Associate Extension Specialist, Employee Development

Job Description

The Associate Extension Specialist, Employee Development will provide leadership to Virginia Cooperative Extension in new agent onboarding and continued professional development for Extension employees. The position is housed in the VCE Program and Professional Development Unit and reports to the Extension Leader, Program and Professional Development.

The Associate Extension Specialist, Employee Development will conduct, facilitate, and disseminate research related to emerging and contemporary issues affecting adult learning, professional onboarding, and staff development. Collaborating with specialists and agents, the Associate Specialist will develop and implement strategies to improve new agent onboarding and training. By developing effective partnerships across VCE, the Associate Specialist will develop and lead state-wide training thus improving agent retention and increasing the professionalism and competencies of Extension agents and specialists.

Required Qualifications

• Earned master’s degree in Extension Education, Adult Education, Community Development, Leadership, or a closely related field.
• Experience in designing and implementing onboarding programs for new employees.
• Experience in designing, delivering, and evaluating professional development in a large organization.
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse faculty/clients.
• Demonstrated ability to design, promote, implement, and evaluate adult development programs based on experiential learning principles.
• Demonstrated ability to assess professional development and training needs of large,
dispersed organization.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• A commitment to working with diverse clientele and colleagues and to the Virginia Tech
Principles of Community
• Willingness to work occasional nights and weekends with occasional overnight travel.

Preferred Qualifications

• Earned doctorate in Extension Education, Adult Education, Community Development, Leadership, or closely related field. Degrees in other fields will be considered for candidates with professional Extension experience.
• Professional experience in Cooperative Extension or place based higher education.
• Resource development experience in support of training and programming efforts.
• Demonstrated experience developing effective on-line educational programs and marketing materials, including the use of social media.
• Demonstrated skills in team leadership and problem-solving.

Appointment Type

Regular

Salary Information

Commensurate with Experience

Review Date

August 25, 2023

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a driver's license check with an acceptable and safe driving record.

Will need to travel to Blacksburg on occasion for meetings.

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges , a school of medicine , a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School , and Honors College . The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers . A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Sarah Baughman at baughman@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.

Advertised: August 3, 2023
Applications close: