Director of Northeast SARE

Position Overview

The Director of Northeast SARE plays a pivotal role in supporting internal staff, building external partnerships, managing administrative and outreach functions, and guiding strategic decisions related to programs, policies, and organizational procedures.

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and direct supervision to three staff members, nurture the growth of the entire team, and promote a culture centered on shared leadership, ongoing improvement, and professional satisfaction.
• Work collaboratively with the Administrative Council (AC), UVM leadership, and staff to advance program objectives, tackle challenges, and record successes.
• Offer strategic guidance in grant operations, assisting the Associate Director and staff with application review, awarding, reporting, and evaluation processes.
• Co-lead the initiative to integrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice into the organization’s culture, operations, programs, and partnerships.
• Ensure clarity on roles and responsibilities across the organization; lead the development and implementation of policy/process enhancements; oversee recruitment, orientation, and support for AC members.
• Foster relationship-building activities to strengthen ties with stakeholders across the Northeast, maintaining awareness of current research, education, and innovation in sustainable agriculture.
• Represent Northeast SARE at regional and national levels including other SARE regions, NIFA, UVM, and allied entities; communicate program achievements and challenges transparently and maintain accountability.
• Manage contract development and agreements between NIFA and UVM by preparing funding proposals, overseeing award management, ensuring financial integrity, analyzing outcomes, submitting reports, and ensuring compliance with USDA and UVM policies.
• Advise and support the Professional Development Program staff, promoting strong collaboration with State Coordinators and related initiatives.

Position Details

This is a full-time, 12-month position situated at UVM Extension's South Burlington office or another available UVM Extension location. Partial remote work is possible following university telework policies and candidate needs. The role includes a faculty appointment as Research Professor appropriate to the candidate’s qualifications, reporting to the Associate Director of UVM Extension. A 0.80 FTE appointment could be considered to allow academic pursuits.

Minimum Qualifications

• At least five years of leadership experience in program management, including oversight of budgets and personnel.
• Demonstrated background in applied research and/or outreach in sustainable agriculture.
• Proven ability to build and maintain diverse coalitions and collaborative projects.
• Strong commitment to engaging stakeholders from varied backgrounds and perspectives.
• Experience in grant writing, reviewing, and management.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Master’s degree relevant to position responsibilities; Ph.D. or terminal degree preferred.

Additional Information

The University of Vermont values diversity and inclusion and encourages candidates who contribute to this ideal to apply. The university adheres to principles of openness, respect, integrity, innovation, and justice. Applicants should submit a comprehensive application including a cover letter, a diversity statement, a grantmaking experience statement, and a resume with references. Review begins August 14, 2023, with position availability starting around January 8, 2024.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University is committed to equal opportunity and affirmative action, ensuring employees and applicants are treated without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, or any other protected status under law.