Associate Director for Small Farms - UC Sustainable Agriculture Research

The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources is seeking an Associate Director for Small Farms within the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program (UC SAREP). This role involves statewide leadership and oversight for outreach, technical assistance, and research for small farms in California. The position aims to enhance support for small-scale farms through interdisciplinary collaboration, focusing on economic viability, resource conservation, and community equity. Headquarters can be in various locations, including Davis, Camarillo, or Parlier.
Associate Director for Small Farms - UC Sustainable Agriculture
Research & Education Program (UC SAREP) - Academic Coordinator
III (24-01)

University of California Agriculture and Natural
Resources

County Locations: Fresno County, Ventura County,
Yolo County

Date Posted: January 21, 2025

Closing Date: March 10, 2025

Job Description: Download

Location Headquarters: This position has statewide
responsibilities and may be headquartered at any of the following
locations: UC ANR, Davis, CA; Hansen Research and Extension Center,
Camarillo, CA; or Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension
Center, Parlier, CA.

Position Overview

The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC
ANR) invites applications for an Associate Director for
Small Farms, University of California Sustainable Agriculture
Research & Education Program (UC SAREP)
Academic Coordinator III.

Purpose: The UC SAREP Associate
Director for Small Farms will provide statewide leadership,
coordination, and oversight for small farms outreach, technical
assistance, and applied research and extension activities within UC
ANR and will direct the UC ANR Small Farms Network, with guidance
from the UC SAREP Director. The Associate Director will join a
growing team increasing access to resources, research-based
extension support, and sustainable economic opportunities for small
farms in California. This position will pursue new opportunities
for interdisciplinary collaboration with multiple SAREP programs to
enhance support for small-scale farms across the food supply chain
within an expanded statewide program.

UC SAREP is a statewide
program of UC ANR with a mission for research and education
supporting agriculture and food systems that are economically
viable, conserve natural resources and biodiversity, and enhance
quality of life and equity in California communities. We envision a
farming and food system that supports resilience through
diversified production, marketing, and distribution systems; values
all food system workers and supports their wellbeing; contributes
to the health and vitality of urban, rural and Tribal communities;
uses resources in a way that protects the environment in trust for
future generations; and reflects the ethnic, linguistic, and
cultural diversity of California. UC SAREP includes the UC ANR
Small Farms Network, UC Master Food Preservers, and UC Organic
Agriculture Institute and works to find synergies and develop
interdisciplinary and cross-program collaborations from production
to marketing along the food supply chain.

The UC ANR Small Farms Network
assists small-scale family farms to thrive economically through
extension support, bilingual and culturally relevant training,
applied research on small-acreage and emerging specialty crops, and
policy engagement. Small Farms Advisors and staff in several
multi-county regions of California provide research-based extension
support and technical assistance for crop production, regulatory
compliance, marketing, and access to resources for environmental
and economic resilience, with a focus on diversified farming
systems, local and direct marketing, niche and emerging crops, and
crops valued by diverse cultural communities. The Small Farms
Network has a historic and current commitment to equity and
inclusion for underserved and limited-resource farmers and serves
as an information hub connecting diverse farming communities to the
resources of the University of California.

Administrative and Programmatic
Responsibilities:

Statewide Leadership and Strategic Vision:
• Lead interdisciplinary efforts within UC ANR to support
economic viability and environmental sustainability for a diverse
clientele of small-scale farmers in California through outreach,
extension, applied research, and technical assistance.
• Provide leadership and oversight to the UC Small Farms Network
team implementing multi-county extension and technical assistance
for small-scale underserved farmers.
• Lead strategic planning and visioning efforts to drive
innovation and build transformative programs expanding support for
small farms in California, in collaboration with the UC SAREP
Director.
• Identify new directions and expand programs based on feedback
from diverse stakeholders including farmers, small farms staff and
academics, community-based partner organizations, and public
agencies.
• Communicate activities, accomplishments, impacts, and program
needs to external stakeholders.
• Support and enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion within the
Small Farms Network and UC SAREP.

Grant Management and Funds Development:
• Oversee large statewide contracts and grants supporting the
Small Farms Network, including coordination and reporting of
multi-county efforts, budget oversight, communication with funding
agencies on progress, deliverables, and success stories, and
evaluation of outcomes and impacts.
• Collaborate with the UC SAREP Director to develop new sources
of funding for the Small Farms Network, including preparing large
grant applications, engaging with philanthropic donors, and
building relationships with local, state, and federal
agencies.

