State Specialist Disaster Health and Wellness Chief

TITLE: State Specialist Disaster Health and Wellness Chief                             

DEPARTMENT: Community Resource Development (CRD)                                       

REPORTS TO: Assistant Extension Administrator

EFFECTIVE DATE: Position will remain open until filled

EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Full-Time                                        

EMPLOYMENT CLASSIFICATION: Exempt          

PRINCIPAL PURPOSE OF JOB: As the Extension State Specialist for Disaster Health and Wellness Chief, you will be responsible for leading and coordinating disaster health and wellness programs within the extension services of your state. Your primary role will be to develop and implement strategies to promote community resilience, emergency preparedness, and overall well-being in the face of disasters and emergencies.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: 

• Develop, implement, and oversee disaster health and wellness programs in collaboration with extension agents, community organizations, and relevant stakeholders.
• Stay updated on current research, best practices, and emerging trends in disaster health and wellness to inform program development.
• Provide leadership and guidance to extension agents and other staff members involved in disaster health and wellness initiatives.
• Create or research best practices into educational materials that extension staff may implement or utilize for programming.
• Create educational programming the comes from growing food from controlled environments; working and building collaboration with other extension nutrition expertise and programs to combat health disparities within marginalized communities.
• Create recipes, fax sheets, and publications revolving from the variety of area foods KSU grows.
• Conduct educational workshops, training sessions, and public presentations to raise awareness about disaster health and wellness topics.
• Develop educational materials, resources, and tools to support community members in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters.
• Foster partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies, as well as community organizations, to promote collaboration and maximize the impact of disaster health and wellness efforts.
• Conduct needs assessments to identify the specific disaster health and wellness challenges and priorities within different communities.
• Analyze data and information gathered through assessments to inform the development of targeted intervention strategies and programs.
• Collaborate with extension agents, researchers, and subject matter experts to develop comprehensive disaster health and wellness plans.
• Provide training and capacity-building opportunities to extension agents, community leaders, and other stakeholders to enhance their knowledge and skills in disaster health and wellness.
• Develop and deliver train-the-trainer programs to ensure the sustainability and scalability of disaster health and wellness initiatives.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning by organizing conferences, webinars, and workshops to disseminate information and share best practices.
• Establish evaluation frameworks and metrics to assess the effectiveness and impact of disaster health and wellness programs.
• Collect and analyze data to evaluate program outcomes and identify areas for improvement.
• Prepare reports and presentations summarizing program activities, achievements, and future recommendations for stakeholders and funders.

OTHER DUTIES: The position will conduct other duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Master’s degree in public health, emergency management, community health, or a related field required. A Ph.D. degree is preferred.
• Extensive experience in disaster health and wellness, emergency preparedness, or a related field.
• Knowledge of public health principles, community engagement strategies, and disaster response and recovery processes.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and inspire teams.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills to effectively convey information to diverse audiences. Proficiency in data analysis and program evaluation techniques.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and collaborations with various stakeholders.
• Flexibility to travel within the state and work evenings or weekends as needed.

Licensing and Certifications: None

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: 

• Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment. No or very limited physical effort required. No or very limited exposure to physical risk.

The College of Agriculture, Community, and the Sciences strives for inclusive excellence and is interested in qualified candidates who can contribute to this effort through their research, teaching, and/or Extension programs.

KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY is an Equal Opportunity Employer

The functions, qualifications, knowledge/skills, and physical requirements listed in this job description represent the essential duties of the job, which the incumbent must be able to perform either with or without reasonable accommodation. The Job Functions listed do not necessarily include all activities that the individual may perform.