Position Description
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County

Working Title: Community Development Special Projects Coordinator

Classification Title: Extension Community Educator

Office Location: 615 Willow Ave. Ithaca, NY 14850

Supervisor’s Classification: Issue Leader, Family & Community Development

Primary Role and Accountability:
Community educator, organizer, and developer responsible for strategic networking with CCE-Tompkins colleagues, collaborating organizations, and the communities throughout Tompkins County to achieve mutual goals related of special projects.


Program Management and Coordination Accountabilities (90%)

Community-based Networking for Healthy Children: Whole Community Project

Background: The Whole Community Project is a research grant with David Pelletier, Cornell University Nutritional Sciences, to assess and utilize community networks to prevent childhood obesity and achieve healthy nutrition and activity for children and youth. Participatory action research strategies and public issues education strategies are integral to the project at the local Tompkins County level.

Goals: Build on community action and policy change processes through a systematic assessment of the perspectives, values and interests of diverse stakeholders operating in children's environments and the policy changes needed to enhance those environments in ways that likely foster healthy children, including:
• Facilitate community-based dialog to identify issues and create solutions for ‘healthy eating and healthy activity’ beyond the household level
• Engage citizens in public issues education about local, state and federal policies
• Coordinate efforts of local community organizations to build capacity for citizen action
• Document, evaluate and disseminate promising practices for other communities in NYS and beyond


Program Management and Program Evaluation Accountabilities (5%)

As a team member, provide support and input into program evaluation, grants/contracts, marketing, program supervision and program implementation.

Professional Improvement (5%)

In cooperation with supervisor, jointly develop and pursue a professional development plan as a means to increase competencies relative to position accountabilities and to address change in programming and association priorities.

EEO/EPO Accountabilities

Ensure program outreach to diverse audiences, appreciate and embrace diversity in all interactions with clientele, staff, volunteers and the public in the spirit of CCE-Tompkins’ Diversity Statement.

Contacts

Attend Family & Community Development and Nutrition, Health and Wellness program committees, Whole Community Project and related stakeholder meetings to stay abreast and ascertain changes and needs relevant to association program. Participate in community stakeholder meetings to convey resources and capabilities of the association in light of their priority issues. Interact directly with, and seek the resource expertise of, faculty and other subject matter experts to address identified needs and to address complex issues.

Reporting Relationships and Type of Supervision Received/Given

Perform accountabilities under direct supervision of Family & Community Development Issue Leader, deferring and seeking input in non-routine or complex subject matter situations as a developmental process. Independently identify participants and select appropriate content and process relative to analyzed needs, alerting supervisor of issues and concerns as well as actual or potential areas of risk or conflict.

Qualifications:

Degree and Experience Pre-requisites

BA/BS related to community development, planning. 1-2 years experience in community development and/or organizing; experience working in public settings and coordinating with public and private groups.

Competencies Necessary:

• Ability to develop, coordinate, and evaluate an effective project
  • Ability to construct and monitor an annual plan with a budget
  • Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage a seasonally intense workload
  • Ability to write grants, press releases, and correspondence
  • Ability to develop volunteer and other resources to support program activities.
  • Ability to evaluate and document program outcomes and impacts.
• Ability to utilize participatory action research and public issues education strategies
  • Demonstrated understanding of learning and social change with individuals and communities
  • Ability to engage audiences in exploration of issues, identification of gaps and resources, making choices, action planning, and organizing to achieve common goals
  • Ability to facilitate effective professional development, networking opportunities, and the development of leadership skills
• Ability to participate effectively in professional team efforts with CCE-Tompkins, Cornell University, and community colleagues
• Demonstrated community-building and people-orientation with solid communication skills.
  • Ability to draw together and work with people from diverse communities, from collaborators’ staff to community volunteers/groups of all ages, and interests.
  • Demonstrated ability to be in a supportive and empowering role with others.
  • Enthusiastic promoter with the ability to motivate and excite others.
• Demonstrated competency using computers for word processing, data analysis, publication, and website development.
  

Desired

Familiarity with Tompkins County communities, organizations and key leaders.
Experience in community nutrition program planning
Familiarity with factors and potential solutions of childhood obesity epidemic.

Special Requirements

• Willingness to work flexible hours including some nights and weekends to accommodate meetings and delivery of educational programs.
• Transportation arrangements to locations away from the office
  
  

All Cornell Cooperative Extension positions are contingent upon adequate performance and availability of funds.

AA/EOE

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Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County
Education Center
615 Willow Avenue
Ithaca, NY 14850
Phone: 607-272-2292
Fax: 607-272-7088
Email: tompkins@cornell.edu

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County provides equal program and opportunities. No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, or qualified disability.