Policy Communication and Engagement:
• Synthesize research-based information and needs assessments
from county-based programs to communicate challenges and
opportunities for small farms at a state and national level through
engagement with partner organizations, policy makers, state and
federal agencies, and other stakeholders.
• Lead preparation of co-authored peer-reviewed journal articles,
conference presentations, and policy papers presenting best
practices for supporting small farms, needs and challenges of small
farms, and research highlighting crops, production systems,
economics, and policy impacts for small farms in California.
• Engage with policymakers, industry representatives, partner
organizations, public agencies, and community leaders and
stakeholders to inform local, state, and federal policies relevant
to small farms.
• Represent the UC ANR Small Farms Network on public committees,
task forces, and working groups.

Program Administration:
• Coordinate evaluation and reporting of program activities and
impacts.
• Supervise and mentor statewide staff and academic positions
within the Small Farms Network.
• Collaborate with the UC SAREP Director and the Small Farms
Program Manager to coordinate team building, capacity-building, and
professional development for advisors, academic coordinators, and
staff.
• May serve as a secondary supervisor and contribute to merit and
promotion reviews for advisors affiliated with the Small Farms
Network, following discussion with the advisor and UC SAREP
Director.

Collaboration and Partnerships:
• Build capacity to support small-scale farms through
interdisciplinary collaborations across UC SAREP programs, with UC
Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists, and through
partnerships with community-based stakeholders.
• Engage with UC ANR Small Farms Advisors and the Small Farms
Workgroup to assess clientele needs, coordinate collaborative grant
proposals, and identify resources to support county-based
programs.
• Collaborate with UC ANR community and economic development
initiatives to enhance economic development efforts for small farms
and food businesses.

Counties of Responsibility. This position is
focused on work across the state and will coordinate activities
across multiple counties and regions. Travel to UC SAREP meetings
and field visits to sites conducting program activities is
expected.

Reporting Relationship: The Associate Director for
Small Farms serves under the administrative and programmatic
guidance of the UC SAREP Director.

Qualifications and Skills Required

Education: A minimum of a Master's degree in a
discipline of the agricultural sciences (such as horticulture,
agronomy, plant science, agroecology, soil science, entomology,
plant pathology, or weed science), environmental sciences,
agricultural economics, policy, or a related field relevant to
small farm agricultural production, management, economic viability,
or regulatory compliance is required at the time of
appointment.

Additional Requirements
• Demonstrated program leadership in extension or in a related
field such as policy, community development, or adult
education.
• Demonstrated subject matter expertise in an academic discipline
relevant to agricultural production, economics, or policy with
applicability to small farms.
• Demonstrated commitment to developing program activities based
on priorities expressed by diverse communities of
stakeholders.
• Ability to build, support, and lead diverse teams and promote a
culture of inclusivity and belonging.
• Track record of fundraising through extramural funding and/or
development opportunities.
• Effective project management skills and ability to evaluate
program impacts.
• Strategic planning and visioning skills to determine new
directions for program activities, funding sources, and
interdisciplinary collaborations.
• Administrative experience including managing contract and grant
budgets, reporting and evaluation, and understanding and following
institutional policies.
• Supervisory experience including performance management,
conflict resolution, and team building skills.
• Diplomatic skills to engage in dialogue and creative
problem-solving with diverse groups of stakeholders.
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion both for
UC ANR employees and for clientele served by UC ANR programs.
• Ability and means to travel on a flexible schedule as needed;
proof of liability and property damage insurance on vehicle used is
required. Must possess valid California Driver's License to drive a
University vehicle.
• This position has programmatic responsibilities statewide and
is not remote; the candidate must be available to work onsite at
the headquarters and travel to other sites based on programmatic
responsibilities. Specific expectations for maintaining office
hours in the geographic area covered will be outlined upon hire by
the UC SAREP Director.
• As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to
disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or
judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that
they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for
misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged
misconduct, or have filed an appeal 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.

UC Sexual
Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy

UC
Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third
Parties

APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in
Employment

Desired Experience
• Familiarity with inclusive educational and outreach methods
relevant to the diversity of small-scale farming communities in
California.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and leading successful
extension program and/or conducting applied, stakeholder-driven
research.
• Experience of working across multiple disciplines in whole
systems approaches that consider multiple elements of agricultural
and food systems as complex coupled human and natural systems.
• Familiarity with local, state, and federal policies and
agencies relevant to small farms.

