The Agricultural and Natural Resources Department at West Virginia University Research Corporation is currently accepting applications for a (Remote) Program Coordinator.

About the Opportunity

As the Remote Program Coordinator, you will provide oversight of the overall grant-funded project, coordinate the completion of deliverables, engage in regular meetings with project partners, and track progress on a monthly basis. You will report to the Principal Investigator on the project progress related to established timelines and provide direction to participating farmers on how to be successful within the scope of the grant.

At WVU Research Corporation, we strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU Research Corporation offers a comprehensive benefits package with a variety of options to suit your needs:

• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• PTO
• 403(b) retirement savings with a fully vested 3% employee contribution match, (Employees have the option of contributing an additional 1-3% of their earnings to the plan, which is also
• matched by the WVURC)
• A range of health insurance and other benefits
• Dependent Education Scholarship
• WVU Perks
• And More!!

What you’ll do:

• Ensure successful implementation of Climate Smart Commodities (CSC) grant
• Recruit farmers to apply for CSC grant funds
• Prepare reports for USDA NRCS on CSC grant progress.
• Work with participating producers to stay on track to implement proposed climate-smart practices (silvopasture, prescribed grazing, fencing, water implementation, etc.)
• Organize and coordinate on-farm workshops in collaboration with producers
• Work with project lead, project partners and stakeholders to ensure delivery of projects on time and on budget.
• Assess and ensure partners' compliance with USDA rules and regulations and ensure timely completion of program activities and reporting requirements.
• Contribute to monitoring and evaluation by reviewing information/documents and indicator tables, and by monitoring achievement of quarterly targets.
• Contribute to outreach, by writing content, giving presentations, or participating in other activities to highlight activities, people-to-people connections, and impacts of the project; and by providing ideas and guidance to staff on their outreach activities.
• Travel to the field to assist team members and partners with technical and operational implementation.
• Provide coordination for developing, implementing, and evaluating statewide educational/informational programs in climate-smart cattle and beef
• Facilitate marketing assistance to promote climate-smart cattle and beef produced and processed in West Virginia.
• Support educational programs designed by the Small Farm Center leadership related to climate-smart cattle and beef.
  
• Identify, document, monitor, and promote the impacts, outcomes, and benefits of West Virginia climate-smart agriculture.
  
• Integrate research-based knowledge into the development and implementation of the CSC grant.
  
• Collaborate with Extension Service Communications to develop content for fact sheets, brochures, special publications, and webpages to disseminate to internal and external audiences.
  
• Assist in completing program and grant funded obligations for the CSC grant. The person in this position must be able to respond with well-designed and delivered programs or other deliverables very quickly. Ensure grant reports and other related requests are complete and submitted in a timely manner.
  
• Provide program, as well as direct internal and external client support services, respond to inquiries and independently resolve matters of low to moderate complexity. Responsibilities require some judgment, resourcefulness, and originality.
  
• Perform various duties such as data collection, analysis, and auditing in support of CSC grant requirements.
  
• Collaborate with agencies, key stakeholders, civic groups, local governments, and other Extension faculty in the county and region to provide integrated and multicounty programs to fulfil the CSC goals.
  
• Must be willing to travel around WV to meet with producers, collect data and attend/present at events.
  
• Other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in agriculture soil science, animal science, economics, environmental science/policy, rural development, or related field preferred.
• Direct agricultural experience with at least two years related experience and/or training, or an equivalent combination of related experience and training, preferred.
• A minumum of two (2) years of experience in the following:
  • Program development and management experience of multiple projects with responsibility of prioritizing work and administering schedules to ensure completion.
  • Experience working with U.S. farmer groups – preferred those that meet the USDA definition of "underserved."
• Strong aptitude for cultivating transparent and trusted relationships.
  
• Motivated candidate with demonstrated ability to handle complex, evolving responsibilities with a high degree of autonomy, accountability, and attention to detail.
  
• Strong communication, interpersonal, planning, and organizational skills.
  
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and other applications such as Adobe Creative Suite.
  
• Demonstrated knowledge of or ability to quickly acquire working knowledge of grants and written contracts relating to deliverables and the timeline for each.
  
• Positive attitude and ability to learn new skills as needed.
  
• Strong project management skills, as well as the ability to work independently as part of mixed telecommuting and office-based team.
  
• High-level cultural competency and ability to work with a broad range of partners and participants respectfully and productively.
  
• Maintain skills in, or knowledge of, professional principles, legal and/or reporting requirements affecting area of responsibility.
  
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
  
• Demonstrated ability to write reports and correspondence.
  
• Demonstrated ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of the organization to develop and deliver educational programs.
  
• Demonstrated ability to perform basic mathematical functions (i.e. add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals). Ability to compute rate, ratio and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
  
• Demonstrated ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
  
• Must be willing to travel within and around the state as well as to national meetings twice per year.

• Valid driver’s license for independent statewide travel required.
• Ability to lift and carry supplies/materials weighing up to 50 lbs.
  
• Ability to sit for long periods of time.
  
• Manual dexterity to type on keyboard for long periods of time.
  
• Ability to stand for long periods of time when presenting curriculum.

The WVURC was created as a not-for-profit corporation in 1985 to support research (R1) at West Virginia University. We provide evaluation, development, patenting, management, and marketing services for inventions of the faculty, staff and students of the University.

The WVURC receives and administers funds awarded by external agencies for research and other activities and is responsible for helping protect intellectual property through patents, copyrights and licensing agreements for start-up companies based on University research.

Creating an inclusive, engaged, and dynamic environment is core to WVURC’s mission. We welcome candidates who can contribute a range of ideas, approaches and experiences.

West Virginia University Research Corporation is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. We value diversity among its employees and invites applications from all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, genetics, disability, or Veteran status.