Agriculture and Livestock, /Montezuma County, Cortez CO

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of all backgrounds and abilities. We invite you to review Colorado State University’s Principles of Community that guide our mission and vision of access, teaching, service and engagement.

Located in southwest Colorado, Montezuma County has a population of approximately 26,200 with Cortez as the primary community. The county office is also in Cortez. The area population is growing as people relocate for employment, retirement, and the desirability of the area as a place to live. The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe is headquartered in Towaoc, which is located approximately 13 miles south of Cortez. Natural wonders provide abundant year-round recreational activities including camping, skiing, hiking, hunting, and fishing.  To learn more about Montezuma County Extension, go to: https://montezumacounty.org/csu-extension/. To learn more about Colorado State University Extension, go to: http://extension.colostate.edu/

Colorado State University encourages professional development and provides an Employee Study Privilege with up to 9 credit hours of tuition assistance annually.

APPLICATION PROCESS AND DEADLINE: For full consideration, all materials must be RECEIVED no later than 11:59 PM Mountain Time on Monday, September 20, 2021. Please submit the following to https://jobs.colostate.edu to apply:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Transcript of college(s) course work showing degrees conferred. Please remove all references to birth date or social security number.
• Special Required Documentation – Statement (no more than 5 pages) of how you meet all applicable “Required” and “Preferred” Job Qualifications. Please respond to each bullet point separately.

All applicants will be contacted approximately 15 working days after the deadline regarding their status. Next steps and interview dates will be shared to those moving forward. Four professional references will be requested of applicants that advance in the interview process.

For questions regarding the application process, contact the Office of Equal Opportunity at (970) 491-5836 or email oeo@colostate.edu. For questions regarding the job vacancy, responsibilities, and salary, please contact Greg Felsen at (970) 564-4155 or Greg.Felsen@colostate.edu.

PURPOSE OF POSITION

This position develops, markets, and delivers non-credit educational programming in response to community needs. The individual in this position works as a member of the local county Extension team and as a local representative of Colorado State University. This individual works under the guidance and supervision of the Montezuma County Director and the Southwest Regional Director.

The position will provide leadership in the development, implementation, and evaluation of educational programs in livestock, small acreage, rangeland and natural resources in Montezuma County. This will include work with conventional crops, specialty crops, and pastures. Programs must include attention to best-use practices that deal with growing crops and livestock in a challenging environment, with an overall objective of agricultural profitability and sustainability.

The program will service a wide audience of agricultural and private enterprises, ranging from new farmers to owners and operators of maturing agricultural businesses. The individual will provide one-on-one assistance as well as seminars and networking opportunities designed to enhance the economic and environmental viability of all Montezuma County agricultural enterprises.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

Program Planning, Development, Delivery, Evaluation and Reporting: 75%

• Develop, market, deliver, and evaluate non-credit educational programs for livestock producers, natural resources users and small acreage owners to enhance producer’s profitability and sustainability. On-going and developing educational needs include but are not limited to, grazing management, pest control, cover crops, soil and water quality and natural resource conservation.
• Respond to the needs and desires of the local livestock producers, small acreage owners and natural resource users to provide research-based knowledge to ensure that sustainability of the environment as well as the producer are maintained. This can be provided through educational events as well as one on one contacts.
• Develop and/or utilize appropriate agricultural production educational materials, which could include computer-based decision tools, news releases, radio programs, written materials, workshops and other technologies to help educate target audiences.
• Support the local delivery of statewide programs appropriate to Montezuma County.
• Seek out and manage external funding, personnel, and in-kind resources to support programming efforts.
• Commit to diversity as demonstrated by persistent effort, active planning, allocation of resources and accountability for diversity outcomes.
• Provide program and information delivery support to colleagues in area(s) of specified expertise as appropriate.

Note: % of job assigned to this duty may be changed as the program develops.

Initiate and Develop Relationships and Partnerships: 25%

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with peers, other departments and agencies, and the general public that inspires loyalty, excellence, and integrity.
• Actively participate in one or more Extension work teams to provide expertise for program and information development, delivery and evaluation efforts for Montezuma County.
• Support and build relationships with applicable agriculture and natural resource groups, committees and organizations.
• Work with advisory committees, community leaders, area agencies and non-profits to continually assess conditions and develop effective plans of work providing measurable program outcomes.
• Promote and represent Extension and Extension programming throughout the community and within Montezuma County.
• Seek out, develop and manage external partnerships and funding sources to support programming efforts.
• Assure compliance with civil rights and affirmative action policies including reaching out to underserved and underrepresented audiences.

Note: % of job assigned to this duty may be changed as the program develops.

SALARY: The salary range for this position is $42,000 – $60,000. Starting salary will be commensurate with education and experience.

REQUIRED JOB QUALIFICATIONS:    

• Completed bachelor’s degree.
• One degree must have been conferred in agricultural sciences, animal sciences, general agriculture, range management, natural resource management, Extension education or a closely related field.
• A successful candidate without a completed master’s degree will be required to complete a master’s degree within five years from the start of employment, and the degree process must be initiated within 12 months of the hire date. Failure to do so will result in termination unless a compelling reason is accepted by the Vice President of Engagement and Extension.
• Ability to communicate through teaching, public speaking/presentation and writing as demonstrated through application materials and experience.
• Demonstrated experience working with people as individuals and in groups; ability to forge equitable and successful partnerships with other professionals and organizations.
• Demonstrated use of technology in managing and/or delivering educational programs.
• Must have a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain a driver’s license or access to a licensed driver by the employment start date.

PREFERRED JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

• Completed master’s degree in field listed above.
• Knowledge of or experience with livestock, irrigated crop production, dryland production, soil fertility, weed management, pastures, and plant identification.
• Commitment to include diverse voices in program prioritization and planning, and a commitment to developing and delivering both inclusive and targeted programming.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with mass media (TV, web, internet, radio, newspapers).
• Experience creating, presenting and organizing educational conferences, seminars, and workshops.
• Ability to speak Spanish.

BENEFITS: Colorado State University is committed to providing employees with a strong and competitive benefits package that supports you, your health, and your family. Visit CSU’s Human Resources website for detailed benefit plan information for permanent full-time and part-time faculty and administrative professional employees in the following University benefit areas. https://hr.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2021/01/benefits-summary-afap.pdf.

Colorado State University is committed to providing an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based on race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy and will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services.

The Acting Title IX Coordinator is the Vice President for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX, 123 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO. 80523-0160, (970) 491-1715, titleix@colostate.edu.

The Section 504 and ADA Coordinator is the Vice President for Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title IX, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836.

BACKGROUND CHECK: Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

Application process and additional information may be obtained at http://jobs.colostate.edu/postings/92199