Job description

University of Illinois Extension

WE TRANSFORM LIVES.
Everything we do is designed to
improve the quality of life of the people in the state of Illinois, across the
nation, and around the world. We discover, develop, translate, and disseminate
knowledge to address societal concerns and train the next generation of experts
and leaders in a way that empowers them to expand the boundaries of science to
higher levels of understanding and influence.

Be a part of our story. Through learning partnerships
that extend knowledge and change lives, University of Illinois Extension
provides educational programs aimed at making life better, healthier, safer,
and more profitable for individuals and their communities. Illinois Extension
has operated continuously for more than 100 years connecting the citizens of
Illinois to their land-grant university by providing educational programming
around the state. University of Illinois Extension is based in the College of
ACES and works with all colleges and units of the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign.

The Assistant Dean / Program
Leader and Director of 4-H Youth Development (Assistant Dean, 4-H Youth
Development) serves as a regular, full-time, 12-month academic professional
with primary responsibility for leading and developing statewide educational programming
in positive youth development. The Assistant Dean for 4-H Youth Development
supports one of the six core Extension program areas and within the 4-H Youth
Development program area will focus on one or more of the following
interdisciplinary strategic priorities: Community, Economy, Environment, Food
and Agriculture, Health, Partnerships, Technology and Discovery and / or
Workforce Excellence.

The Assistant Dean for 4-H Youth
Development provides innovative and visionary organizational leadership to
statewide youth programming, including fostering interdisciplinary team
efforts, implementing and evaluating Extension research-based programs, and
acquisition, leadership and coordination of revenue generation opportunities in
support of societal and economic needs and issues of Illinois. The Assistant
Dean for 4-H Youth Development provides leadership in building relationships
and reporting outcomes to regional and county directors, local, state and
national legislators and other stakeholders. The incumbent provides leadership
to Extension’s volunteer delivery system and provides summaries of the value of
volunteers and 4-H Youth Development program outcomes and impacts.

The Assistant
Dean for 4-H Youth Development will be expected to lead and deliver
research-based educational programs and to work within team settings that may
consist of other Extension leaders and faculty within and outside the College
of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES). Establishment of a
program of work based on community-based needs assessments is essential to
provide clear directions, partnerships and collaborations to successfully solve
statewide problems. This position will be located in Urbana-Champaign at the
State 4-H Office and within approximately two years, on the University of
Illinois campus and will report to the Associate Dean and Director of Extension
and Outreach, and will be available to all of Illinois Extension. The incumbent
will provide leadership and coordination to ongoing and innovative 4-H and
youth development programs carried out across the state by over 50 academic
youth development educators, 100+ civil service staff and 25,000 volunteers
reaching over 200,000 youth annually through 4-H clubs, collaborative community
education programs and change initiatives, camps, conferences and other
innovative programs that address the needs of Illinois’ youth.

One full time position is
available.
Location: Champaign, IL
(Position will be located at the State
4-H Office)

This is a security-sensitive
position. Comprehensive background
checks, including but not limited to a criminal conviction information check, a
CANTS check, and a review of the Registered Sex Offender list, will be
conducted.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Development,
Delivery and Evaluation

