92-22 Extension Director and Agent, Agriculture/4-H Youth Development, Gunnison and Hinsdale Counties

Updated: about 1 year ago
Location: Gunnison, COLORADO
Deadline: 27 Dec 2022

Posting Details
Posting Detail Information


Working Title 92-22 Extension Director and Agent, Agriculture/4-H Youth Development, Gunnison and Hinsdale Counties
Position Location Gunnison, CO
Is this position eligible for hybrid or remote work? Yes - Hybrid Remote/In-Office
Research Professional Position No
Posting Number 202201625AP
Position Type Admin Professional/ Research Professional
Classification Title Management I
Number of Vacancies 1
Work Hours/Week 40
Proposed Annual Salary Range The salary range will be $60,500-97,000. 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 01/02/2023
Position End Date (if temporary)
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on 12/27/2022
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 https://inclusiveexcellence.colostate.edu/principles-of-community/ that guide our mission and vision of access, teaching, service and engagement.
Gunnison County is located in western Colorado and is a vibrant mountain vacation destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The city of Gunnison is a small college town described as “in style and an emerald city” boasting lower-density neighborhoods and well-connected and knowledgeable citizens. The 2020 population estimate is 16,918 and the median household income is $57,379 with $73,219 being the state average. The median price of homes currently listed in Gunnison is $635,000 with $591,500 being the state average. Major economic contributors are tourism, agriculture, education, and government. The communities in Gunnison County (Gunnison, Crested Butte, and Mount Crested Butte) have diverse economies, shopping opportunities and housing choices. The population is approximately 9 percent Hispanic. Gunnison County is primarily rural, with 78% public land. Outdoor recreation opportunities abound, and include skiing, hiking, biking, hunting, fishing, rafting and other activities typically associated with Mountain areas in Colorado. The Extension office is located in the town of Gunnison. Gunnison offers easy access to a State Hwy (Hwy 50) and has a regional airport (Gunnison Crested Butte Regional Airport).
Hinsdale County is located to the South of Gunnison and has a population of approximately 843, with the majority of residents living in the town of Lake City. 95% of the county is Federal lands with the economic drivers being tourism and agriculture. To learn more about Colorado State University Extension, go to https://extension.colostate.edu/ ; for more about Gunnison County Extension go to:https://gunnison.extension.colostate.edu/
Position Summary
To provide leadership, direction, and organization in the development and implementation of Extension education programs in Gunnison and Hinsdale Counties and contribute to the expertise base of Extension Agents in neighboring counties as appropriate. This includes working with the community to assure educational needs are being met by Extension services, and serving as a knowledge resource person in agriculture and natural resources (hay production, livestock, horticulture, and small acreage). The County Director is responsible for assuring a strong 4-H program is offered through both traditional (4-H clubs) and non-traditional (after-school) experiences. The traditional 4-H program includes about 160 youth.
The individual in this position works as a member of the local county Extension team and as a local representative of Colorado State University. This individual works under the guidance and supervision of the Western Region Extension Director.
Required Job Qualifications
  • Completed master’s degree.
  • One degree must be in an agricultural or environmental science discipline (animal science, crop/soil science, agronomy, horticulture, natural resources, etc.). It is important the educational or experience background include behavioral sciences as well (business, communications, sociology, etc.).
  • Experience managing and leading an office, including: developing and managing budgets, supporting and managing staff and establishing day-to-day operating procedures and policies.
  • Ability to communicate through teaching, public speaking/presentation and writing as demonstrated through application materials and experience.
  • Demonstrated skill working with people as individuals and in groups; ability to forge equitable and successful partnerships with other professionals and organizations.
  • Evidence of drive and initiative. Must be a self-starter.
  • Demonstrated use of technology in managing and/or delivering educational programs.
  • Demonstrated skills in conflict management, group or public facilitation, and negotiation.
  • 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
  • Professional experience in production agriculture (beef cattle, range and pasture management, other livestock, agricultural marketing, farmers markets, community supported agriculture, etc.), natural resources, soils, irrigation, insects and diseases, and/or community development.
  • Appreciation and understanding of rural communities and an interest in working with people in a rural environment to address critical issues.
  • Experience in youth livestock projects and competitions.
  • Familiarity with small acreage management.
  • Ability to recruit, train, and manage volunteers and advisory groups.
  • Experience or training in promoting, marketing or creating public awareness of programs/services among key community decision makers’ ability to work effectively with the media including TV, radio, print and internet.
  • Professional experience with, or knowledge of, Extension and the land-grant university system.
  • Ability to speak 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 Administration and Supervision
Duty/Responsibility
  • Provide administrative and program leadership for strategic delivery of Extension educational programs and support efforts to programs across multiple counties.
  • Inspire, support, coach, and provide development opportunities, performance feedback and formal evaluations for staff.
  • Prepare and manage a significant budget ($242,000) including support for cost recovery and revenue generation.
  • Promote and represent Extension and Extension programming throughout the community and within Gunnison County government; engage staff to do the same.
  • Build an environment of teamwork and collaboration within the office.
  • Within the office, as well as with external partners, facilitate opportunities and conversations, manage conflict, and support engaged work.
  • Promote engagement with diverse audiences and assure compliance with civil rights and affirmative action policies including reaching out to underserved and underrepresented audiences.

