4-H Program Manager, Cheshire County

About the role

This position is located at Extension’s Cheshire County office in Keene, New Hampshire.

The Cheshire County 4-H program manager facilitates the growth of the county 4-H program and life-skill development of 4-H youth, primarily through the coordination and mobilization of 42 community- or topic-based 4-H volunteers who recruit, train, support, and guide youth and families through community engagement activities to prepare youth for life and community. 4-H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, works in local communities to offer youth online and in-person programming through clubs, collaborative community partnerships, afterschool programs, camps, and other educational activities.

N.H. 4-H programs are designed around a pathway model centered on the national 4-H mission areas of STEM/agriscience, civic engagement, and healthy living. 4-H pathways are designed to engage youth in a sequential learning experience, enabling youth to build mastery of skill and knowledge as well as a sense of belonging to their community and world.

This position will have frequent night and weekend programmatic responsibilities due to the nature of working with volunteers and youth events outside of the school day. There is flexibility in fixed times for hours worked weekly to accommodate community realities in programming.

The program manager may serve as the county office administrator (COA) of the Cheshire County Extension office if deemed appropriate in conjunction with the supervisor and Extension administration.

The COA develops and maintains relationships with county administrators, department heads, commissioners and delegation members, and is responsible for facility and equipment management, office budget management, and supervision of administrative assistants, interns and other part-time or temporary employees. COA job responsibilities usually account for 20% of the employee’s time.

If the program manager is appointed COA, their organizational support time is reduced during their COA service.

Duties/Responsibilities

Volunteer Development and Support (40%)

• Work alongside 42 existing 4-H volunteers who support and carry out programming in 18 community and topic-based clubs and partnerships involving 95 families.
• Manage volunteers involved in the 4-H responsibilities of the Cheshire County Fair.
• When needed, recruit, train, guide, and support new 4-H volunteers to support program outcomes and ensure risk management.
• Ensure the programmatic involvement of various community audiences such that all educational programming is conducted in full accordance with civil rights, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), Affirmative Action (AA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) policies and procedures.

County 4-H Program Pathway Development and Delivery (30%)

• Support, organize, plan and coordinate county-based activities and events, including the 4-H responsibilities at the Cheshire County Fair Support, organize, plan and coordinate follow-up experiences for youth and families along 4-H youth development pathways, including being responsive to local participant needs and concerns Collaborate with 4-H field specialist for program pathway development, implementation, and evaluation.

State 4-H Team Pathway Support (10%)

• Serve as a member of a program pathway’s state team to assist with the development, organization, planning, and coordination of statewide events and activities.
• Pathways include, but are not limited to, STEM/agriscience, outdoor education, civic engagement, and healthy living.

Program Support and Community Engagement (10%)

• Perform projects, committee work, and local county Extension office work (e.g., engage with Advisory Council, engage local legislators/stakeholders, and participate in staff meetings and projects) as needed.

Program Reporting (5%)

• Support programs by tracking enrollment information, coordinating evaluation data collection, completing timely reporting, monitoring 4-H club finances, and analyzing program effectiveness.

Professional Development (5%)

• Identify individual professional development goals in cooperation with supervisor and seek training in subject area expertise and essential skills related to the position, such as group process, volunteer management, facilitation, and organizational skills.

Minimum Acceptable Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline, such as education or human services and two years of relevant experience, or a master’s degree in a relevant discipline.

Required Licenses & Certifications: Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Professional or volunteer experience in work related to administering educational or community-based youth development programs.
• Effective human relations and communication skills.
• Computer skills.
• Ability to reflect thoughtfully on personal bias in order to be welcoming to all potential participants and volunteers.
• Availability to work nights and weekends.
• Valid N.H. driver’s license or other effective means of personal transportation.
• Mileage will be reimbursed at the current federal rate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing and managing volunteers Experience managing youth development programs.
• Experience with 4-H or similar youth development programs and/or other Cooperative Extension programming.
• Competence with social media Experience working with various youth and community audiences.

Applicant Instructions

Applicants should be prepared to upload the following documents when applying online within the My Experience: Resume/CV section of the application:

(Maximum of 5 Documents - additional documents can be added to the Application Questions section of the application)

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter

Additional information

Applications that are missing any of the required items may not move forward for consideration. Additional uploaded documents not requested in the position announcement will not be reviewed.

Please be advised that this position is supported by external sponsor funding. As such, continued employment in this role is contingent upon the availability of those external funds. If, for any reason, the sponsor funding is reduced or discontinued, employment may be subject to modification or termination in accordance with applicable policies and procedures.