Center Director and Professor - Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC)

Leadership Responsibilities

The Center Director provides strategic vision and leadership to advance interdisciplinary, high-impact programs conducted by SWFREC faculty, staff, and students. The Director is responsible for supporting and strengthening teaching, research, and Extension programs and for leading efforts to address clientele needs through visionary and proactive Extension programming and scientifically recognized research efforts.

Administrative and Operational Responsibilities

• Responsible for the effective and accountable management of SWFREC's financial, personnel and physical resources, including laboratories, field research infrastructure, and associated facilities.
• Establishes priorities and implements short- and long-term goals related to programs, personnel, and capital investments to ensure operational excellence and sustained growth of the Center.
• Develops, maintains, and strengthens strategic partnerships with UF/IFAS administration, county Extension faculty, and local, state, and federal agencies, as well as agricultural, environmental, and industry stakeholders.

Faculty, Staff, and Academic Leadership

• Fosters a collaborative and high-performing environment that supports excellence among faculty, staff, and students.
• Learns in faculty development, including mentoring, performance evaluation, and oversight of programmatic activities.
• Co-supervises State Specialized Agents (SSA) and Regional Specialized Agents (RSA) located at SWFREC in collaboration with the District Extension Director.

Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships

• Serves as a key representative of UF/IFAS and is accountable for building, sustaining, and strengthening productive relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Fosters trust, maintains goodwill, and ensures active engagement with commodity organizations, regulatory and governmental agencies, agricultural and natural resource associations, and private-sector partners, including producers, industry representatives, and environmental organizations.
• Initiates, coordinates, and advances collaborative efforts with UF/IFAS Department Chairs, Research and Education Center directors, District Extension Directors, county Extension faculty, and other UF units.

Required Qualifications

• An earned Ph.D. (foreign equivalent acceptable) in a discipline relevant to agriculture, environmental horticulture, natural resources, or a closely related field is required.
• A record of scholarship and academic achievement consistent with appointment at the rank of Professor within UF/IFAS.
• A proven record of excellence in research and teaching, along with experience in Extension or stakeholder-engaged programming that translates scientific knowledge into practical applications addressing clientele needs.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including responsibility for mentoring and supervising faculty, staff, and students, and fostering a collaborative, high-performing organizational environment.
• Strong administrative, organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills are required, along with the ability to manage complex programs and make effective decisions.
• A history of securing extramural funding from competitive sources, including commodity and industry groups and governmental agencies such as the USDA.
• A clear understanding of and commitment to the mission of the land-grant system, including the integration of research, teaching, and Extension.