Note: % of job assigned to this duty may be changed as the program develops.
Percentage Of Time 30%
Job Duty Category Initiate and Develop Relationships and Partnerships
Duty/Responsibility
  • Work with local groups and individuals to enhance their abilities to identify, prioritize, and address the needs of their community. Specific emphasis will be local and regional agriculture, natural resource, and environmental working groups.
  • Maintain a close working relationship with the Board of County Commissioners and perform tasks as assigned.
  • Identify and build collaborations with other agencies and groups (public and private) to support them in addressing their priority needs, including the management of natural resources.
  • Work with advisory groups, local leaders, and Extension Agents in other counties to assess informal education needs in the area, develop/revise plans of work, implement educational strategies, and measure and report programmatic impacts.

Note: % of job assigned to this duty may be changed as the program develops.
Percentage Of Time 30%
Job Duty Category Program, Planning, Development, Delivery, Evaluation and Reporting
Duty/Responsibility
  • Working directly with the community, identify, assess, and promote community-based needs for informal education. This includes using the most appropriate educational methods, including digital and on-line media, written materials, or live workshop formats to develop and deliver educational programs. This would also include the development of outcome deliverables that could be shared within the community and/or CSU Extension
  • Support 4-H and youth development programs including assisting other 4-H Agents, participation in out-of-county activities and support for the county fair and all fair committees.
  • Actively participate in one or more Extension work teams to provide expertise for program and information development, delivery and evaluation efforts statewide.
  • Provide program and information delivery support to colleagues in area(s) of specified expertise as appropriate.
  • Effectively communicate and coordinate resources, research and programming with personnel/staff of Colorado State University and other organizations.

Note: % of job assigned to this duty may be changed as the program develops.
Percentage Of Time 30%
Job Duty Category Volunteer Recruitment, Development and Management
Duty/Responsibility
  • Provide leadership opportunities and training for 4-H leaders and Master Gardeners that will increase their effectiveness in working with the community and youth and retain their commitment as volunteer leaders over sustained periods of time.
  • Maintain effective communication with Colorado State University personnel, community leaders, and other agencies/organizations to enhance strong program development, delivery and evaluation.
  • Assure qualified volunteers are recruited through proper background checks and procedures.

Note: % of job assigned to this duty may be changed as the program develops.
Percentage Of Time 10%

Application Details


Special Instructions to Applicants
For full consideration, all materials must be RECEIVED no later than 11:59 PM Mountain Time on Tuesday, December 27, 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 Eric McPhail at 970-641-7627 or [email protected]
Conditions of Employment Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires), Valid Driver’s License, Travel
Search Contact CJ Mucklow, 970-241-3346, [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.