Project Manager, SWVA Agribusi
Job Description
The Project Manager, SWVA Agricultural Opportunities position will be dedicated to addressing Southwest Virginia regional agribusiness opportunities. This position will advance core strategies identified through regional planning efforts and produce specific actions to drive Southwest Virginia’s agricultural and economic growth. By working closely with Extension agents, educational institutions, clients, elected officials, and additional regional partners, this position will capitalize on existing strengths and collaborative partnerships to advance agricultural enterprises throughout 13 counties and three cities. The Project Manager will help identify and implement new opportunities and assess the viability of these new ventures; alleviate barriers to entry; help producers pursue niche opportunities, and; facilitate start-up and expansion of local businesses, among other activities.
Required Qualifications
· Bachelor’s degree and relevant experience working in agriculture industry or agriculture marketing
· Experience working in the agricultural community
· Ability to work independently
· Ability and willingness to apply science to decision-making and guide activities
· Ability to interpret field data and communicate to non-scientific stakeholders
· Ability to build coalitions
· Ability to work harmoniously and effectively with different personalities and individuals from diverse backgrounds.
· Superb time management and ability to prioritize
· Public relations and/or marketing skills
· Excellent organizational skills
· Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
· Highly proficient with computer productivity applications and general computer skills
Collaborative Leadership Skills:
Collaborative leadership is unlike traditional leadership. Collaborative leaders have no formal authority and must exercise leadership in the most difficult context, when all parties involved are peers. The Project Manager must have a deep belief that people have the capacity to create their own visions and solve their own problems. Collaborative leaders are visionary, but not about a particular vision or solution on a specific issue, but about how people can work together.
Therefore, Virginia Cooperative Extension is looking for a Project Manager who:
· Upholds the collaborative process
· Inspires commitment and action
· Leads as a problem solver
· Can build broad based involvement
· Is compassionate, approachable and discreet
· Has the ability to navigate diverse communities and personalities
· Has a strong commitment to equity
· Is dedicated to developing agriculture enterprises but is not focused on “taking credit”
· Sustains hope and participation
Preferred Qualifications
Master's Degree is preferred.
Restricted
Additional Information
The successful Candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check
About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.
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