District Director - 9 (Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Madison, Pickaway)

Job Details

Job Title: District Director - 9 (Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Madison, Pickaway)

Department: FAES | Extension Administration

JOB DESCRIPTION AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Primary office location within the district for this position to be determined at time of candidate's hire based on candidate's residential location.

Travel required between county offices within district on a weekly basis. Counties include Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Madison, Pickaway.

The district director directs individuals and teams as an operational guide, performance coach, and connector for impacts. The district director works collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to provide county-level support for employees, to clarify policies and procedures, and to improve efficiencies and responsiveness for the employee and customer experience. The district director reports to the director of Operations, Ohio State University Extension, and works collaboratively with the OSU Extension Administrative Cabinet, Extension employees, advisory committees, volunteer stakeholders, public officials, and other community leaders. Each district director will be appointed to a group of counties and will collaborate with other appointed district directors to ensure administrative uniformity.

The Full-Time Administrative District Director provides direct supervision and operational oversight for county offices within their assigned district. This position ensures the effective management of county operations, including hiring, performance evaluations, professional development, coaching, and budgetary oversight. This leadership position is integral to strengthening organizational effectiveness and ensuring high-quality Extension programming.

Hiring for ten district positions throughout the State of Ohio. Candidates must apply for each position separately.

The pay range for this job profile is $81,800 - $106,900 annual. The offer for this position will fall within this range based on internal equity, unit’s available budget, and the candidate’s qualifications.

Resume and cover letter, specific to the posting, are to be included at time of application, include months and years worked for each employment listed.

Essential Duties:

Operational Guide

• Leads the process of hiring county educators and other county personnel (except EFNEP).
• Serves as immediate supervisor, mentor, and coach to all county educators, local staff, and county teams (except EFNEP).
• Communicates and implements OSU and OSU Extension human resources policies.
• Provides fiscal guidance and support for county units to ensure public funds are handled within defined legal parameters; manage appropriated and non-appropriated funds; assist with the preparation of county non-appropriated fund statements for audit by OSU auditors; understand OSU/OSUE guidelines and policies related to grants, gifts and contracts; and provide support to educators and program staff seeking outside funding sources.
• Provides expenditure approval and reconciliation and serves as a back-up for county level for timesheets and travel reimbursements.
• Identifies and proactively addresses risk management and provides support for volunteer management.
• Develop and implement strategies to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness within the district.
• Provide direct, in-person administrative support through scheduled visits to each county office.
• Foster a culture of accountability, inclusion, and collaboration among staff.
• Ensure statewide consistency in policies, procedures, and expectations.

Performance Coach

• This position should track completion of employee onboarding requirements
• Provides overall supervision, participates in performance reviews, and supports professional development of appropriate county-based professionals. (with input from the Associate Chair and Program Leaders)
• Serves as a liaison between the Extension Operations and Learning and Organizational Development teams and county offices.
• Provides timely coaching and feedback on issues related to office functioning and maintaining a positive work environment.
• Provides local guidance and support in conducting county community assessments and development of county strategic plans and annual plans of work.
• Provides leadership for performance management, in conjunction with the program area-related leadership (including annual appraisal and mid-year reviews) and working to enhance employee job satisfaction.

Regional Programmatic Support & Collaboration

• Work closely with colleagues to ensure robust support in curriculum selection, evaluation, assessment, and teaching methodologies.
• Facilitate communication between county staff, field specialists, and state specialists to strengthen programmatic alignment.
• Assist in identifying programmatic gaps and providing solutions to enhance service delivery.
• Monitor and assess the impact of programming efforts through centralized evaluation systems and community needs assessments.

Strategic Planning & Organizational Adaptability

• Participate in the annual review of the district map to assess the number of direct reports and make necessary adjustments. (with Extension Leadership)
• Adapt management strategies based on staffing changes and budgetary considerations.
• Assist in developing and implementing budget strategies to maintain organizational stability and efficiency.
• Explore innovative approaches, such as fellowships and temporary educator assignments, to enhance program area support.

Connector for Impacts

• Connects county personnel with campus and Extension network resources.
• Provides support and guidance for county personnel in conducting legislative activities, maintaining ongoing accountability to county commissioners and other funding allocators and elected officials, and in the preparation of the county’s annual budget.
• Serves as a liaison to OSU Extension’s Administrative Cabinet. Engages in organizational strategic planning/visioning and ensures implementation of strategies within counties and in partnership with members of OSU Extension Administrative Cabinet.
• Represents OSU Extension in addressing issues related to personnel, resource management, business operations, and risk management/compliance.

Required:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience. Advanced degree may be desirable. 5 years of relevant experience required. 8-12 years of relevant experience preferred.
• Leadership experience in a large, decentralized organization or system.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; and
• Ability to work closely with a wide variety of groups such as academic, staff, faculty and practitioner audiences.
• Demonstrated experience in staff supervision, coaching, and professional development.
• Ability to travel regionally to provide in-person support to county offices.

Desired:

• Experience or deep knowledge of the land grant university system and Extension system.
• A record of documented experience related to Extension areas of focus, education, or a closely related field.