Field Specialist in Agricultural Business and Urban Agriculture - Jefferson County, MO

University of Missouri (MU) Office of Extension and Engagement

Agricultural and Business Policy Program

MU TITLE: Assistant/Associate/Full Extension Professional

LOCATION: Hillsboro, Missouri, and primarily serves Jefferson, St. Charles, St. Louis Counties and the City of St. Louis in the Urban East Region with additional service across the state as needed.

Specialist Emphasis

The emphasis area for this position is Agricultural Business and Urban Agriculture. This position will plan, teach, and evaluate educational programs that help farm and food businesses start, grow, and succeed in the St. Louis area. The position will mainly serve Jefferson, St. Charles, St. Louis Counties and the City of St. Louis in the Urban East Region.

This position will focus on business planning, marketing, risk management, and related support for urban and nearby agricultural businesses. The specialist may work with urban farms, small farms, market gardeners, beginning farmers, nonprofit agriculture groups, community farms, food entrepreneurs, local food businesses, value-added food producers, and other agricultural businesses that serve city and metro-area markets.

MU Extension Agricultural Business programs help people make better business decisions. Topics may include farm and business financial management, business plans, budgets, marketing plans, feasibility studies, pricing, recordkeeping, taxes, regulations, risk management, access to loans or grants, land access, leases, farm transition, value-added agriculture, and tools that help businesses start, expand, diversify, or become more profitable.

The specialist should also help clients understand and use new technologies that fit urban agriculture. This may include controlled-environment agriculture, high tunnels, small-scale irrigation systems, hydroponics, aquaponics, sensors, farm management software, online marketing tools, digital recordkeeping, food safety technology, and other tools that help urban farms improve production, efficiency, marketing, and profitability.

The specialist should provide technical assistance, often with state specialists and local partners. This work may support business plans, marketing plans, feasibility studies, surveys, enterprise analysis, grant or loan readiness, and other tools needed by producers, entrepreneurs, organizations, and agricultural businesses. The specialist will also help connect clients with the right regional and statewide partners when new business or economic development opportunities arise.

Educational programs may include in-person workshops, urban farm tours, field demonstrations, one-on-one visits, short courses, technical assistance projects, online programs, publications, decision tools, and media. Programs should provide research-based information that local clients can use. Strong programming will combine agricultural business knowledge with a clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing urban agriculture in a large metro area.

This position involves interacting with the agricultural and food systems community, including producers, farm families, urban growers, entrepreneurs, community organizations, industry representatives, local food system partners, municipalities, economic development organizations, local and statewide elected officials, and University colleagues from Missouri and the Midwest.

This position is a 12-month, ranked, non-tenure track appointment at the rank of assistant, associate, or full Extension Professional. Rank will be determined at the time of the appointment based on qualifications and experience in accordance with the MU Extension faculty standards. This position will hold the working title of Field Specialist in Agricultural Business and Urban Agriculture.

As a Field Specialist, your workload distribution at appointment will be 90% Extension Teaching and 10% Traditional Service.

This appointment is renewable annually at the discretion of the University and workload distribution may change at the discretion of Extension leadership. Circumstances affecting continued employment include, but are not limited to, work performance, fund availability, and educational priorities.

CORE DUTIES OF MU EXTENSION SPECIALISTS

MU Extension Specialists deliver the University of Missouri to all Missourians. They serve all Missourians by bringing research-based solutions to work on local problems. MU Extension Specialists teach new and foundational concepts, link people to resources, support partner organizations, participate in research, train volunteers, evaluate programs, foster innovation, and serve communities. MU Extension Specialists work as a team to expand educational attainment, foster economic development, and improve health outcomes. These core duties fall into three major areas:

Educate, Create, and Connect.

• Educate. MU Extension specialists design, conduct, and evaluate educational programs. MU Extension specialists teach research-based information via meetings, in-person, and online courses, continuing education classes, technical assistance, volunteer training, media, websites, consultation, and other educational methods. They provide educational programs that support the individual, organizational, and community goals of Missouri's learners and clients.
• Create. MU Extension specialists develop innovative and research-informed educational products, services, materials, and other scholarly works. These include curricula, publications, presentations, educational tools, websites, and similar resources. MU Extension specialists obtain and use extramural funding to support creative works. MU Extension specialists contribute to the scholarship of Extension and Engagement by evaluating programs that result in learning and behavior changes that impact individuals and communities.
• Connect. MU Extension specialists engage with learners, stakeholders, volunteers, and communities, including county extension councils, government officials and agencies, partners, and University and professional organizations. MU Extension specialists listen and respond with care. MU Extension specialists intentionally foster engaged partnerships and robust connections to the wide array of programs offered by the whole University of Missouri System.

