Associate Dean and Director of OSU Extension & Chair
Department of Extension
Columbus, Ohio
The Associate Dean/Chair will bring energy, creativity and vision toward advancing Extension’s mission and more broadly outreach and engagement efforts that support the college’s strategic plan. The position requires visionary leadership to ensure Extension is not only meeting the current needs of Ohioans but is preparing to meet future needs, as well. More broadly, the Associate Dean/Chair will inspire engagement and outreach efforts across the college that are meaningful and impactful to current and new stakeholders across the State of Ohio. To be successful, the Associate Dean/Chair must be skillful in building relationships with leadership colleagues, faculty and staff, volunteers, stakeholders, and decision-makers, and embody the Extension key values of trust, inclusion, care, adaptability, and efficiency.
The Associate Dean/Chair is a member of a team collectively responsible for the establishment of programmatic priorities, which enables CFAES to fulfill statutory responsibilities related to research, instruction, and Extension through work accomplished at all its locations. Program priorities are established in conjunction with various stakeholder groups comprised of individuals who are directly impacted by the work of the OSU Extension and the College. Programs are delivered through broad statewide or regional efforts and cooperatively with county-level government officials to address local needs.
The Associate Dean/Chair is responsible for the stewardship of federal, state, and local funds allocated to the College for the purpose of supporting OSU Extension. The Associate Dean/Chair establishes policies and expectations for the use of these funds college-wide and monitors the performance of units to which these funds are allocated.
The Associate Dean/Chair also serves as the tenure initiating unit (TIU) head of the Department of Extension. In that role, the Associate Dean/Chair works closely with the Assistant Dean/Associate Chair in managing the faculty affairs of the faculty members who comprise the Department of Extension. Key responsibilities include managing faculty recruitment, hiring, retention and advancement (e.g. promotion and tenure, professional development) and participating with faculty relative to faculty governance appropriate to the Department of Extension. The Associate Dean/Chair is also expected to work with the faculty, staff, and chairs of the other departments in the college who have Extension appointments.
OSU Extension also serves as the conduit for two-way interaction between the broader campus and communities across Ohio. Much of the relationship with the broader campus is facilitated through the university’s Office of Outreach and Engagement.
Performance Objectives
- Provide leadership in carrying out the vision, mission, and Key values of OSU Extension within the context of the CFAES and in cooperation with the college Offices of Research and Graduate Education and of Academic Programs
- Lead ongoing and periodic assessment activities to ensure that OSU Extension remains relevant to the needs of Ohioans
- Promote the adoption of best practices related to Extension, engagement and outreach. Ensure that programs are of high quality, innovative and produce their intended outcomes
- Works closely with the Assistant Dean/Associate Chair of the Department of Extension in managing the faculty affairs of the department
- Ensure that OSU Extension implements CFAES policies related to Human Resources, Finance, Marketing and Communications, Advancement, Government Relations, and Information Technology. Establish and monitor adherence to Extension-specific policies
- Partner with the Office of Government Relations to establish priorities for investment in OSU Extension by local, state, and federal government. Participate in visits with elected officials as requested or appropriate
- Establish priorities for private fund development in partnership with the CFAES office of Advancement. Participate in visits with prospective donors and assist in the stewardship of current donors
- Provide oversight of the expenditure of federal Smith-Lever 3(b)(c) capacity funds as well as Cooperative Extension funds received by the State of Ohio. Also provide oversight of funds provided by the Ohio Legislature and cooperating Ohio counties in support of OSU Extension
- Identify priorities for and plan the use of federal and state Extension funds across various units of the college and to various colleges across the campus
- Participate as member of the Vice President’s Cabinet
- Represent OSU Extension and CFAES to internal and external constituencies as requested or appropriate.
- Assume responsibility for the development of an Annual Plan of Work and Report of Accomplishments in Collaboration with the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station and Central State University
- Represent OSU Extension as a member of the North Central Cooperative Extension Association (NCCEA) and National Extension Directors Association (NEDA)
- Lead innovation within OSU Extension, particularly as it related to operations, programming, and utilization of technology
- Provide leadership for and bolster the scholarship of engagement for any aspect of outreach and engagement, in and out of the OSU Extension system
- Convene regular meetings of the Extension leadership
- Provide effective supervision to Extension leaders and support staff who will assist in carrying out the vision, mission, and values of OSU Extension
- Initiate regular meetings with direct reports which lead to the development of strategic and short-term goals. Monitor progress toward those goals
- Promote a culture of inclusivity and support efforts to provide impacts to a diverse workforce and client base
Required:
- A doctoral degree in a discipline related to CFAES academic disciplines
- A distinguished record of scholarship to be eligible to qualify for an appointment as full professor with tenure in the Department of Extension
- Significant experience and demonstrable skills in leading and managing change in complex environments such as exist within a modern land-grant university
- Demonstrated ability to build positive, productive relationship with external stakeholders and policy-makers
- Leadership experience in Extension, engagement or outreach
- Experiences working with diverse audiences
- Budget and personnel management experience
Desired:
- Formal leadership in Extension, engagement or outreach that provided demonstrable experiences in strategic thinking and leadership
- Direct responsibility of budget and personnel management for a unit
How to Apply
To be considered, please submit your application electronically via https://osujoblinks.com/537s
Required:
- Cover letter
- Describe your qualifications, areas of expertise, career goals, and alignment with desired qualifications and preferred qualifications where applicable
- Curriculum Vita (CV)
- Statement of Leadership/Administration outlining:
- Your philosophy of leadership
- Your experiences relative to leadership and administration
- Your approaches and experiences in leading diverse groups of people
- Statement of Extension outlining:
- Your philosophy regarding Extension
- Your approaches and experiences in working with diverse audiences
- How Extension can be leveraged toward impact
- To what kinds of impacts should a modern Extension system be anchored
- Names and contact information of three references
Initial consideration will be given to applications received by April 11, 2024. Review of applications will continue until the position has been filled. We welcome informal inquiries, which can be made by contacting Search Committee Chair Dr. Andy Michel (Associate Dean and Director, CFAES Wooster Campus) at michel.70@osu.edu.
The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, protected veteran status, or any other bases under the law. Applicants are encouraged to complete and submit the Equal Employment Identification form.
