McPherson County Family and Community Wellness Extension Agent
About This Role:
McPherson County, population 28,500, is located in central Kansas. Its county seat, McPherson, home to McPherson and Central Colleges, is located at the intersection of Interstate 135 and Highway 56 approximately 50 miles north of Wichita. McPherson County is known for both its strong industrial and agricultural base and for being a clean, attractive and progressive area.
The office staff includes three agents (family and community wellness, 4-H youth development and agriculture and natural resources), a program assistant and two office professionals.
Extension agents are community based faculty of Kansas State University who make a difference by connecting community needs with university resources. Agents are administratively responsible to the local extension director and the local extension board.
This position will provide primary leadership for the development and implementation of r research-based educational programming to build healthy, sustainable communities, families and individuals. Programming will be conducted with volunteers, other community vitality and family and consumer sciences professionals at the local, regional and state level. Programming may include but is not limited to: strengthening families and individuals, building community capacity, family and community health and wellness, and local volunteer development.
Primary Area of Responsibility: Family and Community Wellness
Location: McPherson, KS
Duties/ 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.
- Provide primary leadership for the development and implementation of research-based educational programming to build healthy, sustainable communities, families and individuals. Programming will be conducted with volunteers, other community vitality and family and consumer sciences professionals at the local, regional and state level. Programming may include but is not limited to: strengthening families and individuals, building community capacity, family and community health and wellness, and local volunteer development.
- Supervise SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education) programming. This currently includes supervising a part-time program assistant.
- Share responsibility for the 4-H youth development programming related to Family and Community Wellness.
- Share responsibility for community vitality programming that helps our communities become better places to live, work, and play. Programming will strengthen the social, civic, economic, and technological capacity of communities through leadership development and civic engagement.
- Programming will include these steps:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Collect and communicate evidence of educational program impact.
- Develop specialized knowledge and skills by engaging as a member of a Program Focus Team.
- Secure external funding such as grants, gifts and cost recovery to supplement local tax revenue to support and expand educational programming.
- May periodically be assigned to serve as the local unit director providing administrative oversight for the fiscal operations, coordination of personnel, development, delivery and reporting of program impact and other administrative functions assigned by the director’s representative and the extension board.
- Serve as a member of the McPherson County Extension team cooperating in the planning and delivery of county-wide programming and related events.
What You'll Need to Succeed:
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Academic coursework and/or 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
Preferred Qualifications:
- 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
- Ability to communicate effectively with both English and Spanish learners.
Other Requirements:
- Access to a personal vehicle and the ability to obtain/maintain a valid driver’s license
- Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States at the time of employment
Salary, Benefits, and Professional Development:
- 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 $43,000 for a BS degree with no professional experience and $47,000 for a MS degree with no professional experience.
- 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/
- Reimbursement for travel related to achieving program objectives.
- 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.
- Tuition assistance is available to full-time employees and their spouse/dependents
How to Apply:
Please submit the following documents:
- Cover Letter (detailing experiences related to responsibilities and qualifications)
- Resume
- Contact Information and Email addresses for three (3) professional references (include on application). References will be requested upon submission of application.
- Copy of academic transcripts showing degree(s) received. (For applicants still in college, a list of courses from the college/university website is acceptable.)
Applications will be accepted until August 25, 2021
Equal Employment Opportunity:
Kansas State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran.
Background Screening Statement:
In connection with your application for employment, Kansas State University will procure a Background Screen on you as part of the process of considering your candidacy as an employee.