Responsibilities

The head promotes excellence in all facets of the Department of Food Science and Technology by:  

Culture, Climate, and Inclusive Excellence 

  • Fostering an inclusive culture within the department in which all contributions to the team are appreciated and recognized, collaboration and innovation are encouraged, and the abilities of all are engaged to fully realize the potential of the team, and the success of each person. 
  • Ensuring opportunities are open to all, programs are inclusive of all constituencies, and efforts are made to engage diverse audiences, especially those that are traditionally underrepresented. 
  • Facilitating access to the department’s academic programs and faculty expertise for learners and constituents within Nebraska and abroad, with particular attention to expanding access to individuals and groups who have been traditionally underserved and who have lacked access opportunities. 

Strategic Visioning 

  • Leading the development and implementation of a shared vision and strategic plan integrated across teaching and learning; research, discovery and innovation; Extension/outreach/engagement; and public and professional service that results in sustained impacts that are highly aligned with the unit’s strengths, IANR’s vision and mission, and for the benefit of Nebraska and beyond. 
  • Partnering with IANR leaders (e.g., Vice Chancellor, deans, other academic unit leaders) to develop and advance strategic initiatives.
  • Ensuring the Department’s continued leadership in achieving UNL’s goals. 
  • Facilitating the strategic coordination and alignment of the department’s centers with the department’s mission and vision.
  • Fostering a climate of curricular and pedagogical innovation across the continuum of learners to enhance student success and advance the unit’s strategic enrollment planning and implementation.  
  • Leading efforts to address key progress indicators including those related to strategically increasing student enrollments and progress toward degree completion, strengthening industry partnerships, and growing research funding and impact. 
  • Engaging, coordinating, and providing leadership as appropriate with IANR’s interdisciplinary initiatives.  
  • Communicating with transparency and clarity all aspects of departmental initiatives, operations, and challenges and opportunities with faculty, staff, students, and stakeholders. 

Collaboration 

  • Supporting, coordinating, and partnering with departments/schools and other entities internal to the university that support and/or align with departmental programming and faculty expertise. Emphasis will be on enhancing collaboration with the departments of Biological Systems Engineering, Nutrition and Health Sciences, Biochemistry, Agronomy and Horticulture, Animal Science, Plant Pathology, and Agricultural Economics to advance the unit’s strengths and IANR’s interdisciplinary initiatives. 
  • Partnering with IANR administrators, unit heads, and center directors to promote and support collaborations and team building. 
  • Encouraging and supporting collaboration with relevant centers, institutes, and initiatives inside and outside of the department and across the University of Nebraska system (e.g., Food Processing Center (FPC), Food Allergy Research and Resource Program (FARRP), Nebraska Food for Health Center (NFHC), Nebraska Center for the Prevention of Obesity Diseases (NPOD), Center for Plant Sciences Innovation (PSI), Animal Nutrition, Plant Metabolomics, Paustian Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at UNMC).
  • Engaging and coordinating as appropriate with Extension and research program areas (e.g., Food, Nutrition and Health; 4-H Youth Development; Rural Prosperity Nebraska). 
  • Nurturing a strong and productive relationship with an advisory board for the department. 
  • Fostering linkages with external groups and industry partners to strengthen ties that advance the mission and vision of the department, departmental centers, IANR, and the university. 
  • Nurturing the success of internal and boundary expanding partnerships.

Resource, Personnel Management, and Advancement Activities 

  • Aligning and managing personnel, financial and physical resources responsibly to maximize the effectiveness of those resources, exhibiting fiscal discipline and transparency, and utilizing best management practices. 
  • Recruiting faculty, staff, and students to attract, develop, and retain a team exhibiting and valuing excellence. 
  • Coordinating with the respective directors to provide appropriate stewardship and support for centers embedded within the department (e.g., Nebraska Food for Health Center, Food Processing Center) to ensure that they are achieving their missions and meeting client needs. 
  • Providing supervision to the leaders of the centers, programs, and initiatives that exist within the department (e.g., the Director of the Food Processing Center reports to the Head).
  • Working with IANR’s expanded leadership team in donor engagement, fundraising, and stewardship to advance the department’s goals. 
  • Coordinate and develop plans for facility maintenance and enhancement.
  • Ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations regarding safety, and, if appropriate, the environment. 
  • Ensuring all programs of the department are administered in accordance with the university’s affirmative action/equal opportunity/diversity programs. 

Nurturing Success of Students, Postdocs, Staff, and Faculty 

  • Encouraging and providing support for the professional development of the faculty, postdocs, staff, and students. 
  • Connecting with food industry partners to ensure a talent pipeline that meets their needs.
  • Providing leadership in strategic enrollment management, student success and increasing access to educational programs.
  • Nurturing the 3+1 program at Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University to ensure that student needs are met and the partnership remains strong.
  • Ensuring curriculum at both the undergraduate and graduate level meets the employment needs of students in their various career paths (e.g., industry, graduate school, higher education).
  • Engaging in professional development to continually hone skills to effectively lead and manage departmental operations and initiatives, and to advance the mission of the department. 
  • Ensuring that guidance documents (e.g., operational procedures, bylaws, performance review standards) are relevant and up-to-date, and that they promote equity and inclusion in both their content and application. 
  • Providing appropriate oversight for The Food Processing Center, the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program and the Nebraska Gnotobiotic Mouse Program, appropriate coordination with the Nebraska Food for Health Center in operation of the Nebraska Innovation Campus Clinical Research Space and appropriate liaising with Nebraska Nova on Food Innovation Center building upkeep, repair, maintenance and renovation.

Success in the role will be measured by the accomplishments and impacts of the faculty, staff, students, and programs of the department. The incumbent accepts committee assignments, reporting responsibilities, and other special ad hoc assignments as requested at the administrative unit, college/division, institute, and/or university level.