Extension Specialist, Community and Economic Development

Extension Specialist, Community and Economic Development

University of Illinois Extension

WE TRANSFORM LIVES.
Everything we do is designed to improve the quality of life of the people in the state of Illinois, across the nation, and around the world. We discover, develop, translate, and disseminate knowledge to address societal concerns and train the next generation of experts and leaders in a way that empowers them to expand the boundaries of science to higher levels of understanding and influence.

Be a part of our story. Through learning partnerships that extend knowledge and change lives, University of Illinois Extension provides educational programs aimed at making life better, healthier, safer, and more profitable for individuals and their communities. Illinois Extension has operated continuously for more than 100 years connecting the citizens of Illinois to their land-grant university by providing educational programming around the state. University of Illinois Extension is based in the College of ACES and works with all colleges and units of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The Extension Specialist, Community and Economic Development (CED), serves as a regular, full time, 12-month academic professional with primary responsibility for the development, delivery, and evaluation of educational programs supporting the mission of the University of Illinois Extension. This position will be responsible for working with Extension Educators statewide to identify topics and design innovative programs, and for developing multi-media delivery mechanisms for Extension programs and information.

One full-time position is available.
Location: Region 2 (Central and Western Illinois)
(The position will be housed in one of the units located in Region 2. Click here for the Extension map.)
In state hybrid or remote work arrangements are available.

This is a security-sensitive position. Comprehensive background checks, including but not limited to a criminal conviction information check, a CANTS check, and a review of the Registered Sex Offender list, will be conducted.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Program Planning, Delivery, and Evaluation

• Assess needs of communities, organizations, and institutions across the region. This may include networking and collaborating with community organizations, local government representatives, Unit and campus based Extension staff, and related groups to conduct surveys and other needs assessments.
• Develop innovative curricula and programs to address local community and economic development needs that mesh with the broader state and national interdisciplinary initiatives.
• Deliver high impact programming to diverse audiences using appropriate delivery mechanisms to optimize reach and effectiveness. Partner with Extension educators, specialists, faculty, students, and volunteers.
• Serve as a content expert both within the region and statewide for educational efforts within subject area expertise.
• Evaluate program impact consistent with impact indicators developed by the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, which are used across the 12-state region. Evaluation should include short-term impacts and long-term changes in community practices and conditions.
• Develop effective and contemporary approaches to communicate with local government representatives, community and agency partners, and individual stakeholders. This may include social media, blogs, and/or e-learning platforms.
  

Research and Development

• Establish professional relationships and participate in campus-based partnerships to link academic programs and research to Extension programming. Partner with Extension specialists and/or faculty members on research projects as appropriate.
• Be an active member within a professional society(s) to stay current in the discipline. Seek out and participate in professional development to enhance competency relevant to the needs of the communities served.
• Author Extension publications, collaborate on applied research, and use data to inform decisions.
• Use research and evaluation to create programs that address current and emerging issues; improve existing programs.
• Share principles of evidence-based best practice with peers.

Organizational Leadership and Development

• Serve as an effective team member and volunteer for leadership roles as appropriate within the Community and Economic Development team, University of Illinois Extension, and University of Illinois.
• Solicit additional internal and external resources to support the CED program. Includes strategic use of available funds to increase program quality and impact.
• Help develop, organize, and teach University of Illinois Extension programs.
• As needed, accept statewide responsibilities as requested by the Program Leader.

• Perform other duties aligned with the mission of University of Illinois Extension programming, as assigned.
  

Organizational Requirements

• Comply with all reporting deadlines and requirements (e.g. plans of work, activity and impact reporting, PEARS database entry, etc.).

Other Information

• Comply with all University of Illinois Extension Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity policies and guidelines in all aspects of Extension work; assist Unit staff with data collection for Affirmative Action, Gender, and Targeted reports.
• Local, regional, and (limited) statewide travel required; personal transportation required.
  

Physical Demands
To perform the functions of this position, the employee will be required to perform work both within an office and outside in the communities that are served and must have the capability to travel from one location to the other in a timely fashion. Employee is responsible for securing personal transportation. A valid driver’s license is preferred. Some work will be required during evenings and/or weekends. When working, the employee may be exposed to a variety of environmental factors to include, but not limited to, hot or cold weather, exposure to noise and allergens, and uneven ground. In performing the functions of this position, the employee may be subjected to various mental and physical demands as well to include, but not limited to, independently traveling to and performing work at different locations, ability to move, transfer and/or transport items that may occasionally weigh up to forty (40) pounds and frequently weigh up to twenty (20) pounds, and twisting, pushing and pulling movements. More detailed information regarding the functions of this position (including the physical, mental, and environmental requirements of the position) may be obtained from Human Resources for the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) by contacting [email protected].

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Master’s degree in community development, business administration, applied economics, public administration, public finance, regional and urban planning or closely related field. Candidates with a Master’s degree in progress may be considered for interviews, but degree must be completed by hire date.

Experience:

At least 3 years of relevant experience with program planning, design and delivering community-based educational programs. Experience working with diverse audiences. Informal and/or formal teaching experience. Synchronous and asynchronous distance educational delivery skills and teaching experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

PhD in related field.

Experience:

Experience evaluating and reporting impact. Experience in leadership roles and/or evidenced ability to guide the work of others. Experience with specialty field such as planning, local government, business retention/expansion, workforce development, entrepreneurship, sustainability, health care, and/or hazard mitigation planning.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong communication skills. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work both independently and within a team environment. Knowledge of participatory planning and best practices in community development.

Appointment Information
Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position. This position is a full-time, benefits-eligible, non-tenure academic professional position appointed on a 12-month service basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the closing date. The previously determined salary range for this position was $73,000 to $90,000. We strive to provide a competitive salary while taking into consideration internal equity, candidate experience and qualifications, as well as budget constraints. The final salary offer will be determined through a calculation involving these elements. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at the top of the full range for this position.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information
Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (CST) on August 11, 2025 (extended) . Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Please upload a resume, cover letter, and the names and contact information for three professional references. Resume dates submitted must be in month/year format and employment history, at a minimum, should include all work dating back to the completion of your undergraduate degree. Positions that were less than full-time/100% must be noted as being part-time. Transcripts may be requested at a later date. Applications not submitted through will not be considered.

For further information about this specific position, please contact Christina Chopra at [email protected]. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois offers a very competitive benefits portfolio, depending on the position. Click for a complete list of Employee Benefits .

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify .

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Accommodations may also be requested on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, or religion. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal , or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing [email protected] .

Requisition ID : 1031478
Job Category : Off-Campus
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