Work Location: The extension office is in Gonzales, Louisiana. The area to be served is Ascension Parish, which is in southern Louisiana with a population of approximately 135,000 residents. The parish has over 40 public and private schools and 5 school districts. With over 35 school clubs, and 5 project-based clubs engaging over 1,300 4-H members and over 200 youth through enrichment efforts (pre-pandemic data). The parish has a potential youth audience of over 24,000 youth. The program works with over 350 adult and youth volunteers and other non-profit organizations that help support 4-H programs. The goals of the 4-H Youth Development Program include increasing youth leadership development and community service learning; strengthening the partnership between 4-H and formal education; and expanding volunteer involvement to increase contact hours per youth. Agriculture commodities are sugarcane, soybeans, cattle, forestry, horticultural crops, and hay production.

Position Description: The LSU AgCenter is actively seeking applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service.

The Assistant/Associate Extension Agent will provide along with the 4-H Agents in the parish, overall leadership for non-formal youth development education in the parish and work with and through volunteers to plan and organize a well-balanced 4-H youth program. The Extension Agent will target increased involvement of less active youth audiences and expand program diversity and delivery. Program delivery includes 4-H school clubs, project and community clubs, camps, after school programs, school enrichment, leadership programs, short-term special interest groups and community service learning. Some programs may require working evenings and weekends.  The agent will be in charge of the Ascension 4-H shooting sports program and must be willing to work in other closely related fields. The Extension Agent is responsible for working with program advisory committees to identify local youth needs, to develop programs that respond to those needs, and to assess the impacts of the programs. The identification, recruitment training, and support of volunteers are essential for an effective 4-H program. As an Extension employee, the agent must be willing to continue professional development and remain current with youth development research and its application to programming. The incumbent is expected to perform other tasks that may be assigned by supervisor(s) and work cooperatively with other Extension faculty at the parish, region, and state levels. There may be some weekend programs that will need to be implemented.

As a LSU AgCenter faculty member, you will also: work with agencies and organizations to assist or lead cooperative and interdisciplinary projects, both in the parish and through multi-parish efforts; provide service to schools outside of 4-H programming; develop creative works in support of programming, including presentations, professional posters, and web-based education; write scholarly publications related to the field of expertise; and participate in professional associations and service activities for the LSU AgCenter. You will document efforts through an annual plan of work (POW) and report of accomplishment. For those being hired as an Assistant/Associate agent you will be expected to attain promotion and tenure per LSU AgCenter guidelines.

What you will do:

• Plan, develop, teach, evaluate, and report on youth educational programs that meet the needs of the parish’s diverse population in coordination with the Ascension Parish 4-H Program and in alignment with the strategic direction of the Louisiana 4-H Youth Development program.
• Deliver youth development programming through 4-H community clubs, special interest clubs/groups, school enrichment, day camps, after school programs, and other events and activities, emphasizing leadership, community service, and workforce development to name a few.
• Coordinate youth and volunteer involvement in multi-parish, state, regional, and the national 4-H program and events.
• Build and lead a strong volunteer base through recruitment, screening, training, and managing adult volunteers, including competency building using state and national 4-H research-based methods.
• Teach and equip volunteers in educational methods to guide and support 4-H member projects in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), including animal sciences, environmental education, robotics, and agriculture, as well as the arts, entrepreneurship, career development, leadership, nutrition, healthy living, and citizenship.
• Assess and identify opportunities for volunteers to serve in management and leadership roles; then recruit, train, and use volunteers in those roles.
• Ensure the volunteer screening process is implemented and up to date and oversee all aspects of 4-H program risk management as directed by Louisiana 4-H Headquarters and local policies.
• Develop program delivery strategies that include the use of deliberately focused virtual platforms. Employ up to 25% virtual programming as appropriate within parish technology resources and stakeholder needs.
• Encourage and support health equity programming and systems for youth as resources are available.
• Use a needs assessment to target programs focused on youth, reflecting the parish’s diverse population and the unique educational needs of Ascension Parish.
• Collaborate and develop strategic partnerships with parish and governmental departments, local businesses, and social service agencies to provide diverse and innovative educational opportunities for positive youth development.
• Use resourcefulness, creativity, enthusiasm, and innovativeness to strengthen current educational programs while reviewing and implementing new policies, maintaining enrollments and records, assessing risks, communicating effectively across social media platforms, managing the program’s financial resources, and creating educational materials.
• Seek and manage financial resources to support 4-H programming and ensure all financial policies are followed as instructed by LSU AgCenter and 4-H Foundation guidelines.
• Follow all LSU AgCenter policies and best practices regarding affirmative action, program development, program evaluation, and reporting.
• Develop and implement a communication plan for 4-H program participants, families, volunteers, and stakeholders using effective and contemporary approaches, including current social media.
• Write content for various media sources (e.g., newspapers, radio, newsletters, web, social media) to promote programs, report on programs, and educate the public.

Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated organizational skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to use social media in a variety of formats.
• Comfort presenting in front of small and large crowds.
• Experience establishing solid partnerships.
• Highly self-motivated.
• Innovative audience engagement and development.
• Demonstrated skills in partnership development and project management.
• Experience creating lesson plans, developing instructional materials, and applying teaching methods appropriate for the audience.
• Experience managing volunteers.
• Experience working in multicultural settings and coursework/training on multicultural topics.

Qualification Requirements: A baccalaureate degree in education, vocational education, agricultural sciences, family, and consumer sciences/human ecology, biological or social sciences, recreation and leisure studies or closely related areas. Must have an undergraduate degree with an overall grade-point average of at least 2.5 (all GPA requirements based on a 4.0 system) and a 3.0 for graduate work attempted, if any, or master’s degree with an overall grade-point average of at least 3.0 or a current grade-point average of at least 3.0 on at least 12 hours of graduate credit. The applicant must demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills. A Master's degree in a field listed above is desired. Experience in recruiting, training and supervising volunteers and experience in teaching and applying principles of leadership development to both youth and adults is also desired. Knowledge of public relations and the ability to cope with change are highly desirable characteristics. Ability to work with and through others is essential as is the ability to function with minimum supervision.

Salary and Benefits: Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. The LSU AgCenter has an attractive benefits package with a wide variety of benefit options. Benefits offered include retirement, multiple medical insurance options, supplemental insurances (dental, life, long-term disability, accident, vision, long-term care, etc.), Tax Saver Flexible Benefits Plan (saves tax dollars on some child care and medical expenses), university holidays (14 per year, typically includes a week off at Christmas), generous annual (vacation) and sick leave benefits, Employee Assistance Program, and possible educational leave and tuition exemption for coursework at campuses of the LSU System.  Specific benefits depend on job category, percent effort and length of employment.

Conditions of Employment: A personal automobile and appropriate insurance coverage is required (travel allowance provided). Satisfactory completion of two specific graduate level extension courses is generally required in the first two years of employment. Additionally, a faculty member who does not have a related master’s degree must complete a minimum of 15 hours of related graduate level coursework, which includes the two graduate courses referenced above, in order to be promoted to associate agent and such promotion must occur in the first seven years of employment.

Date Available:  Upon completion of the selection process

Application Deadline:  January 10, 2025 or until a suitable candidate is identified

Application Procedure: Qualified candidates must apply online at https://lsu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/LSU  (or through Workday for internal applicants) by attaching file(s) containing a curriculum vita, a letter of application, official university transcripts, two letters of reference and a statement describing how diversity would figure into your teaching, research, or extension activities. Questions about the online application system should be directed to the HRM Office at 225/578-0324. (Paper, faxed, or emailed application materials will not be accepted.)  In lieu of attaching the letters of reference, they may be sent directly to:

Dr. Glen Gentry, Interim Regional Director

Southeast Region

9039 S. St. Landry Ave.

Gonzales, LA. 70737

Email: Ggentry@agcenter.lsu.edu 

Phone: (225) 301-7328

Web site:  www.lsuagcenter.com

The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and applications will be accepted without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability. Information on Equal Employment can be obtained from the EEO and Civil Rights Coordinator, 103 J. Norman Efferson Hall, LSU AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. Phone 225.578.2258.  It is the policy of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service to employ only United States citizens or aliens lawfully authorized to work in the United States.

The LSU Agricultural Center is a statewide campus of the LSU System and provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.
An Equal Opportunity Employer.