Job Description Summary
Organization's Summary Statement:
The Hughes Center, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization affiliated with the University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, serves as a national model highlighting Maryland’s agriculture, forestry, and environmental communities. Using a collaborative research and outreach model to form science-based solutions for managing and conserving natural resources in Maryland and the Chesapeake Watershed, the Center’s mission is to provide leadership to promote environmentally sound and economically viable agriculture and forestry as Maryland’s preferred land use. The Center’s work utilizes a three-pronged approach to address its mission. First, all the Center’s efforts are based on unbiased research needs identified by Maryland stakeholders, state agencies, and organizations. The Center funds and participates in these research projects. The second major component of the Center’s work focuses on outreach, including all aspects of the Center’s communications, to distribute research findings through videos, social media, newsletters, webinars, and other venues. Collaboration and working with the Hughes Center Board and Maryland’s agricultural and environmental communities is the third cornerstone of the Center’s work. The Center’s board is a diverse body comprising individuals from the agriculture, forestry, conservation, environmental, and legislative communities. The board’s diversity provides the foundation for the Center’s ability to engage with a broad range of stakeholders to discuss difficult issues and identify solutions.
Position Description:
The Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology seeks a visionary leader to serve as the Center’s next Director. Building on the Center’s twenty-five-year legacy of providing leadership to address the complex issues facing Maryland’s agriculture and forestry communities through research, outreach, and collaborative partnerships, the new Director has a unique opportunity to expand the Center’s growth, visibility, and impact.
Reporting to the Associate Dean for Research and Associate Director of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) and the Hughes Center Board, the Director is the outward face of the Hughes Center and the leader of the Center’s team serving as the primary contact with the Board, external stakeholders, leadership at the University of Maryland, and the Center’s team. The Director will maintain existing relationships while seeking new partnerships and opportunities to broaden the Center’s reach and impact.
The next Director of the Hughes Center joins the Center at an exciting time. The successful candidate for this position will possess the leadership skills to build on the Center’s past while leading boldly. We seek a director who is an organized and detail-oriented self-starter with demonstrated ability to set and manage multiple priorities while simultaneously working independently and leading a team.
To maximize the opportunities, the Center seeks a director who can:
• Bring a bold vision to enhance and elevate the Center’s visibility in the state and region.
• Steward current relationships while engaging new audiences and perhaps new models
of working through exceptional communication and interaction.
• Build understanding with state and federal policy makers and government officials about the work of the Center.
• Support and facilitate the effective functioning of the Center’s board of directors.
• Engage with UMD and AGNR to fully leverage the relationship, including student engagement.
The successful candidate will be an innovative leader and administrator who can work independently and collaboratively to develop and execute a clear and strategic vision to expand the Center’s impact. The selected candidate will possess the following professional qualifications and characteristics:
Minimum Qualifications:
• A master’s degree in agriculture, environmental science, public policy, or a closely related field.
• At least five years of experience in leading and managing an organization or team of comparable size, preferably within university systems, government agencies, or nonprofit organizations.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience and knowledge of finances and budgets with multiple funding sources.
• Track record of successfully leading both large and small projects.
• Demonstrated success in raising and sustaining competitive and non-competitive funding from the public and non-profit sectors.
• A record of collaborative leadership and ability to advocate for the organization.
• Evidence of positive
relationship-building with internal and external stakeholders and leaders across all sectors.
• Experience with building board relations and recruiting and engaging with a diverse board of directors.
• The ability to, orally and in writing, communicate effectively with all parties.
• The ability to recruit and foster staff members.
• Understanding of the operations of a non-profit organization and a university
• Familiarity with Maryland’s agriculture and environmental communities
Additional Job Description:
• Both external and internal (to AGNR) candidates are encouraged to apply for this position.
• If an external candidate is selected, the initial appointment will be part-time at 0.5 FTE with the possibility of the position being up to a full-time position (1.0 FTE) if appropriate funding can be secured by the Director. The initial appointment will be as a Senior Faculty Specialist (a non-tenure accruing professional track faculty) and Director in AGNR. The chosen candidate should possess the scholarly accomplishments necessary for appointment at the rank of Senior Faculty Specialist within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Maryland, College Park
• If an internal candidate is selected, the candidate must be a current AGNR tenured faculty member at the associate professor/professor or senior/principal agent rank; or a current AGNR professional track faculty member at the senior/principal professional track rank.
• The position will require the individual’s presence at the Center’s offices at Wye Research and Education Center, Queenstown, Maryland, although the position allows flexibility given the FTE appointment level and AGNR’s teleworking policy.
• Candidate must be eligible to work in the United States at the time of hiring. The department will not provide sponsorship for work visa requirements.
Physical Demands:
Work is performed in a normal office environment, which includes operating standard office equipment (e.g., computer, keyboard, printer, telephone, etc.) for lengthy periods of time. This position frequently presents information through oral and written communication.
Licenses/ Certifications:
N/A
Additional Job Details
Additional Information: UMD will not sponsor the successful candidate for work authorization in the United States now or in the future.
Required Application Materials: Resume or CV, Cover Letter, List of 3 Professional References, Unofficial Transcript(s)
Best Consideration Date: June 11, 2026
Posting Close Date: N/A
Open Until Filled: Yes
Financial Disclosure Required
Yes
For more information on Financial Disclosure, please visit Maryland's State Ethics Commission website.
Department
AGNR-AES-Agriculture Experiment Station
Worker Sub-Type
Faculty Regular
Salary Range
$50,299.72 - $244,706.17
Benefits Summary
For more information on Regular Faculty benefits, select this link.
Background Checks
Offers of employment are contingent on completion of a background check. Information reported by the background check will not automatically disqualify anyone from employment. Before any adverse decision, the finalist will have an opportunity to provide information to the University regarding disclosable background check information. The University reserves the right to rescind the offer of employment or otherwise decline or terminate employment if the information reported by the background check is deemed incompatible with the position, regardless of when the background check is completed.
Employment Eligibility
The successful candidate must complete employment eligibility verification (on Form I-9) by presenting documents that establish identity and work authorization within the timeframe required by federal immigration law, and where applicable, to demonstrate renewed employment authorization. Failure to complete employment eligibility verification or reverification within the timeframe set forth by law may result in suspension or termination of employment.
The University of Maryland, College Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment. Please read the University’s Equal Employment Opportunity Statement of Policy.
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