Executive Director – Agriculture, Natural Resources & Strategic Centers, USU Extension

Overview

Utah State University Extension is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and forward-thinking leader to serve as Executive Director & Extension Professor – Agriculture, Natural Resources & Strategic Centers. Based at Utah State University’s main campus in Logan, Utah, this position provides statewide leadership for Extension’s agriculture, natural resources, and strategic center portfolio and also serves as the State Agriculture Extension Program Leader.

 

As a senior leader within USU Extension, the Executive Director provides strategic leadership and administrative oversight for a diverse portfolio of Extension programs, centers, facilities, and statewide initiatives, including:

• Extension Agriculture & Natural Resources Department
• Davis Agricultural Heritage Center
• USU Botanical Center
• Ogden Botanical Gardens
• Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter

 

Reporting to the Vice President of USU Extension, the Executive Director works across these areas to establish strategic direction, align people and resources, strengthen partnerships, support organizational leaders, and increase the collective impact of Extension programs and facilities throughout Utah.

 

This position serves as a leader of leaders, providing direction, support, and accountability to directors, faculty, and personnel responsible for the day-to-day leadership of programs and centers within the portfolio.

 

The Executive Director also serves as a member of USU Extension's senior leadership team, contributing to organization-wide strategy, resource planning, policy development, and decision-making.

While each area within the portfolio has a distinct mission, audience, and expertise, the Executive Director is responsible for identifying opportunities to connect programs, people, facilities, partnerships, and resources in ways that strengthen USU Extension's statewide mission and service to Utah communities. The successful candidate would be expected to represent USU Extension at social and donor events, industry conferences, and other events where USU Extension leadership is expected to represent USU with distinction. This position requires frequent statewide travel as well as frequent evening and weekend work.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for Agriculture & Natural Resources and the centers and initiatives within the assigned portfolio.
• Establish priorities that align with USU Extension and Utah State University goals.
• Translate organizational priorities into actionable plans and measurable outcomes.
• Work with faculty and staff to establish goals, priorities, and expectations for their respective areas.
• Identify emerging opportunities, challenges, and needs throughout Utah and position Extension to respond effectively.
• Advise Extension executive leadership regarding programs, facilities, personnel, resources, partnerships, risks, and opportunities.
• Lead and support organizational change and strategic initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for collaboration across programs and centers while preserving the distinct mission and strengths of each area.

Agriculture & Natural Resources

• Provide executive leadership for USU Extension's statewide agriculture and natural resources portfolio.
• Support Extension faculty, staff, specialists, programs, and initiatives serving Utah's agricultural producers, landowners, communities, industries, home horticulture, and natural resources.
• Strengthen connections among county and statewide Extension programming, academic departments, researchers, industry, government agencies, and community partners.
• Support development of responsive programming addressing current and emerging agricultural and natural resource needs.
• Encourage interdisciplinary approaches that connect university expertise with practical needs throughout Utah.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen, expand, and sustain high-impact Extension programming.
• Advocate for the personnel, financial, and program resources necessary to support effective statewide delivery.

Strategic Centers & Facilities

• Provide executive leadership and long-term strategic direction for the USU Botanical Center, Davis Agricultural Heritage Center, Ogden Botanical Gardens and Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter.
• Support the distinct educational, agricultural, horticultural, environmental, conservation, research, demonstration, and community-facing missions of the centers.
• Work with center leadership to establish long-term strategic and operational priorities.
• Provide strategic oversight for significant Extension facilities, land, equipment, and other physical assets.
• Identify opportunities to increase utilization, programming, partnerships, visibility, and community impact.
• Coordinate facility, capital, maintenance, and infrastructure priorities with appropriate university partners.
• Support sustainable operational and financial models for Extension centers.
• Encourage collaboration among centers and other Extension programs when shared expertise, facilities, or resources can increase impact.
• Ensure responsible stewardship of university facilities, land, equipment, and other resources.

