"UC ANR Policy Institute - Academic Coordinator II (Associate Director) - Davis, CA (AP 25-04)"

Position Overview

The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) invites applications for an Associate Director/Academic Coordinator II with the UC ANR Policy Institute. Location Headquarters: UC ANR, Davis, CA.

Purpose: The Associate Director/Academic Coordinator II will provide statewide coordination and leadership for activities of the UC ANR Policy Institute. Specifically, this position will collaborate with the Director to develop new sources of funding including preparing grant applications and engaging with donors. This position will also communicate science-based research, pursue new opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration with researchers internal and external to UC ANR, oversee contracts and grants, build relationships with local, state, and federal policymakers, and serve as a resource for UC academics engaging in science-to-policy work.

The UC ANR Policy Institute (Policy Institute), housed within the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, will be the one-stop shop for policymakers to find and easily access scientists and cutting-edge research on issues critical to California. The Policy Institute will also connect affiliated researchers to work across specialty areas, serve as a resource for UC academics interested in expanding policy-relevant work and communications, and will establish a policy advisory board to help identify priority research areas, grant opportunities, and partnerships. The Policy Institute will also conduct original research and real-time economic analyses to remain relevant and responsive to timely, critical issues.

Alignment: As described in UC ANR's Vision 2040, California faces a complex, ever-changing regulatory environment in which science-based input and community engagement are needed to inform policy decisions and implementation. Now more than ever, solutions are needed to mitigate the impact of extreme weather events and other disasters, advance more efficient methods of agriculture production, further sustainable land stewardship, strengthen food systems, and build resiliency to future impacts of social, political, and ecological challenges. As these challenges increase in complexity so, too, do their solutions. Local, state, and federal policies and regulations must adapt and be responsive, taking into consideration current scientific and technological advances.

This position will help UC ANR achieve its mission of cultivating thriving communities, sustainable agriculture, resilient ecosystems, and economic prosperity in California through development and sharing of equitable and collaborative science-based solutions that have national and global impact. Through research, education, extension, and outreach, this position will contribute to each of UC ANR's Public Value Statements.

Clientele: The UC ANR Policy Institute's clientele is necessarily broad given that it conducts a wide variety of activities, from conducting original research, calculating real-time economic analyses, and communicating science with policymakers. The Associate Director/Academic Coordinator II will primarily work with UC researchers and local, state, and federal policymakers, as well as partner organizations and stakeholders.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide statewide coordination for activities of the UC ANR Policy Institute.
• Lead and contribute to effective communication efforts (e.g., develop and maintain websites, social media, blogs, and other media).
• Develop, adapt, implement, and evaluate program activities, training, curriculum, and other educational activities and multi-media materials aligned with strategic plan and/or clientele needs.
• Write policy briefs and support academics in writing policy briefs.
• Develop proposals for extramural funding (e.g., grants, contracts, gifts/donations).
• Effectively communicate science-based research to a variety of audiences.
• Collaborate with other UC ANR academics, campus-based specialists and faculty and/or others, to address priority issues.
• Oversee contracts and grants.
• Serve as a resource for UC academics engaging in science-to-policy work.
• Design and deliver professional development opportunities for academics engaging in science-to-policy communications.
• Create a positive environment that supports the success of the unit team and team members - includes modeling and supporting a good team working environment. Sets goals and target outputs for shared clarity of vision.
• Represent UC ANR in a professional manner. Liaison representation with other agencies and institutions in the public and private sectors.
• Be an effective listener and communicator, take responsibility for own actions, motivate others, and keep commitments.
• Interact with UC ANR Program Teams, specialists, campus based Agricultural Experiment Station faculty and others within the research/extension network to develop, strengthen and expand Policy Institute goals.
• Participate in professional organizations and collaborate with federal, state and county governmental agencies, non-government organizations and others.
• Represent UC ANR in a professional manner. Maintain positive relationships with stakeholders and clientele. Meet with and provide responsive communications with key stakeholders (e.g., industry partners, donors, policymakers and elected officials, and others as required).
• Commitment to ongoing self-improvement both professionally and personally; interest in continued and lifelong learning.
• Promote and operationalize UC ANR's Principles of Community (https://ucanr.edu/sites/ucanr/About_ANR/Principles_of_Community/).

Reporting Relationship:

The Associate Director/Academic Coordinator II reports to the Director of the UC ANR Policy Institute who is responsible for supervision and evaluation of the position, and works closely with Associate Directors within the UC ANR Policy Institute on programs and projects. This position also collaborates with UC ANR academics, Cooperative Extension staff, other UC academics, Vice Provost of Academic Personnel, Associate Vice-President, and Vice-President.

Qualifications Required:

Required Qualifications: A minimum of a Master's degree in agricultural, environmental, social sciences, or related field, with coursework or experience relevant to agricultural extension and public policy is required at the time of appointment. Doctoral degree is preferred.

Skills Required: To be successful, Academic Coordinators require skills in the following: Technical Competence, Communication, Collaboration, Teamwork, and Flexibility, Interest in Continued and Lifelong Learning, Additional Requirements.

Desired Experience:

Familiarity with local, state, and federal policies and agencies. Professional accomplishment in applied, stakeholder-driven research in a field such as agricultural or environmental economics, or another relevant discipline. Strong diplomatic skills to engage in dialogue and creative problem-solving with diverse groups of stakeholders and partners. Experience working across multiple disciplines in whole systems approaches that consider multiple elements of agricultural and food systems as complex coupled human and natural systems.

Salary & Benefits:

Salary: The salary will be in the Academic Coordinator II series from Step 1 - $84,246 to Step 5 - $101,425 annually. This appointment is a limited term appointment. Benefits: The University of California offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance, retirement plans, two days per month paid vacation, one day per month paid sick leave, and paid holidays.