Description:

The Sustainable and Climate-smart Program Coordinator will be housed in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The position provides leadership to Southern SARE Sustainable Agriculture and Climate-smart Program led by Program Director Dr. Biswanath Dari (Extension Natural Resource Specialist) in Cooperative Extension. This person will be responsible for helping and developing the program in two program areas: sustainable agriculture (funded by Southern SARE ) and climate-smart agriculture (funded by NRCS Partnership for Climate-smart commodity).

The Program Assistant and Outreach Coordinator will play an integral role in advancing sustainable and climate-smart agriculture land-management practices in North Carolina and southeast. Reporting to the NC A&T SARE State Coordinator, Dr. Biswanath Dari, this individual will dedicate 50% effort annually to coordinating the Southern SARE PDP Model State Program while simultaneously contributing to broader project outreach and education initiatives. Responsibilities include collaborating with NC State University counterparts, Advisory Boards, and stakeholders to organize training programs and workshops that engage minority, underserved, and small-scale farming communities. The individual will oversee travel arrangements for participants, manage program budgets, and collect post-event evaluations to assess program outcomes. They will also advertise SARE resources to Extension agents and prepare annual reports and proposals for review by the State Coordinator.

In addition to these duties, the individual will lead efforts to educate farmers, ranchers, and landowners on the value of climate-smart practices, with a focus on soil health and carbon management. They will develop practical manuals, create web-based resources, and publish project outcomes in extension materials and peer-reviewed articles. This role includes managing and coordinating training sessions, workshops, and field days while helping other team members in mentoring and training in the related activities. Significant travel is required to support field days, webinars, and technical assistance for farmers participating in on-farm trials. This dual role combines technical expertise, program coordination, and outreach, ensuring impactful education and engagement with diverse agricultural communities throughout North Carolina including southeast.

Coordination includes regular and very frequent/routine communication with supervisor that may include response after hours as needed by the project. Coordination will include communication with other project partners such as North Carolina State University (counter-part of this position) as well as other partners organization such as Rodale Institute, North Carolina State University, other program team members at NCA &T led by Dr. Dari, such as farm staff, other technicians, postdoc, coordinators, student interns, students, and other extension personnel.

The coordinator will also provide support in maintaining professional communication services such as completing project reports and project evaluation. This position will require frequent communication with Program PI to execute the program so applicant should be willing to communicate effectively, learn and implement tasks as the program is running.

Primary Function of Organizational Unit:

N.C. A&T is a public, land-grant, doctoral research institution and has been the largest historically Black university in the country for the past decade. With an enrollment of 14,311 students in Fall 2024, the university offers 59 undergraduate degree programs, 36 master’s programs, and 12 doctoral programs. It is America’s top producer of Black graduates in Engineering and Agricultural Science bachelor’s programs, as well as a top five producer in numerous additional disciplines, including Liberal Arts and Communications/Journalism. It also ranks no. 3 in master’s degrees awarded to Black graduates in Engineering Technologies and Related Fields, no. 4 in master’s degrees in Engineering, and no. 11 best business school for women in the nation.

Nationally recognized for its leadership and excellence in STEM education and research, N.C. A&T is classified as “R2-High Research Activity” in the Carnegie Classifications and is poised to achieve “R1-Very High Research Activity” status. It also holds Carnegie’s earned credential in Community Engagement and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities ( APLU ) Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation. With an annual economic impact of $2.4 billion, N.C. A&T plays a vital role as a higher-education economic driver in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region and across a state that is ranked No. 1 in the nation for the second straight year as “best for business” by the CNBC financial network.

The Cooperative Extension Program at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is an educational outreach organization within the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Cooperative Extension at A&T provides researched-based educational information, programming and technical assistance to limited-resource audiences that address a diverse range of issues in four programmatic areas – Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Sciences, Community and Rural Development, and 4-H Youth Development. Together with its partners – North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, state and county governments, a dynamic and resourceful system is formed. In addition to campus operations, The Cooperative Extension Program has professionally staffed offices in almost half of the 100 counties in North Carolina and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.The Agriculture and Natural Resources programs of NCA &T Cooperative Extension help farmers diversify their traditional farms and begin new enterprises, offering new and innovative ways to grow food. The primary audiences are those farmers who are just beginning, those who are underserved, and those with small-scale acreage. Agricultural and Natural Resources staff conduct field days, tours, meetings and conferences, to deliver the latest information on farming practices and technologies, agricultural business management, natural resource conversation, food safety and gardening. They also develop and deliver programs in community-based and local food systems.

Requirements:

• Bachelors, some college, High School Diploma or equivalency and one year of program related experience; or equivalent combination of training and experience.

• 1-2 years’ experience working (hands-on) in agriculture and natural resources management with a focus on sustainable and climate-smart farm production and at least 1 years’ (hands-on) experience on managing field days, creating extension materials, helping farmers participation in attending conferences/field days, office management experience.

• Knowledge and experience in budget management, purchase, event management.

• Strong verbal and oral communication skills as well as interpersonal skills.

• Experience working with diverse audiences in both sustainable agriculture and climate-smart agriculture education.

• Ability to prioritize tasks and efficiently respond to emails and calls as requested by PI to execute the program needs.

• Management experience in organizing and supervising individuals and enterprises.

• Demonstrated skills in handling multiple tasks especially in the busy season of the projects that may include handling multiple office tasks, managing multiple team members’ needs, projects reporting and back-to-back extension field days or activities.

Preferred:

Prior experience related to the direction/oversight of programs that focus the academic, extension and research resources of a higher education institution towards community or regional issues.

Special Instructions:

You must complete and submit an electronic application for employment to be considered. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing an electronic application. Applicants seeking Veteran’s Preference must attach a DD 214 form. Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty with your application during the process of applying to the job posting. Final candidates are subject to criminal and sex offender background checks. North Carolina A&T State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. North Carolina A&T State University is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. No one who applies or seeks employment will be denied admission to or employment at North Carolina A&T State University on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, disabling condition, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or sexual orientation and sexual identity.

Employee Benefits available to NC A & T permanent employees include the following and more;

• Accrued Vacation and Sick Leave for Eligible Employees

• Community Service Leave

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC – Health Benefits

• NCFlex – Vision, Dental, Flexible Spending Account, Life Insurance and more

• 12 Paid Holidays

• Teachers and State Employees Retirement System ( TSERS )

• Optional Supplemental Plans – 401k, 403b, 457b and 457

• Employee Assistance Program ( EAP )

• Campus Recreation Center Discount

• University Bookstore Discount

• and more

  This position may be eligible for a remote or hybrid work arrangement, consistent with university and state policies. N.C. A&T employees are generally required to reside in North Carolina, within a 2-hour commuting distance of their assigned duty station.

Job Closing Date: 02/28/2025