsibility
  • As part of the Douglas County 4-H team, employ innovative strategies and technologies to develop, promote, deliver, and evaluate innovative and results-oriented 4-H programs that support the development of life and leadership skills for youth and adult audiences in a county which is both urban and rural.
  • Develop, promote, and deliver culturally appropriate, inclusive 4-H information, opportunities, and programming that welcome and include diverse and underserved audiences.
  • Provide primary leadership for the community 4-H club program including coordinating club development, overseeing club chartering process, and developing club leader educational training opportunities. Train volunteers or teachers to deliver these programs to enhance leadership and workforce skills.
  • Provide leadership and support for the following community 4-H club project areas: livestock, equine, and small animal; as well as related committees.
  • In collaboration with the 4-H team, provide support and guidance to various 4-H councils and committees.
  • Actively participate in Extension work teams to provide youth development expertise for program development, delivery, and evaluation efforts statewide for adult and community audiences, as appropriate.
  • Seek out and manage external funding, personnel, and in-kind resources (including internal and external program resources) to support programming efforts.
  • Use a variety of education and information delivery modes, including social media, to enhance program and information availability and access.
  • Participate in professional development, evening and weekend events, and occasional events requiring overnight stays.
  • Report all program activities in Digital Measures and provide reports for the Douglas County quarterly report.

Note: % of job assigned to this duty may be changed as the program develops.
Percentage Of Time 45%
Job Duty Category Volunteer Recruitment, Development, and Management
Duty/Responsibility
  • Provide leadership and support for an active, ongoing, diverse adult and youth volunteer-based program including volunteer recruitment, selection, orientation, education and training, motivation, evaluation, recognition and support.
  • Provide oversight for the vetting and background check processes for potential volunteers.
  • Create an environment that inspires volunteers to learn, serve, and contribute to the development of youth, community, and self. Develop relationships with and provide leadership opportunities and training that will increase their effectiveness in working with youth, support positive youth development, positively impact program delivery, and retain their commitment as volunteer leaders over time.
  • Prepare volunteers to take on management, leadership, and education and training roles in support of 4-H youth development programs. Work directly with and through volunteers and partners to incorporate STEM education and development of workforce skills into 4-H programming.

Note: % of job assigned to this duty may be changed as the program develops.
Percentage Of Time 35%
Job Duty Category Initiate and Develop Relationships and Partnerships
Duty/Responsibility
  • As part of the 4-H team, provide leadership to expand partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to collaboratively identify priority youth development and 4-H opportunities and needs.
  • Work with partners, planning committees, volunteers, and youth to ensure an appropriate and exemplary 4-H and Extension presence and participation at the Douglas County Fair, the National Western Stock Show, the Colorado State Fair, and other state and local 4-H events.
  • Develop strong working relationships and effective communications with local Extension staff, university staff, Extension and State 4-H Office staff, local schools, Douglas County government and departments, local foundations, and other youth-serving organizations to enhance funding and implementation of positive youth development and 4-H programming to engage rural and urban communities across Douglas County.

Note: % of job assigned to this duty may be changed as the program develops.
Percentage Of Time 20%

Application Details


Special Instructions to Applicants
For full consideration, all materials must be RECEIVED no later than 11:59 PM Mountain Time on Monday, July 11, 2022. Please submit the following to apply:
  • Resume
  • Cover letter
  • Transcript of college(s) course work showing degrees conferred. Please remove all references to birth date or social security number.
  • Special Required Documentation – Statement (no more than 5 pages) of how you meet all applicable “Required” and “Preferred” Job Qualifications. Please respond to each bullet point separately.

All applicants will be contacted approximately 15 working days after the deadline regarding their status. Next steps and interview dates will be shared to those moving forward. Four professional references will be requested of applicants that advance in the interview process.
For questions regarding the application process, contact the Office of Equal Opportunity at (970) 491-5836 or email [email protected] . For questions regarding the job vacancy, responsibilities, and salary, please contact Jonathan Vrabec at 719-520-7682 or [email protected] .
Conditions of Employment Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires), Valid Driver’s License, Travel
Search Contact Jonathan Vrabec at (719) 520-7682 or [email protected]
EEO Statement
Colorado State University is committed to providing an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based on race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or pregnancy in its employment, programs, services and activities, and admissions, and, in certain circumstances, marriage to a co-worker. The University will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity and equal access institution and affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services.
The Title IX Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity, 123 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-1715, [email protected] .
The Section 504 and ADA Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, [email protected] .
The Coordinator for any other forms of misconduct prohibited by the University’s Policy on Discrimination and Harassment is the Vice President for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, [email protected] .
Any person may report sex discrimination under Title IX to the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education .
Background Check Policy Statement
Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.