The Director of Northeast SARE provides support to organizational personnel, develops positive external relationships, oversees management of administrative and outreach activities, and facilitates strategic thinking about programs, policies, and procedures.

Responsibilities:

Support the Northeast SARE staff team. Directly supervise three staff, support the development of all staff, and foster a culture of shared leadership, continuous improvement, and professional fulfillment.
Communicate and collaborate with the Administrative Council (AC), UVM administration, and staff to support the program’s goals, identify and address challenges, and document accomplishments.
Provide strategic leadership in grant making. Provide leadership for and support the Associate Director and staff in grant making operations including the application, review, award, reporting, and evaluation processes.
Co-lead Northeast SARE’s transformation to address diversity, equity, inclusion and justice throughout our organizational culture, operations, programs, and relationships.
Assure organization-wide understanding of roles and responsibilities; facilitate development and implementation of improvements in processes and policies when needed; lead recruitment, orientation, and support for AC members.
Engage in relationship-building to strengthen connections with SARE stakeholders throughout the Northeast. Stay informed and connected to the range of research, education, and innovation in sustainable agriculture throughout the Northeast.
Represent Northeast SARE to other SARE regions, NIFA, UVM, and to a wide range of regional and national entities that engage with, or could engage with, our programs. Communicate throughout the region and nationally about our programs, contributions, challenges, and lessons learned. Ensure transparency and accountability with stakeholders.
Develop contracts and agreements between NIFA and UVM by preparing funding applications, leading the management of awards, and working with staff to assure effective financial management, analysis of results, submission of reports, and compliance with USDA and UVM policies.
Advise and support contracts and relationships with the Professional Development Program staff, ensuring strong and positive collaboration with their work and the work of SARE State Coordinators.

The Northeast SARE Director is a 12-month, 1.0 FTE position. An assignment at 0.80 FTE may be possible to accommodate other academic activities. The position is housed in the South Burlington office of UVM Extension, or another UVM Extension office where space is available. Remote work may be possible, within UVM’s telework policy, and is contingent on candidate needs and UVM requirements.

The Northeast SARE Director will hold an underlying faculty appointment as a Research Professor, at a rank appropriate to the candidate’s background and experience, reporting to the Associate Director of UVM Extension.

The Director Of Northeast SARE Provides Support To Organizational Personnel, Develops Positive External Relationships, Oversees Management Of Administrative And Outreach Activities, And Facilitates Strategic Thinking About Programs, Policies, And Procedures. Responsibilities Include:

Support the Northeast SARE staff team. Directly supervise three staff, support the development of all staff, and foster a culture of shared leadership, continuous improvement, and professional fulfillment.
Communicate and collaborate with the Administrative Council (AC), UVM administration, and staff to support the program’s goals, identify and address challenges, and document accomplishments.
Provide strategic leadership in grant making. Provide leadership for and support the Associate Director and staff in grant making operations including the application, review, award, reporting, and evaluation processes.
Co-lead Northeast SARE’s transformation to address diversity, equity, inclusion and justice throughout our organizational culture, operations, programs, and relationships.
Assure organization-wide understanding of roles and responsibilities; facilitate development and implementation of improvements in processes and policies when needed; lead recruitment, orientation, and support for AC members.
Engage in relationship-building to strengthen connections with SARE stakeholders throughout the Northeast. Stay informed and connected to the range of research, education, and innovation in sustainable agriculture throughout the Northeast.
Represent Northeast SARE to other SARE regions, NIFA, UVM, and to a wide range of regional and national entities that engage with, or could engage with, our programs. Communicate throughout the region and nationally about our programs, contributions, challenges, and lessons learned. Ensure transparency and accountability with stakeholders.
Develop contracts and agreements between NIFA and UVM by preparing funding applications, leading the management of awards, and working with staff to assure effective financial management, analysis of results, submission of reports, and compliance with USDA and UVM policies.
Advise and support contracts and relationships with the Professional Development Program staff, ensuring strong and positive collaboration with their work and the work of SARE State Coordinators.

Five years of program leadership experience, including budget and personnel management.
Experience conducting applied research and/or outreach related to sustainable agriculture.
Experience building and sustaining diverse coalitions and collaborative projects.
Commitment to positively engage a wide range of stakeholders with a diversity of perspectives.
Experience writing, reviewing, and/or managing grants.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Master’s degree in a field related to the responsibilities of the position. Ph.D. or other terminal degree preferred.

The University of Vermont is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and inclusive excellence of the academic community through their teaching, service, and research, scholarship, or creative arts. Members of The University of Vermont community embrace and advance the values of Our Common Ground: Openness, Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Innovation, and Justice. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to the ideals of accessibility, inclusiveness, and academic excellence as reflected in the tenets of Our Common Ground.

To apply: Complete an application at www.uvmjobs.com and upload the required documents described below. Review of applications will begin on August 14, 2023. The position is available on or about January 8, 2024.

Required: Supporting Documentation. Upload items 1 -3 as a single pdf document.

Cover letter. Include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail. Describe your interest in the position, your relevant qualifications and experience. Provide an overview of, and your perspective on agricultural sustainability. and a description of your leadership approach with complex organizations.
Statement of experience with diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. Describe your experience working engaging and working with historically underserved agricultural communities and how you will integrate this experience at Northeast SARE.
Description of what makes an effective grantmaking program. Describe your experience writing, reviewing, and/or managing grants and your resulting approach to promoting effective grantmaking.
Resume with a minimum of three professional references. To avoid conflicts of interest, references are not permitted from Northeast SARE staff, State Coordinators or Administrative Council members.

The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category legally protected by federal or state law.

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