Description

The Department of Plant and Soil Sciences (PSS) at Mississippi State University is seeking qualified individuals to join our dynamic and comprehensive academic unit as the Department Head. The Department Head will communicate and advocate for the department’s multidisciplinary teaching, research, Extension, and outreach programs, strengthening connections with agencies, clientele, stakeholder and civic groups, professional societies, and the public.

Requirements

The Department Head will communicate and advocate for the department’s multidisciplinary teaching, research, Extension, and outreach programs, strengthening connections with agencies, clientele, stakeholder and civic groups, professional societies, and the public.
Additionally, the head:
1. Develops/maintains knowledge of the concepts, enabling legislation, history, and philosophy of the department and a land-grant university.
2. Follows policies for departmental budget/expenditure recommendations.
3. Develops/maintains communication with faculty/staff/other personnel, with governmental organizations (local, state, regional, national), and the private sector on behalf of clientele, users, and cooperators.
a. Establishes/maintains effective relationships with key decision-makers/leaders and communicates regularly to improve department activities.
b. Reports regularly to superiors. Advocates/negotiates for optimum combinations of human resources, funds, and other resources to achieve program missions on a priority basis.
c. Review/evaluates plans of work, programs, publications and other educational services. Recommends continuation and/or modification to ensure complementary and supportive efforts by all faculty/staff.
d. Participates in leadership meetings with the Dean of CALS, Director of MAFES, Director of MSU-ES, and the Vice President of DAFVM, reporting on and representing the department; and sharing information back to the department.
4. Oversees, in coordination with departmental faculty, development of curricula, standards for formal/non-formal instruction, and continued programmatic excellence in undergraduate, graduate and extension education.
5. Works with the director of MAFES and other university research centers to enhance research; develop a research program in applied and fundamental research to meet stakeholder needs and expand knowledge base.
6. Ensures Extension faculty provide statewide educational programming for dissemination of research-based information, including in-service education programs for agents and teaching programs for stakeholders to include scientific-based assessment and evaluation. 
7. Identifies, supports, and encourages multi- and interdisciplinary programs that advance knowledge and technology and enhance the development and dissemination of practical applications.
8. Encourages teamwork and promotes cooperation/joint programming, where appropriate, within the department, among division units and across the university.
9. Maximizes the use of existing priority planning groups and advisory councils to identify priorities and plan programs.
10. Provides planning, coordination and support for obtaining goods/services for optimum operation of the department, such as official mail, space allocations, supplies, computer support/services, property control and facilities.
11. Manages the staffing process according to MSU policies and procedures, such as position developing/requisition, application recruitment/review, candidate selection/recommendation and terms of employment.
12. Evaluates performance of departmental faculty on -campus and in cooperation with appropriate research and extension center heads. Responsible for justifying the evaluation with the Dean(s)/Directors(s) or their designees.
13. Recommends opportunities and provides support, when possible, for employee professional growth/development.