The Associate Dean of Operations & External Relations is a senior level administrator providing overall management and direction across Extension's internal operations, policy development, and external relations, including both elected and nonelected county, state, federal, and tribal partners. This role will collaborate with and report to the Dean of UW-Madison's Division of Extension. The Associate Dean will supervise two Assistant Deans responsible for oversight of Extension’s partnerships and program delivery across all 72 counties in Wisconsin. The Associate Dean also supervises the Directors of units providing division-wide services including human resources, communications, information technology, access and inclusion, and finance, as well as specialists responsible for facilities, planning, policy and administrative management.

Successful applicants will need to have significant work experience as an organizational leader as they step into working as part of leadership within Extension to create the conditions that facilitate effective delivery of Extension education across Wisconsin.

Principle Duties

The Associate Dean of Operations & External Relations will be responsible for performing the following tasks:

Organizational Strategy and Decision-Making

• Provide strategic insight and direction for operations, policy development, and external relations.

• As part of leadership, assess how to efficiently and effectively support the delivery of Extension programming across Wisconsin.

• Maintain policies and procedures, and develop systems to support overall Extension operations including strategic planning, division-wide policy development and management, personnel management, technology, budget, facilities, and internal and external communications.
  

Divisional Leadership

• Work in partnership with the Academic Associate Deans in providing critical support for their programming priorities.

• Work with the Assistant Deans to engage external partners to solicit their needs and priorities, and align them with Extension capacity and expertise.

• Work with the operations units and specialists to streamline services and align work to address customer needs and priorities in the areas of budget, human resources, communications, information technology, access and inclusion, facilities, planning, and policy.

• Serve as a core member of the Deans Executive Team by contributing to and developing policies and strategies to advance Extension’s work.
  

Partnership Management

• Align annual strategic initiatives in coordination with Assistant Deans and Operational units.

• Regularly engage with administrative leadership at UW-Madison, including the Offices of: Legal Affairs, University Relations, the Provost, the Chancellor, Risk Management, the Comptroller, and others as needed to address issues and ensure alignment between Extension and campus.

• Engage with administrative leaders in other Schools, Colleges and Divisions on campus to work on issues of share interest and/or impact.
  

Budget Management

• Manage overall budget for Operations and the Dean’s Office.

• Develop strategies to diversify funding sources for Extension’s priorities.
  

Staff Management

• Supervise Operation Directors, Assistant Deans for Geographies, and operations specialists.
  

External Relations

• Build relationships with federal, state, local and tribal officials to address mutual priorities and secure external funding.

• Engage with administrative leadership of other Extension organizations, particularly those in the North Central region.

• Develop new and strengthen existing key strategic partnerships with nonprofit and nongovernment organizations.

Division of Extension headquarters are located within Madison, WI

This position may require some work to be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location. Some work may be performed remotely, at an offsite, non-campus work location. Remote work requires an approved remote work agreement (RWA). A RWA requires successful candidates to possess their own high-speed internet and phone to perform the work on a university provided computer. Per University policy, transportation between home and assigned work location is not payable/reimbursable and will be at the expense of the employee.

This position has the possibility of working up to 2 days remote per week.

This position may be required to work occasional nights and weekends to meet the divisional needs and priorities of the communities served.

It is expected that employees will make individual arrangements for transportation adequate to meet position responsibilities and essential job functions.

Applicants are required to: Have a valid drivers license and a reliable source of independent transportation for periodic in-state work travel, and/or comply with requirements for UW-Madison vehicle use authorization.

Master's degree required

Earned terminal degree preferred