Visiting Assistant Director (Soybean Innovation Lab) – Department of Agricultural and Consumer Econo – 1026213-6689

This job was posted by https://illinoisjoblink.illinois.gov : For more
information, please see:
https://illinoisjoblink.illinois.gov/jobs/12200184 University of
Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics

Visiting Assistant Director

Soybean Innovation Lab

The primary function of the Assistant Director is to conduct soybean
research and manage the day-to-day operations for the agronomic and
variety programs of the Soybean Innovation Lab including, but not
limited to, conducting research, strategy and program design, personnel
oversight, technical reporting, and management duties.

The Assistant Director mustbe detail-oriented, efficient, organized, and
possess skills across a wide range of aspects. The position will require
an ability to work independently across a number of areas, including
technical and human resource activities. The primary responsibilities of
the Assistant Director include, but are not limited to:

Research Activities:

Strategically oversee the implementation and evaluation of SIL agronomic
and variety programs and initiatives, ensuring independent deliverables,
timelines, and budgets.

Collect and analyze data to produce agronomic and variety soybean
innovations for partner institutions within associated budget
requirements.

Collaborate with research project partners domestically and
internationally to introduce new soybean varieties to the market and
improve soybean agronomic practices and yields, aiming to alleviate
poverty and malnutrition.

Contribute to the reports for the project and USAID, summarizing
research outcomes from the soybean agronomy and variety research
programs, and providing recommendations for the next steps in advancing
soybean research.

Represent the SIL Director (Principal Investigator) in domestic and
international research activities and events pertaining to soybean
agronomy and variety performance.

Human Resources:

Manage 10-15 direct reports, including Academic Professionals, Program
Specialists, Program Coordinators, Visiting Scholars, Postdoctoral
Research Associates, and Undergraduate Research Interns who collectively
support the strategic and research goals of the agronomy and variety
programs.

Manage short-term support staff, including Contractors, Consultants, and
other vendors who support the agronomy and variety programs with various
duties, including survey enumeration, data collection, graphic design,
website and app development, and service provision.

Support annual performance reviews with reports and contribute to
staffing plans and position changes.

Set overall objectives and goals for staff and support career
development, coaching, and mentoring in respective areas.

Strategy:

Lead conference calls, meetings, webinars, and other initiatives to
expand the scope, scale, and impact of the agronomic and variety
programs.

Identify new collaborations, opportunities, and initiatives to undertake
that align with the agronomy and variety programs goals and objectives.

Support proposal development efforts related to agronomy and varieties
to internal (University of Illinois, USAID) and external funders to
expand the impact and scale of these programs.

Develop, establish, and implement performance metrics related to
agronomy and varieties to demonstrate the effectiveness of the two
programs.

Financial Management:

Oversee technical deliverable submissions tied to invoice payments from
external and prime sponsors.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications

A Masterss degree in agriculture, business, or related field

Experience can be concurrent:

Five years experience in research

Five years experience in research program management

Experience in budget or project proposal development

Experience in strategic program development and evaluation

Preferred Qualifications

A PhD degree in griculture, business, or related field

Experience can be concurrent:

Three years experience at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Five years experience in a management role

Experience in personnel management

Seven years experience in research program management

International agricultural development experience

Project management experience

Demonstrated awareness of diverse international cultures, practices,
norms, and institutions

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Possess:

an ability to think creatively, strategically, and conceptually

project management and problem-solving skills

excellent oral and written communication skills

an ability to write clearly for various audiences and outlets

capacity to lead and work with others as part of a creative team and to
interact in a professional and productive manner with staff at all
levels of the organization