Stakeholder Relationship Coordinator (Hybrid Opportunity)

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

 

Job Summary

The Stakeholder Relationship Coordinator creates and strengthens the connections of UMass Extension’s Commercial Horticulture Group to stakeholders by providing specialized educational and program support. Organizes and facilitates development, implementation, marketing, distribution, and evaluation of in-person, online, and printed educational programs and projects, along with logistical and financial management for these efforts. Serves as a primary point of contact to provide and coordinate assistance and consultation for professional and public stakeholders in relevant topic areas.

 

Essential Functions

• Plans, schedules, coordinates, promotes, and executes varied Extension education, training, and professional development programs and projects. This can include workshops and seminars, short courses, newsletters, web sites, social media, printed publications, and other electronic communications, presentations and demonstrations such as Green School, the Invasive Insect Certification Program, the Spring Kickoff for Landscape & Lawn Care, and the Community Tree Conference, as well as the UMass Garden Calendar and UMass Extension’s Landscape Message and Hort Notes newsletters. Includes online, remote facilitation as well as on-site, in-person facilitation.
• Develops and administers data tooling for processes such as surveys, needs assessments, and enrollment. Analyzes response data to provide financial, logistical support and management for related programs and projects. Develops post program evaluation procedures focusing on continuous improvement of Extension programs.
• Designs, plans, and executes Extension programs using various content delivery methods such as web, web conferencing, learning management, e-commerce, and constituent tracking software based on input from post program data. Drives development, technical review, and editing of content relevant to programs and projects.
• Collaborates with the finance team to create data-informed budgets, revenue projections, and procurement plans, and to manage expenses and project accounting. Utilizes and stays up to date with relevant University systems. 
• Exercises effective communication and project management best practices to ensure organization of planning, timelines, information sharing, project goals, and achievement of Extension program success. Collaborates with other departments, campus-wide, including administration and finance and procurement, as well as external vendors, distributors, venues, service providers, and agencies as necessary and appropriate to accomplish goals. Monitors and measures project progress and identifies when a course change or corrective action is necessary.
• Coordinates and provides educational assistance and individualized consultation to connect stakeholders to resources in areas including land care, general horticulture, and agriculture, with emphasis on professional land care and home horticulture including serving as principal point of contact for program area.
• Administers relevant professional State and regional horticultural certification, recertification, and licensing programs, and workforce development benefit and incentive programs in connection with programming efforts.
• Collaborates with Extension leadership to actively optimize and enhance revenue potential of educational programming. Identifies state/federal funding sources, and writes grant proposals in pursuit of external sponsorships to increase and diversify funding for program activities depending on the business Unit and strategic goals of Extension.
• Ensures that all programs are conducted in compliance with appropriate agency and certification requirements, including federal, state and university diversity, equity, and inclusion laws, regulations, and policies.
• Hires, trains, and/or supervises work study students, volunteers, and temporary staff assigned to these programs.

 

Other Functions

• Keeps thorough records and contributes to compilation and submission of reports.
• Participates in professional development activities, continuing education, and in-service training