Senior Associate, Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources

Summary

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), a research, policy, and advocacy organization dedicated to strengthening and advancing the work of public universities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, is seeking a Senior Associate, Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources to provide logistical and administrative support to the Cooperative Extension Section and the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP). ECOP is the governing board of the Cooperative Extension System, a non-formal educational program designed to help people use research-based knowledge to improve their lives. This position is part of APLU’s Office of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources, a twelve-person team. The incumbent will perform a broad array of administrative tasks to ensure effective office operations, including planning and managing the logistics of virtual and in-person conferences, webinars, and meetings; coordinating calendars and scheduling meetings; maintaining accurate records; supporting member communications and website updates; and overseeing financial transactions for ECOP. Successful candidates will have strong meeting coordination, event planning, and administrative support skills; a robust facility with Excel and data; possess a keen attention to detail; and an ability to work closely with other team members and external stakeholders to support the effectiveness of the organization. This full-time position is based in Washington, DC. The incumbent must be eligible to work in the United States, reside in DC, MD, or VA, and pass standard background checks. They are eligible for a hybrid work schedule. For more information, consult www.aplu.org.

Background

APLU is a membership organization that fosters a community of university leaders collectively working to advance the mission of public research universities. The association’s membership consists of nearly 250 public research universities, land-grant institutions, state university systems, and affiliated organizations spanning across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, six U.S. territories, Canada, and Mexico. Annually, member campuses enroll 5.3 million undergraduates and 1.4 million graduate students, award 1.4 million degrees, employ 1.3 million faculty and staff, and conduct $61 billion in university-based research.

Cooperative Extension is a non-formal education program implemented by land-grant universities and colleges. Cooperative Extension at the national level is coordinated by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP), a representative leadership and governing body of the Cooperative Extension System (CES). 

Responsibilities

• Independently provide administrative and logistical planning for CES & ECOP conferences, meetings, and events, including supporting the development of meeting budgets and collaborating with vendors, and generally support the CES.
• Independently maintain accurate records within APLU’s knowledge management platforms and customer relationship management systems (CRM). Carry out communication with members through APLU’s email marketing system. 
• Draft emails and other documents as requested.
• Update ECOP webpages as necessary.
• Post and distribute the weekly ECOP Monday Minute blog.
• Draft and monitor contracts, corresponding as necessary with contractors to ensure timely payments and reporting.  
• Support coordination between ECOP and APLU’s finance staff by distributing project invoices, receiving and processing reimbursement requests from meeting attendees, and maintaining contact information. Prepare expense reports and reconciliations.
• Schedule virtual meetings, including setting up appropriate online connections, communicating meeting agendas, and preparing meeting minutes when necessary. 
• Participate as an integral member of the Food, Agriculture, & Natural Resources (FANR) team and APLU, and contribute to an inclusive, welcoming, and collegial workplace. 
• Provide other administrative and logistical support as needed to support the goals and objectives of CES, ECOP, FANR, and APLU.

Preferred Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional administrative support experience plus three or more years’ experience working at a unit of Cooperative Extension, a college/university, a higher education association, or an organization involved in issues related to Cooperative Extension, agriculture, natural resources, or nutrition.
• Experience planning and coordinating events, including workshops, webinars, and conferences.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated organizational skills. Ability to take direction and communicate with multiple team members, keep track of activities and priorities on multiple projects, and meet deadlines. 
• Ability to identify potential issues and bring them to the attention of the appropriate team members as they arise.
• Ability to maintain poise, professionalism, focus, consistency, and accuracy under pressure.
• Experience with Office365 is preferred, including Microsoft Teams, and experience managing virtual meetings, especially via Zoom. Experience using a customer relations management (CRM) system, and/or a database is a plus. A willingness and ability to learn new technologies.
• Commitment to the work of CES, ECOP, FANR, and APLU. Demonstrated desire to learn about and help Cooperative Extension build partnerships and acquire resources, increase strategic marketing and communications, enhance leadership and professional development, and strengthen organizational functioning. 
• Ability to travel domestically two or more times a year, especially during the summer months and November.

To Apply

Please send a letter of interest and resume to APLU’s Human Resources Department at resume@aplu.org with “Senior Associate, FANR” in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled, with preference given to those received by September 20, 2024.  APLU is committed to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment, and supports staff with a generous benefits package.

APLU is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer committed to providing reasonable accommodation for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodation due to a disability, please contact resume@aplu.org.