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

Job Description

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is creating an environment that affirms community across all dimensions. The Center Director serves as the administrative head of the University of Florida/IFAS, Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) located in Immokalee, FL. The Center Director provides strategic leadership and support for the integrated teaching, research, and Extension programs developed by faculty that address the essential needs of the stakeholders, including agricultural, natural resource conservation, and environmental.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Provides strategic vision and leadership to advance interdisciplinary, high-impact programs conducted by SWFREC faculty, staff, and students.
• Sustains and strengthens teaching, research, and Extension programs and leads efforts to address clientele needs through visionary and proactive Extension programming and scientifically recognized research efforts.
• Develops, promotes, and oversees proactive programs that address current and emerging issues affecting agricultural, natural resource, and urban communities.
• Fosters a collaborative and high-performing environment that supports excellence among faculty, staff, and students.
• Coordinates promotion and tenure processes in consultation with appropriate academic department chairs.
• Co-supervises State Specialized Agents (SSA) and Regional Specialized Agents (RSA) located at SWFREC in collaboration with the District Extension Director.
• Reports administratively to the Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources and programmatically to the Deans for Research, Extension, and Academic Programs.

Administrative and Operational Responsibilities

• Manages 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.
• 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.

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.

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.
• The candidate must possess a record of scholarship and academic achievement consistent with appointment at the rank of Professor within UF/IFAS.
• The successful candidate will demonstrate 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.
• The candidate must have 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.
• The candidate must demonstrate a history of securing extramural funding from competitive sources, including commodity and industry groups and governmental agencies such as the USDA.
• The successful candidate will also demonstrate the ability to build and sustain productive relationships with a variety of stakeholders and must exhibit a clear understanding of and commitment to the mission of the land‑grant system, including the integration of research, teaching, and Extension.