Skills Required - UC ANR Academic Coordinator
III

Technical Competence and Impact:
Strong understanding of key concepts related to agricultural
production, extension education, and environmental, social, and
economic sustainability in farming and food systems. Ability to
design and assess outreach and education programs that lead to
positive changes within local communities that can extend to
regional, state, and national impacts.

Communication: Demonstrated excellence in written,
oral, interpersonal, and virtual communication skills. Ability to
communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders and to share
complex information in a manner tailored to the audience, including
communications to policy makers, funders, and other external
stakeholders.

Collaboration, Teamwork and Flexibility:
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as a team member with
others in a collaborative leadership model and matrixed team
environment. Ability to facilitate communication and coordination
among multiple team members and related programs. Ability to adapt
programs and activities as stakeholder, program, and organizational
needs change.

Lifelong Learning: Demonstrated commitment to
ongoing professional improvement.

Learn more about Skills and Areas of Programmatic
Review (including Professional Competence, University and
Public Service and Affirmative Action and DEI) at: https://ucanr.edu/sites/Professional_Development/files/355229.pdf

About UC ANR

UC ANR is a division of the University of California (UC) system
that bridges the gap between local issues and the expertise of the
UC system by providing research-based information, educational
programs, and technical expertise to the public in areas such as
agriculture, natural resources, nutrition, and youth development.
UC ANR is part of a nationwide Cooperative Extension network, which
began in the early 20th century to connect research from land-grant
universities with the everyday needs of people in communities
across the United States. Today, we collaborate with farmers,
ranchers, diverse communities, youth and adult educators, and
policymakers to address local and statewide issues related to food
systems, water, climate change, and sustainable agriculture through
a statewide network of campus-based researchers, county-based
Advisors, and community educators. Our mission is to cultivate
thriving communities, sustainable agriculture, resilient
ecosystems, and economic prosperity in California and globally
through equitable generation and sharing of collaborative,
science-based solutions. Over 250 UC ANR academics conduct
research, extension, and education serving all 58 counties from 70+
locations, including county-based UCCE offices, 13 statewide
programs and institutes, and 9 research and extension centers. By
working and living among those we serve, UC ANR expands the
University of California's reach to engage all people and
communities in California, ensuring equal access to the resources
UC has to offer. Our vision is that UC ANR will be valued in every
California community for meaningful engagement and making a
positive difference in people's lives.

Learn more about UC ANR

University of California
Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC
ANR)

UC ANR Statewide
Programs and Institutes focus research and extension
on solving priority problems that engage ANR academics and UC
faculty in integrated teams

UC ANR
Mission Statement

UC ANR Strategic
Initiatives help unify, communicate, and advocate for
the work we do.

UC
SAREP

UC ANR
Public Value statements communicate how our
work makes a difference to the public.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources is
committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce and will
honor your experiences, perspectives, and unique identity. We
encourage applications from members of historically
underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals with
disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ+ community members, and others who
demonstrate the ability to help us create and maintain working and
learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and
welcoming.

UC ANR academics are expected to share and
exhibit:
• UC ANR's commitment to UC ANR's Affirmative
Action policy
• UC ANR's commitment to
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Salary & Benefits

Salary: The beginning salary will be in the
Academic Coordinator III series and commensurate with applicable
experience and professional qualifications. The step placement in
this series is based on experience. For information, please refer
to the
Academic Coordinator series salary scales.

The Academic Coordinator position is a three-year renewable term
appointment. Performance in this position is evaluated annually
with merit actions evaluated every three years. Upon completion of
a successful review, you may be reappointed for another definite
term. Our intention with this definite term appointment is to
reappoint based on positive performance reviews, the continuing
need for the position, and funding availability.

Internal UC ANR candidates are encouraged to apply. Current CE
Advisors and CE Specialists may apply and hold their current
position or move to an AC III with an underlying 0% CE Advisor/CE
Specialist title, assuming they have indefinite status.

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. For more information, refer to the
UC Benefits website at: http://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/

How to Apply

Please visit: https://recruit.ucanr.edu/ and
choose "applicants" (refer to position #24-01)

Closing Date: To assure full consideration, application packets
must be received by March 10, 2025 (open until
filled).

Questions?

Contact Tatiana Avoce; email: tavoce@ucanr.edu

Applicants may wish to explore the UC Davis Services for
International Students and Scholars web page at https://siss.ucdavis.edu/ as a
resource.

University of California Cooperative Extension

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all
applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining
agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or
local government directives may impose additional
requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative
Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive
consideration for employment without regard to race, color,
religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national
origin, disability, age, protected veteran status or other
protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination
policy.

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), is strictly
prohibited.

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