Working/Functional Title
Government and Community Vitality Educator
Position Summary
Michigan State University Extension is committed to fostering a welcoming and collaborative environment, which requires all staff to contribute toward a vision for success regardless of title or position within the organization. We strive to create a positive culture, access to resources, and a sense of belonging for staff, partners, and programming participants. This means that all staff at MSU Extension are dedicated to the following:
- We work together to ensure that programming is available to all audiences, creates meaningful and positive impacts for participants, and demonstrates partnership and collaboration across communities.
- We understand that a welcoming and respectful environment is built through the efforts of everyone.
- We foster an environment that welcomes a broad range of perspectives and experiences, ensuring that all individuals have the opportunity to contribute and thrive.
- We ensure that every team member is prepared with the skills and resources to contribute to our welcoming and supportive culture.
- We foster an environment that values a range of perspectives, skills, and experiences by working to ensure access to programming for communities.
- We commit to continuous learning and engagement to better serve Michigan residents and meet the evolving needs of communities.
- We recognize that broad accessibility and collaboration are essential elements of our work and are vital to organizational and programmatic success.
- We embrace a culture of understanding, coaching, and feedback toward achieving a vision of success for the entire organization and its staff.
- Together we will achieve success, and we commit to these goals in our work, continued education, and ongoing efforts.
POSITION SUMMARY
As part of MSU Extension (MSUE) and the Community, Food & Environment Institute (CFEI), this position provides local as well as statewide leadership and educational programming related to planning and zoning, good governance, and community vitality. This position will have statewide responsibilities and will collaborate across work teams, institutes, and community groups, working with faculty, specialists, and educators for overall advancement of the needs of the Institute’s clientele.
You will identify, design, deliver, and evaluate educational programs focused primarily on land-use planning and good governance for elected and appointed officials, planning commissioners, and other local leaders. You will also have opportunities to apply their professional expertise to emerging issues affecting Michigan communities and local economies. Relevant areas may include downtown revitalization, housing availability and affordability, renewable energy, and related community development topics. Additionally, you will contribute to team-based programming in areas such as leadership development, municipal budgeting and finance, good governance, economic development, and tourism development. You will also work closely with the district director and local partners to identify priority needs and develop responsive educational programming.
Through collaboration in research, engagement with community members, and dissemination of research-based information through various methods, you will conduct outreach education, including in-person and multimedia programming and written communications. Through your leadership, participants leave MSU Extension programs with a clearer understanding of their civic roles and responsibilities, greater confidence in decision-making, and practical tools to manage community resources, implement best practices, and create high-quality places. By applying these skills, participants help strengthen local leadership, expand community capacity, and build more effective and resilient civic infrastructure.
Your work will include close collaboration with colleagues at MSU and MSU Extension, as well as the network of partner groups that include Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), Macomb, Oakland and Wayne County Planning Departments, and local townships, villages and cities in southeast Michigan.
Although negotiable, there will be space available for this position to work from the Oakland, Macomb or Wayne County MSU Extension offices.
This position may be eligible to utilize a flexible work environment, however, there is an expectation to work from a MSU Extension County office. The needs, responsibilities, and opportunities of an individual’s position and office location drive the ability and amount of work-location flexibility.
Characteristic Duties/Responsibilities
- Identify, develop, conduct, and evaluate innovative educational programs that meet current and projected statewide needs, and supports growth and understanding of critical issues facing people in Michigan.
- Develop and maintain positive working relationships intra- and inter-organizationally and create and promote positive public relations for MSU Extension and the CFEI.
- Understand and support the Community, Food and Environment Institute’s efforts in culture, access, belonging, and Civil Rights, with a special emphasis on removing barriers from participation and reaching all populations, including but not limited to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status, socio-economic class and other human differences in rural, suburban and urban communities, and where applicable, increasing programmatic delivery and participation in urban centers.
- Communicate and interact with community groups to evaluate the needs of the clientele.
- In concert with the MSU Extension work team(s), work with federal, state, and county agencies to complete needs assessment of the community and develop effective programming.
- Serve as an information resource to clientele, partners, and Extension staff.
- Develop and utilize appropriate media methods to communicate current and timely information, research results, and relevant industry updates, as well as a schedule of current and future activities.
- Collaborate with MSU Extension staff to gather and report programming outputs and impacts, to demonstrate program effectiveness and to guide future program priorities for MSU Extension, the CFEI and work teams.
- Actively participate in professional development opportunities.
- Author, produce, and submit regular research-based educational materials and articles.
- Other duties or projects as assigned by the Institute Director.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Degree
Masters -Urban, Regional Planning, Architecture, Historic Preservation, Public Administration, Public Policy, Economics, or Business Administration
Minimum Requirements
- Master’s degree from an accredited institution in a field of study related to urban and regional planning, architec