Professional Expectations

• Engage with stakeholders in all coverage counties to identify educational needs and then collaborate with appropriate internal and external partners to meet programming needs, incorporating timely marketing strategies.
• Create an annual plan-of-work that reflects local needs and aligns with statewide program area efforts. Provide a monthly report for assigned county extension councils, supervisors, county commissioners and others, regarding programmatic efforts. Attend at least one county extension council meeting each month and provide a program review with feedback and analysis for the respective coverage area.
• Collaborate with campus-based specialists on research projects and then deliver findings from those efforts via demonstrations, field days, courses, workshops, consultations, publications, and appropriate media.
• Effectively work with supervisors, other specialists, and local leaders to complete administrative tasks as needed to support county efforts.
• Demonstrate competency in communication, educational programming, subject matter knowledge, educational delivery, volunteer management, grant acquisition, teamwork, interpersonal relations, organization knowledge, leadership, and professionalism.
• Offer timely, research-based information during times of natural disasters or unexpected catastrophic events.
• Represent the University of Missouri on boards and committees for assigned program area.
• Participate in professional development events to improve both technical and leadership skills.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support the mission of MU Extension.

Additional Expectations

• MU Extension Specialists travel regularly throughout Missouri and occasionally to out-of-state locations. MU Extension requires specialists to have a valid Missouri driver's license, a legally operating vehicle, and wireless telephone/data service for university use. MU Extension specialists receive reimbursement for approved travel expenses, per University of Missouri policy.
• MU Extension programs often occur outside of normal business hours. MU Extension Specialists should expect to attend these events as needed to meet the needs of learners, clients, and stakeholders.

MU EXTENSION LEADERSHIP RECEIVED

The Senior Program Director for Agriculture and Environment provides overall programmatic leadership. Programmatic supervision comes from the Education Director for the Agricultural and Business Policy Program with administrative oversight from the Regional Director for the Urban East Region.

MU EXTENSION INFORMATION

The University of Missouri (MU) Office of Extension and Engagement's distinct land-grant mission is to improve lives, communities, and economies by producing relevant, reliable, and responsive educational strategies throughout Missouri. Our dedicated and knowledgeable specialists and staff collaborate with researchers and community leaders to develop and deliver programs that address the needs of Missourians, including educational attainment, economic development, and healthy people. For more information about MU Extension and Engagement, please visit https://extension.missouri.edu/.

UNIVERSITY INFORMATION

The University of Missouri, also known as Mizzou and MU, is the Flagship University of the four-campus University of Missouri System. It is one of the state's land-grant universities. MU's comprehensive undergraduate programs and its graduate, professional, and research programs attract an annual enrollment of more than 30,000 students. MU Extension and Engagement programs are located on all four campuses and in 114 counties and St. Louis city.

Academic qualifications include an earned master's degree, MBA, Ph.D., or other applicable terminal degree in agricultural economics, agricultural business, agricultural marketing, business administration, business management, finance, urban agriculture, food systems, community development, or a closely related field at time of appointment.

Candidates will be evaluated on:

Knowledge of agricultural business, farm financial management, enterprise development, marketing, risk management, and/or local food systems.

Experience working with diverse audiences, including producers, entrepreneurs, community organizations, public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and agricultural or food-based businesses.

Understanding of urban agriculture, small-scale farming, local food systems, direct marketing, and the opportunities and constraints facing agricultural enterprises in metropolitan areas.

Ability to provide practical technical assistance in business plans, marketing plans, feasibility studies, enterprise budgets, pricing strategies, recordkeeping, grant or financing readiness, and related decision-making tools.

Effective and innovative teaching strategies that engage others, including strong listening, written, and oral communication skills.

Ability to collaborate with Extension colleagues, community partners, local governments, economic development organizations, and agricultural support entities.

This position offers a minimum starting salary of $58,000, with the final salary determined based on the candidate's qualifications and experience.

Complete the brief online application and be prepared to upload:

* Cover Letter

* Resume/CV

* Copies of all unofficial academic transcripts, and

* a list of 3-5 references

For questions regarding the online application process contact MUHR@missouri.edu or call 573.882.7976. For technical problems with the online application process contact Helpdesk@missouri.edu or call 573.882.5000.

Employment visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To request ADA accommodations, please call the Director of Accessibility and ADA at 573-884-7278.