• Develop through participatory
  strategies an innovative statewide program of work in response to county /
  regional needs, as well as emerging state and national issues; collaboratively
  coordinate statewide needs assessments with the Associate Dean and Director of
  Extension, Assistant Deans / Program Leaders and Associate Directors for
  Regions (ADRs); encourage the acceptance of 4-H youth development plans and
  recommendations from Extension personnel.
• Oversee curriculum development or
  the acquisition of research-based curriculum and basic educational materials to
  address the program needs of the state, ensuring a strong research-based
  foundation; guide Extension staff and volunteers in its use.
• Develop collaborations and
  networks with academic units and other departments on campus and outside the
  University system that address the needs of Illinois youth.
• Serve as liaison to Extension
  development teams that address youth issues; effectively collaborate with
  faculty Extension specialists to deliver programs and information regarding 4-H
  Youth Development.
• Provide leadership for building
  relationships with state, multi-state, national and international stakeholders,
  organizations and constituents.
• Provide information on state 4-H
  Youth Development programs to leaders of state agencies serving youth and other
  appropriate groups. Coordinate programs with these agencies when joint
  sponsorship seems feasible.
• Address urban and rural needs in
  positive youth development by collaborating with others.
• Identify and / or develop appropriate
  program evaluation and assessment methods and tools to continuously improve 4-H
  Youth Development educational programs, trainings and offerings; conduct
  trainings of the use of each method and tool to effectively evaluate outcomes.
• Collect, analyze and disseminate
  program outcomes and impact on a local, regional, state and national level; use
  data to drive decision making.
• Provide leadership to the
  development, delivery and assessment of research-based in-service education
  opportunities to ensure continual education of campus and field educators and
  staff regarding program development, delivery and evaluation.
• Implement and support a statewide
  marketing plan for 4-H Youth Development, including engaging in public
  relations and constituent relations opportunities.
• Communicate the need for
  cross-regional and interdisciplinary collaboration and program delivery to
  staff, stakeholders and constituents.
• Provide oversight to adult
  volunteers working with 4-H Youth Development programs, in collaboration with
  the Workforce Development team; work with University legal counsel, risk
  management personnel and Extension staff to maintain acceptable risk management
  and child protection policies.
• Develop strategies for
  recruitment, training, retention and recognition of volunteers.
• Work and meet at least annually
  with the state advisory committee for volunteers and youth.
• Serve as program director, primary
  investigator or co-investigator for grants and other funding opportunities to
  ensure utilization of organizational resources are consistent with critical
  program priorities; write grants as needed.
• Collaborate with Extension faculty
  specialists, principal investigators, ADRs, and county directors regarding
  local participation on grant-funded projects.
• Develop, lead and coordinate
  innovative revenue-generating opportunities for Illinois Extension related to
  positive youth development.
• Participate in statewide Extension
  activities as assigned by the Associate Dean and Director of Extension.
• Lead and / or actively participate
  on organizational committees / teams such as Extension Leadership Team, new
  employee orientation, technology systems, in-service education programs, etc.
  as needed or requested.
• Participate in meetings with the
  Extension State Advisory Council (ESAC) by providing leadership to ESAC in
  making state and national legislative contacts to advance Extension’s programs
  and funding.
• Maintain constructive working
  relationships with the Illinois Extension staff, Illinois Extension
  Professionals for Youth Education (IEPYE) network, and National Association of Extension
  4-H Youth Development Professionals.
• Engage in National 4-H Council
  priorities as appropriate and relevant for Illinois Extension.
• Participate in professional
  improvement opportunities when appropriate to the role of Assistant Dean /
  Program Leader and the Extension profession.
• Conduct all activities in
  accordance with the Civil Rights Act, Title IX, Rehabilitation, Americans with
  Disabilities Act, and the University of Illinois Affirmative Action and Equal
  Employment Opportunity Plan.

Personnel

• Supervise the academic
  professional and civil service staff in the State 4-H Office, including hiring,
  training, coaching, motivating, etc.; coordinate performance evaluation of
  these staff, requesting input from academic field staff.
• Co-supervise, with the College of
  ACES, Office of Advancement, and oversee the work and activities of the primary
  fundraiser for 4-H Youth Development.
• Collaborate with the Associate
  Dean and Director of Extension and Extension administrative team to determine
  statewide position priorities, create a staffing plan and position descriptions
  for 4-H Youth Development.
• Participate in the recruitment,
  review of applications and selection of Extension staff and specifically 4-Y
  Youth Development academic professionals; explore opportunities to connect with
  campus-based staff to address statewide programming needs and emerging trends
  in the field of youth development.
• Assist in determining statewide
  performance expectations for academic professional and civil service staff
  within the program area, including quantity, quality, impact, outcomes,
  audience and reporting.
• Support the supervision of field
  academic professional and civil service staff, as well as the 4-H volunteers
  throughout Illinois; provide input to county directors in consultation with
  respective ADRs for academic professional staff members regarding annual
  performance evaluations that may include program quality, quantity, outcomes,
  impact, and reporting or other issues related to job responsibilities as
  needed.
• Encourage and ensure scholarship
  of academic staff who make creative intellectual contributions to their
  profession.

• Engage as a constructive leader
  and team member for Illinois Extension.

Reporting

• Prepare required plans of work and
  state annual reports for 4-H Youth Development.
• Report outcomes / accomplishments
  in 4-H Youth Development for use in state and national reports.
• Assist in marketing educational
  programs and reports to highlight the work and accomplishments of the 4-H Youth
  Development program area.
• Demonstrate to stakeholders the
  importance of volunteer delivered programs to achieve high program quality,
  program expansion and program impact.

• Support the online reporting
  system by working with the director of program planning and assessment to
  gather critical information to determine program outreach efforts and
  accomplishments in 4-H Youth Development.

