Director, Agriculture Programs (Yuma, AZ)
Job Description
req25316
Department
CALS Career & Acad Svcs
Department Website Link
https://cales.arizona.edu
Location
Yuma
Address
Yuma, AZ USA
Position Highlights
The University of Arizona seeks a qualified applicant for the position of Career Strategies Manager II, Director of Agriculture Programs – Yuma for our Yuma area campus. Duties include: Play an active leadership role working with the CALS academic unit leaders and UA Yuma faculty and staff who offer multiple degree programs to students in the region using the knowledge of Project Management; Program Evaluation; Student Mentoring & Support; and Teaching. The position requires a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Education or related field or foreign equivalent and five (5) years of experience in Agriculture Education, Marketing, Business, Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, or Consumer Behavior, including 2 years of managerial experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience. This position is non-security sensitive and requires a name-based criminal background check.
Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!
The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs.
Duties & Responsibilities
Director of Agriculture Programs - The Director Of Agriculture plays an active leadership role working with the CALS academic unit leaders and U of A Yuma faculty and staff who offer multiple degree programs to students in the region. A key leadership task is to guide development of innovative research, teaching, and student support programs that address the present and future needs of the agricultural, natural resource, and urban communities in the region. The Director of Agriculture reports administratively to the CALS-Associate Dean for Career and Academic Services (CAS) and programmatically to the U of A Yuma Regional Academic Programs Manager. This position builds and maintains relationships with various audiences, such as agricultural commodity and support organizations, regulatory agencies, environmental groups, local and statewide governmental agencies, members of urban and rural clientele groups, and consumers. The Director of Agriculture supports recruitment of professors of practice to the Yuma campus, and plays a critical role to ensure alignment of course curriculum, ALVSCE strategic objectives, and University learning outcomes. The Director of Agriculture will also support large Agriculture/Educational/ Community events such as Southwest Ag Summit, Transfer Conference, Ag Discovery Camp, STEAM Academy, MANRRS events, etc.
Bridging Classroom & Careers - The Director of Agriculture Programs will engage students and employers to establish the Southwest Desert Region as a top talent pipeline. The Director of Agriculture will manage CALS STEM Outreach Coordinators and work directly with Yuma programs Academic Advisors. Specific projects that require leadership include:
Expand educational career advisory boards for students in grades 5-20. Industry and public-sector employers serve on advisory committees to help connect shape curriculum and other aspects of academic programs to meet workforce readiness needs.
Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset in all students, changing the culture mindset from "get a job” to "create a job."
Create exceptional new opportunities in STEM experiential education through student career experiences. Build on the region's existing collaborative environment to support and develop internships, mentoring, industry projects, apprenticeships, and co-ops for students with community employers.
Create regional STEM career resources (e.g., websites that lists jobs, internships, and other STEM opportunities)
Identify regional workforce needs based on industry demand. The region needs a balanced workforce (entry-level through post-graduate level). Work with regional industry/agencies to define the skills gap priorities for education to align student credential opportunities with employers' needs.
Develop a resource center to help first generation/Hispanic students to overcome academic obstacles such as: transportation, education costs, mental health, childcare, lack of resilience, language, and self-efficacy.
Agriculture Systems Management Bachelors Degree Delivery:
