Reno County Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent

Reno County, with a population of 62,342 covering 1,254 square miles, is in South Central Kansas where Hutchinson is the county seat. It is one of the largest agriculture producing counties in the state and ranks number one in the number of farms (1,552) and number three in the number of acres in production (788,966). In addition to this position, Reno County staffing includes a county extension director with horticulture responsibilities, a family and consumer sciences agent, and a 4-H youth development agent.

TITLE: Extension Agent

PRIMARY AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY: Agriculture and Natural Resources

LOCATION: South Hutchinson, Kansas

APPLICATION DATE: Applications will be accepted through October 21, 2020. Interviews will be conducted November 16, 2020.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Extension agents are professional educators who serve as a link between Kansas State University and communities across Kansas. Agents are administratively responsible to the Director of K-State Research and Extension (represented by a designated administrator) and the local extension board.

1. Provide primary leadership for the development and implementation of research-based educational programming related to agriculture and natural resources. Programming will include but is not limited to: agronomic and livestock production, agricultural economics, management and public policy, natural resources conservation, and environmental stewardship.

2. Share responsibility for the 4-H youth development programming related to Agriculture and Natural Resources.

3. Share responsibility for community vitality programming that helps our communities become better places to live, work, and play. Programming will strengthen social, civic, economic, and technological capacity of communities through leadership development and civic engagement.

4. Programming will include these steps:

a) Identify local needs and emerging issues related to K-State Research and Extension’s five Grand Challenges (water, community vitality, health, developing tomorrow’s leaders and global food systems) by engaging with program development committees and other community organizations and professionals.

b) Design appropriate educational strategies to engage clientele. These strategies might include delivering educational programming in a community-based setting, coordinating events and activities that provide experiential learning opportunities, using innovative technologies, providing individual educational consultations and facilitating groups seeking similar educational outcomes. Some overnight travel and evening and weekend work will be required.

c) Develop and implement strategies to expand the reach of educational programming to under-served audiences and to make certain K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider of educational programming.

d) Collect and communicate evidence of educational program impact.

e) Develop specialized knowledge and skills by engaging as a member of a Program Focus Team.

5. Secure external funding such as grants, gifts and cost recovery to supplement local tax revenue to support and expand educational programming. 6. Serve as a member of the Reno County team cooperating in the planning and delivery of county-wide programming and related events.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree

• Academic coursework and/or professional development and professional employment related to the position responsibilities

• Evidence of strong academic and/or professional performance as documented by college transcripts, acceptance into a graduate program or documented success in increasingly responsible professional positions.

• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with individuals, groups and through mass media.

• Leadership skills as evidenced by working with individuals, groups and co-workers.

• Access to a personal vehicle and the ability to obtain/maintain a valid driver’s license.

Preferred:

• Master’s Degree.

• Experience working with adults and youth from various ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds.

• Commitment to personal professional development.

• Ability to utilize electronic communication and computer applications to fulfill programming responsibilities.

• Self-motivation and ability to work with a minimum of supervision, balancing multiple projects.

• Ability to design, promote, implement and evaluate educational programs. • Skills in group facilitation.

• Knowledge of adult and youth teaching/learning processes.

• Experience in seeking and administering external grant funding.

Other

• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States at the time of employment.

SALARY, BENEFITS, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

1. Salary commensurate with professional experience and available funding as negotiated by the regional extension director, the local extension board and the applicant. The base starting salary is $41,500 for a BS degree with no professional experience and $45,500 for a MS degree with no professional experience.

2. Extension agents are Kansas State University educators and have the Board of Regents retirement plan, health and life insurance and vacation and sick leave. Depending on the date of hire there is a minimum of 30-day waiting period for health insurance. For a complete list of benefits see: http://www.k-state.edu/hcs/benefits/overview/

3. Reimbursement for travel related to achieving program objectives.

4. New agents are provided approximately 15 days of new agent professional development on the K-State campus or online during the first six to nine months. These 15 days are spread out in four different weeks. In addition, new agents spend at least three weeks with a mentor agent during the first year.