Non-represented Professional Employee Promotion Process Information

Non-represented Professional Career Ladder

The following career ladder is available to University of Maine Cooperative Extension non-represented professionals and similar to the career ladder available to represented professionals with UMaine Extension. That system is described on the Professional Employee Promotion Process Information page.

The non-represented career ladder is meant to reward and encourage achievements that will benefit the staff supervised by non-represented professionals and UMaine Extension as a whole. The system that is presented here is modeled after the career ladder that is available to UMPSA represented professional staff.

The non-represented professional career ladder described in this section covers individuals with a 100% appointment with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension who are not in the UMPSA Bargaining Unit. The non-represented professional career ladder can be changed or removed at any time.

1. Titles/Ranks

Each UMaine Extension non-represented professional position has a working title that describes the main area of responsibility of the job description. For example: Program Manager, Director, Assistant Director, etc. Each Extension position also holds a rank within the UMaine Extension structure. The Extension Professional Ranks are Extension Non-represented Professional I, Extension Non-represented Professional II, Extension Non-represented Professional III, and Extension Non-represented Professional IV.

2. Promotion Process

All non-represented professionals enter the UMaine Extension professional system at the Extension Professional I Rank. Personnel remain at the entry Rank of Extension Non-represented Professional I for at least four years. (Individuals employed as Non-represented Professionals at the time when this document became official, were given the rank of Extension Non-represented Professional I and were assumed to have held this rank since they were employed by UMaine Extension as a Professional.) An increase in Rank may be awarded after the completion of four (4) full years of employment in the present Job Rank.

If a UMPSA represented Extension Professional obtains the status of non-represented Extension Professional at any point in their employment, they begin at the Rank of Extension Non-represented professional I and would be eligible for promotion in the Non-represented professional Career Ladder in four years.

It is important to note that movement through the Ladder is based on a continuous progression. An individual can only be promoted one step during any promotion review process. To be promoted to the next rank, the individual must consistently show an increase in work performance, serve four years before being eligible for the next rank increase, show competence and follow-through specific to his/her job responsibilities, and must at a minimum, meet the following definitions:

Extension Non-represented Professional I: No formal Extension experience is required, however formal education in the subject(s) related to the job description is preferred, as is a level of knowledge and experience in the content area related to the job description. Individual demonstrates an understanding of Extension’s mission and successfully fulfills his/her job responsibilities.

Extension Non-represented Professional II: Experience with Extension and a thorough understanding of Extension’s mission is necessary, along with satisfactory performance in all areas of assigned responsibility, including supervision and leadership. Evidence of efforts to improve professional competence.

Extension Non-represented Professional III: Experience with Extension and a thorough understanding of Extension’s mission is necessary, along with a sustained high level of competence in performing all areas of assigned responsibilities, including supervision and leadership.

Extension Non-represented Professional IV: Experience with Extension and a thorough understanding of Extension’s mission is necessary, along with sustained outstanding performance in all areas assigned responsibilities, including demonstrated success in supervision and leadership. At this rank, evidence of innovative and creative performance in the conduct of work is required.

It is also important to note that in the event of a promotion, the employee and supervisor will review the employee’s job description and make necessary changes to reflect current duties, with a copy of the updated job description added to the employee’s personnel file. Even if no changes are made, the agreed-upon job description should be dated and signed by the employee and supervisor to signify that it is accurate as of that date.

3. Promotion Review Process

The Extension professional begins by informing their supervisor that they are seeking a promotion. The supervisor and the Director (if not one and the same) or the Director’s designee will receive the packet and write a recommendation indicating if they support or do not support the promotion and the criteria-based reasons for their decision. Promotion packets are confidential documents and should be treated as such. Packet evaluations should not be discussed beyond those who are evaluating the materials and recommendations.

There are six (6) steps in the Promotion Process.

