4-H College and Career Readiness Coordinator Santa Maria, CA, Job ID 84824

Job Description

Position Summary:

The Community Education Specialist 3 (CES 3), College and Career Coordinator position will be located in the University of California Cooperative Extension Office in Santa Maria, CA, and will act as a valuable member of the UCCE team. This position is responsible for designing, piloting, evaluating, and refining innovative 4-H Beyond Ready college and career readiness program models.

Under the direction of the 4-H Youth Development Advisor, the CES 3 will develop and test scalable program frameworks in Santa Barbara County with intentional replication across San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties through a regional train-the-trainer model. This role will build county-level capacity by developing toolkits, implementation protocols, evaluation systems, and partnership frameworks that support broader adoption within the UC ANR system.

The CES 3 will function as a regional subject matter expert in college and career readiness, providing advanced training and technical assistance to staff, volunteers, educators, and community partners. This position integrates evaluation findings to refine pilot initiatives and supports the dissemination of lessons learned through regional convenings, reporting, and presentations.

The CES 3 will also process all appropriate paperwork in compliance with UC ANR procedures, including 4-H enrollment and reporting; will be familiar with curricula and research-based practices to prepare, implement, and train others in the delivery of educational activities in a variety of content areas such as but not limited to 4-H projects, work readiness skills, college and career exploration, leadership development, postsecondary pathway planning, prosocial skill development, and goal setting and management. The CES 3 will provide effective written and verbal communication in English and Spanish to UCCE staff, youth, youth-serving professionals, and community partners; lead and support program coordination to carry out different education programs, events, and activities. The CES 3 reports to the 4-H Youth Development Advisor.

This position is a contract appointment that is 100% fixed and ends one year from the date of hire, with the possibility of extension if funding permits.

The home department is UCCE Santa Barbara County. While this position normally is based in Santa Maria, CA, this position is eligible for hybrid flexible work arrangements for applicants living in the State of California at this time. Please note that hybrid flexible work arrangements are subject to change by the University.

Pay Scale:

$55,400.00/year to $74,600.00/year

Job Posting Close Date:

This job is open until filled. The first application review date will be 3/20/2026.

Key Responsibilities:

55% Program Innovation, Pilot Testing, and Regional Expansion:

• Design, implement, and evaluate pilot 4-H Beyond Ready College and career readiness initiatives in schools and community settings. In consultation with the 4-H Youth Development Advisor, develop innovative program models addressing postsecondary pathway planning, workforce readiness, leadership development, and equitable access to opportunity.
• Establish Santa Barbara County as a pilot site to test scalable programming approaches, with structured documentation of implementation processes, outcomes, and partnership models.
• Develop and implement a regional expansion strategy to support replication in San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties, including structured onboarding materials, facilitator guides, and implementation toolkits.
• Conduct culturally responsive outreach in English and Spanish and develop strategies to expand programming in underserved communities.

10% Regional Capacity Building and Train-the-Trainer Leadership:

• Develop and deliver train-the-trainer models to support county-based staff, volunteers, and youth-serving professionals in implementing pilot college and career readiness initiatives. Provide technical assistance and coaching to support local adaptation and fidelity to program design.
• Identify professional development needs and contribute to regional training plans aligned with 4-H Beyond Ready priorities.

10% Integrated Program Enrollment:

• Oversees and ensures accuracy of youth and volunteer enrollments in compliance with 4-H statewide program policies, when applicable.

10% Evaluation, Reporting, and Dissemination:

• Lead formative and summative evaluation of pilot initiatives, including data collection, analysis, and synthesis of outcomes to assess program effectiveness and scalability.
• Prepare regional reports, funding proposals, and dissemination materials that communicate findings, lessons learned, and recommendations for broader adoption within UC ANR and partner systems.

5% Other Duties as Assigned: Assist with other duties as requested and assigned by supervisor.

Requirements:

• Associate degree in a related area and/or equivalent experience/training.
• Continuing education in the related field is required.
• Thorough knowledge of and skill in delivering programs.
• Thorough and effective verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills and presentation skills.
• Skill in using business software systems in the completion of work assignments, i.e., Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.
• Thorough knowledge of the functional area and understanding of how work may impact other areas.
• Thorough analytical skills to conduct analysis and develop recommendations, demonstrating organization and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Skills:

• Thorough knowledge of current community educational programs and trends.
• Experience building and maintaining community partnerships (e.g., schools, nonprofits, community organizations).

Special Conditions of Employment:

• If working with youth: Must comply with regulatory agency reporting requirements (California's Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act).
• Must possess a valid California Driver's License to drive a County or University vehicle. Ability and means to travel on a flexible schedule as needed, proof of liability damage insurance on the vehicle used is required. Reimbursement of job-related travel will be reimbursed according to University policies.
• The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check. This is a designated position requiring a background check and may require fingerprinting due to the nature of the job responsibilities. UC ANR does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities.
• As of January 1, 2014, ANR is a smoke- and tobacco-free environment in which smoking, the use of smokeless tobacco products, and the use of unregulated nicotine products (e-cigarettes), are strictly prohibited.
• As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, as may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.
• Exercise the utmost discretion in managing sensitive information learned in the course of performing their duties. Sensitive information includes, but is not limited to, employee and student records, health and patient records, financial data, strategic plans, proprietary information, and any other sensitive or non-public information learned during the course and scope of employment. Understands that sensitive information should be shared on a limited basis and actively takes steps to limit access to sensitive information to individuals who have a legitimate business need to know. Ensure that sensitive information is properly safeguarded. Follow all organizational policies and laws on data protection and privacy. This includes secure handling of physical and digital records and proper usage of IT systems to prevent data leaks. The unauthorized or improper disclosure of confidential work-related information obtained from any source on any work-related matter is a violation of these expectations.
• Misconduct Disclosure Requirement:As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.
• Misconduct means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Abusive Conduct in the Workplace