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Professor, Director of Extension and Associate Dean

https://psu.edu seeks an experienced, forward-looking professional to provide strategic leadership for policy, program, administrative, and external relations as Director of Penn State Extension. The Director serves as an Associate Dean for the College of Agricultural Sciences. The position requires an individual who brings energy, creativity, and vision to the advancement of Extension’s core purpose and mission within the larger context for outreach and engagement at Penn State.

Penn State Extension is committed to helping individuals, families, businesses, and communities make good decisions related to a broad array of topics including agricultural production, community and economic development, food processing, health and nutrition, business management, and others. It does so through its network of faculty, staff, and volunteers housed in each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties as well as Penn State’s University Park campus. These teams offer educational events and products as well as technical assistance to target audiences.

Penn State Extension is administratively housed within The College of Agricultural Sciences, which is also home to nine academic departments. Ranked as one of the largest agricultural colleges in the country, its total expenditures exceed $200 million annually.

The Director will provide strategic leadership for development, delivery, and evaluation of extension education programs statewide; develop and administer the extension education program planning process and related reporting activities; create and foster collaborative, coordinated programming relationships among faculty and extension staff across all units within the College of Agricultural Sciences; and build programmatic relationships between Penn State Extension and other colleges and partner outreach enterprises at the University. The Director will administer the Extension budget, program, and personnel matters in accordance with federal, state, local, and University policies and will secure new federal, state, and local government funding; private funding; and extramural grant and contract funding to support Extension programming.

The successful candidate will have primary responsibility for promoting and interpreting the goals and accomplishments of Extension education programs to other University administrators, legislators, governmental agency staff, business/industry leaders, and clientele. The Director of Penn State Extension will also maintain strong working relationships with county commissioners, state and federal legislators and executive agency officials, business leaders, and community groups and will represent Penn State Extension and the College of Agricultural Sciences at the national and international levels with other universities and public and private sector organizations.

The Director will supervise three associate directors who have specific oversight of programs, business operations, and client relations. The Director will also work closely with the heads of the college’s nine academic units as well as with leadership of various college strategic units including, research and graduate education, human resources, grants and contracts, information technology, and marketing and communications.

Qualifications:

Earned doctorate in an agricultural or other appropriate discipline is required. The successful candidate will have achieved a record of scholarly achievement appropriate for a tenured appointment in the college at the rank of professor. Demonstrated ability to provide strategic policy, program, and administrative leadership; effective interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills; commitment to the extension education, international, research, and resident education functions and the land-grant university philosophy and mission; demonstrated commitment to diversity, equal opportunity employment and affirmative action; and ability to relate to a wide variety of socioeconomic, political, commodity and other interest groups are essential.

Application Process:

Applicants are invited to submit a cover letter detailing their qualifications and interests in the position, a complete CV, and names and complete contact information for three to five individuals whom we can contact as references. Review of applications will begin on July 17, 2023, and the review process will continue until the position is filled. Inquiries can be addressed to: Dr. Laszlo J. Kulcsar, Interim Senior Associate Dean, College of Agricultural Sciences ( mailto:lzk68psu.edu). Interested applicants should apply on Penn State’s online job website (https://hr.psu.edu/careers).

The salary will be commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the applicant. Employment will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all of its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusive excellence that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusive excellence as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.

Apply online at https://apptrkr.com/4316164

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Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.