Extending knowledge, improving lives! Make an impact in your community and in the lives of Alabamians.
The Alabama Cooperative Extension System is seeking qualified applications for an Aquatics Resources Regional Extension Agent. Applicants must be self-directed and able to thrive in a flexible work environment.
Reasons you’ll love being a Regional Extension Agent at ACES - Auburn:
- Job Satisfaction! Be a part of life-changing work in your community!
- Excellent full-time benefits that start on Day 1!
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance options!
- Work/life balance!
- 4 weeks of vacation accrued each year.
- 96 hours of sick leave accrued annually.
- 7 paid holidays in addition to 2 weeks of paid leave during Christmas/New Years when the University closes.
- 6 weeks of paid parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child (available for BOTH moms & dads).
- AU tuition assistance for you and your dependents after a year of service.
- Generous state retirement plan along with other voluntary retirement plan options and benefits.
- Fun, flexible & diverse work environment. Every day is different!
- Supportive leadership & peers. The ACES team supports you and your work!
This position may be housed in one of the following counties: Shelby, Chilton, or Talladega
Program Priority Area: Aquatic Resources (AQR)
Geographic Area of Responsibility: Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Greene, Hale, Perry, Sumter, Choctaw, Marengo, Dallas, Wilcox, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, Bibb, Chilton, Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery, Calhoun, Cleburne, Talladega, Clay, Randolph, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Chambers, Lee, Macon, Russell
The Aquatic Resources Regional Extension Agent will serve as the primary Extension educator for aquatic resources in the assigned 30-county region. This includes responding to requests for aquatic resources related technical information from throughout the region which may include but is not limited to 1) farm pond management, 2) watershed management, 3) stormwater management, 4) drought, and 5) conserving resources. These requests may come through telephone calls, email, letters, and other personal contacts. The REA will be expected to proactively develop a regional technology transfer program through meetings, workshops, publications, web sites, and other outreach techniques to provide aquatic resources related information to landowners, professionals, and the public. In addition, the REA will be part of a state-wide Extension Priority Program Team and be expected to participate as a team member to plan, promote, and execute team programs as well as participate in team training opportunities.
The REA will utilize all available/emerging technologies in their educational efforts as well as more traditional methods such as newsletters, news articles, workshops/group meetings, demonstrations, and farm/home visits. The REA will participate in writing grants and participate in activities that support applied research/demonstrations beneficial to clientele. Participating in regional and state Aquatic Resources related associations, and other groups representing Aquatic Resources, is important for the REA to develop a reputation as an educational leader with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. REA will assist team leader and administrators in project outcome and impact evaluations.
Team Description: Regional Extension Agent’s (REA’s), Urban Regional Extension Agent’s (UREA’s), County Extension Coordinators (CEC’s), and Specialists form the core of Extension teams. This REA will participate as a cohesive team member working with local clientele, advisory groups, volunteers, and other interested parties to determine regional needs for program outreach. As a team member, the REA will partner with other REA’s and CEC’s to provide educational leadership in planning, implementing, evaluating, and reporting programs conducted in the region.
Specific Roles and Responsibilities of Regional Extension Agents:
The primary role of non-tenure track Regional Extension Agent is to provide programmatic leadership in a subject-matter discipline.
Program Leadership:
- Cooperates and informs internal stakeholders and has a positive working relationship with staff and clients in assigned geographical and subject-matter area.
- Conducts and analyzes needs assessment results.
- Participates and contributes to the development of the Priority Program Team (PPT) plan-of-work and develops an individual plan-of-work involving other Regional Extension Agents and County Extension Coordinators.
- Offers comprehensive disciplinary programming to support transformational change and participates in interdisciplinary programming.
- Functions as an effective educator using innovative and creative approaches and demonstrates outstanding written and oral communication skills.
- Conducts program evaluations to reach plan-of-work objectives and impacts have a positive effect in assigned area.
- Submits well prepared and timely reports and shares results with stakeholders and partners.
Program Management:
- Budgets and manages fiscal resources within ACES policies and guidelines and serves as a good steward of all resources.
- Builds relationships with volunteers and partners; recruits and manages volunteers within ACES policy, and trains new volunteers.
- Secures extramural funding (grants, contracts, donations, sponsorships, programming fees, etc.) to support and expand programming.
- Provides supervision and/or program support for staff/volunteers where appropriate.
- Identifies innovative ways to engage targeted under-served and under-represented audiences.
Public Relations:
- Provides subject-matter support to local and regional stakeholders and organizes new networks or coalitions to build community capacity.
- Establishes relationships with stakeholder organizations, participates in stakeholder organizational programming, and serves as ACES primary subject-matter representative.
- Establishes media contacts and actively uses multiple media outlets.
- Serves as a positive role model for the organization, establishes positive relationships, and contributes to the mission and goals of ACES.
- Supports the mission and goals of ACES; knows resources available at parent institutions, fosters teamwork, and interacts professionally and collegially.
- Fosters a positive culture within the organization and through mission implementation and provides positive professional leadership to stakeholders and peers.
Extension Scholarship
- Provides input into new programs and utilizes research-based curriculum and resources.
- Recognized as a subject-matter resource through authorship of routine Extension products.
- Develops credibility as a disciplinary expert in assigned area.
Professional Development:
- Participates in in-service training and develops personal professional development goals and objectives to grow in subject-matter area.
- Participates in appropriate professional organizations and may complete appropriate professional certificates.
- Meets competency expectations and standards of PPT.
