Field Specialist in Community Health and Nutrition

University of Missouri (MU) Office of Extension and Engagement

Community Health and Health & Human Sciences Extension programs

MU TITLE: Assistant/Associate/Full Extension Professional

LOCATION: Camdenton, Missouri and primarily serves the counties of Camden, Laclede, Morgan, and Moniteau counties in the West Central Region, with additional service across the state as needed.

The University of Missouri (MU) Office of Extension and Engagement's distinct land-grant mission is to improve lives, communities, and economies by producing relevant, reliable, and responsive educational strategies throughout Missouri. Our dedicated and knowledgeable faculty and staff collaborate with researchers and community leaders to develop and deliver programs that address the needs of Missourians including, educational attainment; environmental concerns; community, economic, business and workforce development; global food systems; and community and public health. For more information about MU Extension and Engagement, please visit https://extension.missouri.edu.

The goal of MU Extension's Community Health and Health & Human Sciences program is to help Missourians achieve optimal health at every stage of life, with special recognition for the needs of vulnerable populations.

The Field Specialist in Community Health and Nutrition will provide a link between the environment and environmental issues, health educators, health professionals, schools, local public health agencies and community organizations to assist implementing strategies to improve the health, environment and well-being of individuals and the community. These strategies include improving dietary quality, increasing physical activity, managing chronic diseases, and reducing overweight, obesity and healthcare costs for Missourians.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The University of Missouri is seeking a dedicated individual to bring innovation and leadership to enhance the impact of the University in the lives of Missourians at every stage of life. This position is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating health-focused initiatives, programs, and strategies by working collaboratively with colleagues, faculty, regional Extension faculty and staff, public health and healthcare systems, community-based organizations, and local stakeholders.

The position is responsible for facilitating cross-disciplinary education outreach, establishing, and cultivating relationships and connections with stakeholders, and working across disciplines to positively impact the health and well-being of individuals, organizations, and the community by using qualitative and quantitative data to establish goals and objectives to address the region's highest health priorities. This position will facilitate relationships and build capacity to support translational research.

Extension faculty are 12-month, ranked, non-tenure track appointments to the promotable ranks of assistant, associate, or full Extension Professional. The rank at time of appointment or promotion is consistent with the standards of achievement and experience established by the faculty.

As a Field Specialist, your workload distribution at appointment will be 90% Extension Teaching and 10% Traditional Service.

This appointment is renewable annually at the discretion of the University and workload distribution may change at the discretion of Extension leadership. Circumstances affecting continued employment include, but are not limited to, work performance, fund availability, and educational priorities.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Program Planning and Implementation:
  • Develop, implement, and evaluate educational programs and services related to nutrition, family and community health and well-being.
  • Focus on improving the overall community's health through workshops, educational events and working with community and health leaders to address the health issues in the communities served through health policy systems.
• Program Leadership and Management:
  • Provide strategic leadership in the design, development, delivery, and evaluation of community and public health activities, collaborating with MU faculty, regional Extension staff, public health systems, and community organizations to ensure they are innovative and address the needs of vulnerable populations in Missouri.
• Community Engagement and Stakeholder Collaboration:
  • Act as a liaison between the community and the university, building and maintaining strong relationships with community organizations, public health agencies, and other partners to promote health equity and wellbeing.
  • Facilitate cross-disciplinary education outreach, using both qualitative and quantitative data to inform regional health priorities.
• Program Leadership and Cultural Competence:
  • Lead the planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of culturally competent educational programs, emphasizing cultural humility and addressing health disparities.
  • Organize comprehensive learning opportunities that integrate nutrition into community health principles and translational research.
• Revenue and Resource Management:
  • Participate in grant writing, explore funding opportunities, and manage grant-funded projects.
• Research and Data Utilization:
  • Utilize qualitative and quantitative data to establish goals and objectives for community health programs, focusing on translational research to address the region's highest health priorities.
• Operational Excellence and Self-Management:
  • Operate with minimal guidance, demonstrating self-direction, flexibility, and adaptability in a changing environment while maintaining a high personal standard of excellence.
• Professional Development and Continuous Improvement:
  • Engage in ongoing professional development to enhance skills, stay current with trends in nutrition and public health, and apply new knowledge to community health programming.
• Other Duties:
  • Perform additional tasks as assigned by the supervisor or department head.
• Other duties as assigned.

PROFESSIONAL EXPECTATIONS

• Identify future trends and stay abreast of current trends and research-based knowledge to effectively create relevant, reliable, and responsive education. Apply this knowledge in programming, educational outreach, presentations at professional meetings, grant proposals and more.
• Actively participate in professional development opportunities to continuously improve skills and increase research-based knowledge.
• Exhibit a high personal standard of excellence, be an effective team player, and demonstrate inclusivity, civility, and respect for all.
• Operate with minimal guidance; be a self-directed learner who is flexible and adaptable to changing environments.

UNIVERSITY INFORMATION

The University of Missouri, also known as Mizzou and MU, is the Flagship University of the four-campus University of Missouri System. It is one of the state's land-grant universities. MU's comprehensive undergraduate programs and its graduate, professional, and research programs attract an annual enrollment of more than 30,000 students. MU Extension and Engagement programs are located on all four campuses and in 114 counties and St. Louis city.

LEADERSHIP RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

The Senior Program Director for Community & Professional Health Education provides overall programmatic leadership. Programmatic supervision comes from the statewide Community Health Engagement & Outreach Education Director and administrative oversight from the West Central Regional Director.

QUALIFICATIONS

An earned master's degree at time of appointment.

Candidates must demonstrate they are authorized to work in the United States at time of hire. Sponsorship of U.S. temporary employment visas will not be offered for this position.

Candidates will be evaluated on:

• Course work in a discipline or program related to public health, population health, nutrition, health education, social work, psychology, or related field.
• Experience with community-based public health approaches
• Experience in research, program development and/or evaluation
• Basic knowledge and experience in facilitation of training, educational programming, or interdisciplinary collaborative work

Successful candidate will also demonstrate the following:

Effective and innovative teaching strategies that engage others. Must be able to integrate new and emerging technology into teaching strategies.

Effective listening, written and oral communication skills including public speaking and presentation abilities.

Organizational skills, interpersonal skills, problem-solving abilities, and collaborative leadership experiences.

Minimum starting salary of $57,000.00, salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience of the applicant.

Complete the brief online application and be prepared to upload:

* Cover Letter

* Resume/CV

* Copies of all unofficial academic transcripts, and

* List of 3-5 references

These required documents should be uploaded as one PDF file as a resume document. For questions regarding the online application process contact or call 573.882.7976. For technical problems with the online application process contact or call 573.882.5000.

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits.

Values Commitment

We value the uniqueness of every individual and strive to ensure each person's success. Contributions from individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives promote intellectual pluralism and enable us to achieve the excellence that we seek in learning, research and engagement. This commitment makes our university a better place to work, learn and innovate.

In your application materials, please discuss your experiences and expertise that support these values and enrich our missions of teaching, research, and engagement.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri System is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal Opportunity is and shall be provided for all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without unlawful discrimination on the basis of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable state or federal law. This policy applies to all employment decisions including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, training, promotions, pay practices, benefits, disciplinary actions and terminations. For more information, visit https://www.umsystem.edu/ums/hr/eeo or call the Director of Employee and Labor Relations at 573-882-2146.

To request ADA accommodations, please call the Director of Accessibility and ADA at 573-884-7278.