  1. The employee sends a “letter of intent to request a promotion” to the Director with a copy to his/her immediate supervisor. This letter is due to the Director on or anytime before August 1st. It should simply state the Employee’s intent to begin the promotion process described by the Extension Non-represented Professional Career Ladder.
  2. Employee submits one (1) complete packet in Word or PDF file format. The completed packet is due back to the Director by the last business day prior to October 1st if that date falls on a weekend or holiday.
  3. The Immediate Supervisor will review and provide written comments on the Recommendations by November 1 (no response is assumed to mean agreement).
  4. The Director or his/her designee will review and provide written comments on the Recommendations by December 1 and forward all requests for promotion to Human Resources and then to the Provost’s office for final approval.
  5. Both recommendations will be sent to each non-represented professional for their information. If the promotion request is approved, the promotion will become effective on the applicant’s anniversary date in the next calendar year. It is important to note that in the event of a promotion, a re-write of the person’s Job Description will be added to their personnel file.

4. Rank Increase Criteria

Rank increases may be recommended based on the criteria listed in this section. Not all of the points below must be addressed to achieve a promotion; however, an applicant’s chances of receiving a promotion will become greater as more points are addressed. Please concentrate on activities undertaken since your last rank increase. Whenever possible, indicate in each case how your actions have positively impacted UMaine Extension and/or the public when addressing the points below.

A. Leadership and Educational Support and Development provided by the Employee

  1. Provide examples of how you have provided consistently high-quality leadership and educational support and development for Extension.
  2. Demonstrate how you have taken on added responsibilities within the scope of your position.
  3. Demonstrate how your position has undergone a shift in emphasis that has created added benefits for the organization.
  4. In what ways have you demonstrated greater autonomy within the scope of your position?
  5. In what ways have you promoted and engaged in effective teamwork?
  6. Demonstrate how you have participated in, and/or provided leadership for, committees, task forces and other interdisciplinary groups beyond normal job responsibilities that contribute to the furthering of Extension’s mission.

B. Supervision

  1. Provide examples of support (training, coaching, mentoring) provided to your supervisees and what tangible positive results were achieved.
  2. Describe regular supervisory practices that you carry out and what positive results are achieved.
  3. Share information about challenging supervisory issues you have dealt with. What did you do and what result did you achieve?
  4. What new supervisor practices did you incorporate?
  5. What other important results did you produce as a supervisor?
  6. How do you support civil rights and diversity in your supervisory role?
  7. What supervisory training did you complete since the last review period?

C. Innovations developed by the Employee

  1. What projects have you pursued or initiated to benefit UMaine Extension’s mission?
  2. What creative and logical solutions to problems and decision-making processes have you developed and employed?

D. Professional Development initiatives made by the Employee and their impact on the University of Maine Cooperative Extension

  1. List any professional development activities (courses, committee work, networking opportunities, professional affiliations, etc. – both within and outside of UMaine Extension) and how you have benefited professionally as a result of these activities.

5. Rank Increases in Financial Terms

Each change in Rank increases the individual’s annual salary by 7% with a minimum of $2,600 and a maximum of $4,000, prorated for part-time unit members. These amounts will be reviewed every four years. [This paragraph was changed per negotiation with the ELT, Fall 2021; next review due 2025.]

6. Additional to the Rank Increases

At the time of promotion, professional staff may be considered for increases in addition to the set increase at the time of promotion at the discretion of the ELT. We are currently not considering staff for additional increases as described below but may use the discretionary increase in circumstances where the applicant’s salary is compressed when you consider their years of service compared with others and is subject to the review and approval of the Human Resources office. If this is the case, the individual will be notified when the increase is approved by the president.

Additional Salary Increase Ranges (Updated for FY 2007)

High = $1,901 to $2,600
Medium = $1,201 to $1,900
Low = 0 to $1,200

The criteria for administrative decisions on additional salary increases are:

  • greatest value is placed on:
    • program impact
    • quality of your service and cooperation with others
    • program creativity
    • competency
  • intermediate value is placed on:
    • past contributions to the organization
    • potential for future contributions to the organization and programs
    • salary of peers with similar years of service and rank
  • lesser value, but still relevant to the analysis, is placed on:
    • market value
    • total years of service
    • past entry-level salary within the group at the time of hire
  • the final decision regarding any recommended salary adjustment is made by the UM Provost in consultation with the UM Office of Equal Employment Opportunity

7. Ladder Evaluation

The ELT, minus any non-represented professionals, will review this process to identify and correct weaknesses within the process after the first year of its implementation and periodically thereafter.