Fiscal

• Provide fiscal oversight of the
  4-H Youth Development program area by managing and directing the financial
  operations of the State 4-H Office, including budgets, monitoring financial
  activities, approving expenditures and developing needs reports.
• Provide leadership and
  accountability to the operation, administration, and development of resources
  to enhance the 4-H Youth Development programs throughout Illinois, including providing
  leadership in revenue generation for obtaining grants, contracts and fees.
• Coordinate with the Illinois 4-H
  Foundation, local 4-H foundations, and the College of ACES Office of
  Advancement in generating and managing gifts and endowments.
• Establish and maintain formal
  partnerships and collaborations to enable external funding opportunities on a
  state, multi-state, national and international level.

• Ensure University of Illinois
  Extension fiscal policies are followed.

Other Information

• Comply with all University of
  Illinois Extension Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity policies and
  guidelines in all aspects of Extension and Outreach work, assists as requested
  with data collection for Affirmative Action, Gender, and Targeted reports.
• Assume additional related
  responsibilities to enhance the mission of Illinois Extension.

Physical Demands
To perform the functions of this position, the employee will
be required to perform work both within an office and outside in the
communities that are served and must have the capability to travel from one
location to the other in a timely fashion. Employee is responsible for
securing personal transportation. A valid driver’s license is
preferred. Some work will be required during evenings and/or
weekends. When working, the employee may be exposed to a variety of
environmental factors to include, but not limited to, hot or cold weather,
exposure to noise and allergens, and uneven ground. In performing the
functions of this position, the employee may be subjected to various mental and
physical demands as well to include, but not limited to, independently
traveling to and performing work at different locations, ability to move,
transfer and/or transport items that may occasionally weigh up to forty (40)
pounds and frequently weigh up to twenty (20) pounds, and twisting, pushing and
pulling movements. More detailed information regarding the functions of this
position (including the physical, mental, and environmental requirements of the
position) may be obtained from Human Resources for the College of Agricultural,
Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) by contacting [email protected].

Administrative and Programmatic
Relationship
The Assistant Dean, 4-H Youth
Development is administratively and programmatically responsible to the
Associate Dean and Director, Extension and Outreach.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

• Earned doctorate from an accredited institution of higher education. Appropriate fields of study include those related to education, including agricultural, family and consumer sciences, or Extension, adult education, educational leadership or administration, non-profit administration or child, youth, or human development.

Experience:

• Ten (10) years of successful and progressive experience in program development in the area of youth development.
• Experience organizing and directing statewide programs and leading and managing teams.
• Experience directing programs pointed toward the resolution of cultural, social, technical and economic problems.
• Demonstrated ability to secure funding from public and/or private sources.
• Experience working with external constituencies, volunteer delivery systems and a variety of audiences.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to be eligible for a 0% adjunct appointment in at least one of the eight College of ACES academic units.
• Experience in educational delivery in subject content of positive youth development and with information delivery through various technologies.
• Knowledge, understanding, experience and leadership with AI technologies.
• Experience collaborating with community organizations to develop innovative programs and activities.
• Experience with 4-H operations.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Understanding of and commitment to the land-grant university mission. Knowledge of the organization, objectives, policies and programs of the Cooperative Extension Service. Understanding of rural and urban issues upon which educational programs in 4-H are determined. Experience developing programs for major metropolitan areas. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work within a team environment. Ability to work with a variety of audiences and to be inclusive. Ability to collaborate with other youth-serving organizations to develop programs and activities. Ability to build and maintain a variety of networks. Cultural competency. Knowledge of grantsmanship and developing external revenue generating opportunities with successful outcomes.

Appointment
Information
Sponsorship
for work authorization is not available for this position. This position is a full-time, benefits-eligible, non-tenure academic
professional position appointed on a 12-month service basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the
closing date. The previously determined salary range for this position
was $135,000 to $150,000. We strive to provide a competitive salary while taking
into consideration internal equity, candidate experience and qualifications, as
well as budget constraints. The final salary offer will be determined through a
calculation involving these elements. It is not typical for an individual to be
offered a salary at the top of the full range for this position.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Accommodations may also be requested on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, or religion. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing [email protected].

Requisition ID: 1031116

Job Category: Off-Campus

How to apply

Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu

The University of Illinois is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. The administration, faculty and staff embrace diversity and are committed to attracting qualified candidates who also embrace and value diversity and inclusivity.
Applications must be
received by 6:00 pm (CST) on July 7, 2025. Apply for this position using
the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Please upload a resume, cover letter, and
the names and contact information for three professional references. Resume
dates submitted must be in month/year format and employment history, at
a minimum, should include all work dating back to the completion of your
undergraduate degree. Positions that were less than full-time/100% must be
noted as being part-time. Transcripts may be requested at a later date. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered.

For further
information about this specific position, please contact search chair Sarah Low at [email protected]. For questions
regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois offers a very competitive benefits portfolio, depending on the position. Click for a complete list of Employee Benefits.