Organizational Leadership & People Development

• Provide direct leadership, supervision, coaching, and development to county Agriculture and Natural Resources faculty and program coordinators. There are approximately 50 direct reports.
• Administrate the promotion and tenure process for county faculty in the Agriculture and Natural Resources department.
• Build a strong and collaborative leadership team across programs and centers.
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, decision-making authority, expectations, and accountability.
• Support faculty in addressing complex organizational, personnel, programmatic, and operational issues.
• Evaluate organizational structures and workforce needs and recommend changes when appropriate.
• Oversee and support recruitment, retention, professional development, and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, professionalism, innovation, transparency, accountability, service, and responsible stewardship.
• Encourage communication and collaboration across geographically dispersed personnel and programs.

Financial & Resource Stewardship

• Provide strategic oversight of financial, personnel, facility, and program resources across the portfolio.
• Work collaboratively with Extension executive leadership and Extension Business Services to establish funding and resource priorities.
• Provide strategic direction regarding allocation and use of resources while maintaining appropriate financial controls and administrative responsibilities.
• Review financial and operational performance and identify areas requiring attention or investment.
• Evaluate the long-term financial sustainability of programs, centers, facilities, and initiatives.
• Support development of grants, gifts, partnerships, program revenues, and other external resources.
• Ensure resources are aligned with Extension priorities and used responsibly.
• Promote accountability and stewardship of state, federal, county, grant, gift, program-generated, and other university resources.

Partnerships & External Relations

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with county and municipal governments, state and federal agencies, agricultural organizations, industry, businesses, nonprofit organizations, community partners, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Represent USU Extension in appropriate statewide, regional, university, and community discussions.
• Identify opportunities for collaborative programming, shared investment, and strategic partnerships.
• Strengthen connections between university expertise and the needs of Utah communities.
• Work with Extension and university leadership to develop partnerships that advance organizational priorities.
• Serve as an advocate for the programs, people, centers, and communities represented within the portfolio.

Innovation, Program Development & Impact

• Encourage innovation and responsible experimentation across Extension programs and centers.
• Support development and implementation of new programs responsive to emerging needs.
• Establish expectations for evaluation, outcomes, and organizational performance.
• Use data, program outcomes, financial information, and stakeholder feedback to inform decisions.
• Communicate accomplishments, outcomes, opportunities, and challenges to Extension executive leadership.

Policy, Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure operations within the portfolio comply with applicable university policies and state, federal, contractual, and funding requirements.
• Establish expectations for appropriate financial, personnel, operational, and program accountability.
• Work collaboratively with Extension Business Services, Human Resources, Sponsored Programs, Facilities, Risk Management, and other university partners.
• Identify significant organizational and operational risks and ensure they are appropriately addressed.Promote appropriate internal controls and responsible stewardship of university resources.
• Ensure faculty and staff within the administrative portfolio understand and fulfill their responsibilities for compliance and accountability.
• Additional Responsibilities
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of USU Extension and Utah State University priorities.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in an agriculture or natural resources related field (i.e. animal science, range management, horticulture, agronomy, forestry) plus substantial progressively responsible leadership experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Rank of Extension Professor or Professor with tenure or if outside Utah State University the equivalent of Full Professor rank with tenure.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex organizations, programs, centers, or multiple functional areas.
• Demonstrated experience supervising, developing, and supporting employees.
• Experience with strategic planning, organizational development, financial management, resource allocation, and decision-making.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain productive relationships with various internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working with elected officials, especially county elected officials.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and lead effectively within a complex organization.

Preferred Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience within Cooperative Extension, higher education, agriculture and/or natural resources.
• Experience working as a county faculty/agent or Extension specialist.
• Experience leading statewide or geographically dispersed programs and personnel.
• Experience overseeing significant facilities, centers, land, or public-facing operations.
• Experience working with state, federal, county, grants, gifts, program-generated, and other funding sources.
• Demonstrated success developing external partnerships and securing resources.
• Experience leading organizational change or developing new programs and initiatives.
• Knowledge of the land-grant university and Cooperative Extension mission.

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”

Cover letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application

 

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary

Commensurate With Experience

ADA

This position operates primarily in a professional office environment but requires frequent travel throughout Utah to Extension offices, university facilities, agricultural operations, centers, community locations, and other program sites. Work may occasionally occur outdoors and involve exposure to varying weather conditions, uneven terrain, agricultural environments, and active facilities. Frequent evening and weekend work is required, including attendance at university, industry, community, donor, and stakeholder events.

 

The position requires extended periods of sitting and working at a computer, as well as standing and walking during meetings, events, facility visits, and site tours. The employee must be able to travel independently to locations throughout the state and occasionally transport or handle materials associated with meetings, events, or program activities.

 

The position requires the ability to manage multiple and competing priorities, exercise sound judgment, analyze complex organizational and financial information, communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences, and make decisions in situations that may involve sensitive, confidential, or time-sensitive matters. The employee must be able to lead and participate in meetings, presentations, negotiations, and difficult conversations; adapt to changing priorities; and work effectively with geographically dispersed employees and stakeholders.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

College/Department Highlights

Utah State University Extension provides research-based programs and resources to individuals, families, businesses, and communities throughout Utah. As part of Utah's land-grant university, Extension connects university expertise and research with the practical needs of Utahns.

 

Through faculty and staff located across the state, USU Extension delivers programs in agriculture and natural resources, youth development, family and consumer sciences, community and economic development, and other areas responsive to Utah's changing needs.

 

The Executive Director – Agriculture, Natural Resources & Strategic Centers will play a key role in bringing together Extension's people, programs, partnerships, expertise, and physical resources to strengthen communities and create meaningful impact throughout Utah.

University Highlights

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant, public service university. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge and serving the public good through innovative research and scholarly activities that are grounded in reciprocal engagement with local, regional, and global communities. USU prepares students to be active, civically engaged leaders who are prepared to address critical societal challenges. Dedicated to providing a high-quality and affordable education, USU remains a leader in research, discovery, and public impact.

 

USU enrolls over 29,800 students, both online and in person at locations throughout the state. Utah State’s 30 locations include a main campus in Logan, Utah, residential campuses in Price and Blanding, and six additional statewide campuses, along with education centers serving every county. USU educates students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. For over 100 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns, serving every county in the state.

 

Competing at the NCAA Division I level in 16 sports, USU is a proud member of the Pac-12 Conference, officially joining on July 1, 2026. The Aggies capped a historic final season in the Mountain West by capturing nine combined regular-season and tournament titles in 2025–26, with five teams advancing to postseason play. This tradition of excellence extends to the classroom, where 232 student-athletes earned academic honors, and to the community, where USU ranked second nationally in Division I service hours, with nine teams placing in the top 10 for community service.

 

Utah State is dedicated to fostering a community where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported and where diversity of thought and culture are cultivated. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when they named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU. 

 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and a reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or [email protected]. 

 

*updated 07/2026

Notice of Non-discrimination

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

 

Utah State University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination including harassment in employment including in hiring, promotion, transfer, or termination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy or any other federal, state, or local law.

 

Utah State University does not discriminate in its housing offerings and will treat all persons fairly and equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, familial status, disability, national origin, source of income, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Additionally, the University endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations when necessary and to ensure equal access to qualified persons with disabilities.

 

In all circumstances, Utah State University follows state and federal laws related to sex-segregated spaces.

 

The following office has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

 

Civil Rights & Title IX Office

Old Main Room 405

1475 Old Main Hill, Logan UT 84322

[email protected]

(435) 797-1266

 

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit crtix.usu.edu or contact:

 

U.S. Department of Education

Denver Regional Office

303-844-5695| [email protected]

 

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

800-421-3481 |  [email protected]

 

*updated 08/2026