Agriculture Assistant Division Director

Job Number:

AHFS-50386161-5.14.26-TW

This position is located in the Office of Animal Health & Food Safety, East Baton Rouge Parish. Ready to make a meaningful impact on Louisiana's workforce and organizational culture? Join the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry as an Agricultural Assistant Division Director! Why Join Us?

• Contribute to a mission-driven organization that serves communities across Louisiana
• Enjoy competitive pay and excellent benefits
• Be part of a collaborative and supportive team The incumbent of this position is the Administrator of the Food Distribution Program in the Office of Animal Health and Food Safety.

Food Distribution is responsible for the administration and management of four federally funded nutrition programs: the National School Lunch Program USDA Food (NSLP), the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), the Summer Food Service USDA Food (SFSP), and USDA Food assistance during a federally declared disaster (DA). Food Distribution oversees programmatic operations, which include, but are not limited to, the ordering, warehousing, and distribution of food purchased by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for use in federally approved child nutrition programs and for food purchased for distribution to low-income citizens and families. LDAF cares about the well-being of its employees! We offer a fully employer-funded Employee Assistance Program (EAP), providing valuable support and resources to help you and your household members thrive at work and at home. The EAP is also free for all members of your household. Two years of the required experience for the following minimum qualifications must have been at the supervisory level or above: Eight years of experience in one or a combination of the following: 1. Administrative services 2. Inspecting or enforcing compliance with agricultural laws, rules, or regulations 3. Inspection and testing of weighing and measuring devices; OR A bachelor's degree in forestry, an agricultural, biological, chemical, environmental, health, or physical science, or an information technology, mathematics, or business field, plus five years of the required specialized experience; OR A master's degree in forestry, an agricultural, biological, chemical, environmental, health, or physical science, or an information technology, mathematics, or business field, plus four years of the required specialized experience. The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here .

Job Duties:

Administers all activities of the statewide Food Distribution Division, including allocations and systems management, compliance, and field operations. Supervises Food Distribution personnel and exercises functional supervision over recipient agencies, all state contract warehouse personnel, and all commodity processing personnel. Conducts strategic planning to create short and long-range plans for Food Distribution programs and education for Food Distribution staff at state, regional, and local levels. Interprets federal regulations and develops plans for implementing Federal and State financial and operational policies for the Food Distribution Programs. Attends BESE and legislative committee meetings as necessary to testify and advise. Coordinates the statewide Food Distribution Programs administrative activities with the USDA Southwest Regional Office. Reviews and approves the allocation of entitlement funds to be utilized in the USDA/Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Develops, analyzes, and collects annual planned assistance level surveys to all school food authorities approved to participate in the NSLP. Serves as liaison for LDAF on national, statewide, and local nutrition task forces, work groups, councils, and coalitions. Develops, revises, and oversees the implementation of commodity management policies, procedures, and techniques to be used by recipient agencies. Participates in continuing education by attending in-services, workshops, and conferences at local, state, regional, and national levels to maintain current knowledge of required areas. Other duties as may be assigned

Functional Requirements:

Moderate light lifting, 30 pounds, with occasional lifting of up to 50 pounds Walking and standing (8 hours) Occasional bending or kneeling Lifting items such as a briefcase, computer, scanner, luggage, or other items used to travel and perform field audits Sit for a long period of time at a workstation or in a vehicle for travel Occasional demands may be required for moderately strenuous activities in emergencies over long periods of time Climbing on and off transport and tractor Drive a vehicle to perform inspections

Environmental Factors:

Working indoors and occasionally outdoors May be required to wear appropriate safety protection Excessive heat and humidity Slippery and uneven walking surfaces Occasionally working in moderately and extreme cold temperatures

Position-Specific Details:

Appointment Type:

Full-time - t his position may be filled by probation or by promotion of a classified employee of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry serving with permanent status. Applicants who are not permanent employees of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry will be required to serve a probationary period up to 24 months.

Compensation :

The salary offered will be determined based on qualifications and experience.

How To Apply:

No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy. To apply for this vacancy, click on the "Apply" link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.

• Information to support your eligibility for this job title must be included in the application (i.

e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete. For further information about this vacancy, contact: Tiffany Waddell - HR Analyst Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry 5825 Florida Blvd., Suite 1001 Baton Rouge, LA 70806 twaddell@ldaf.state.la.us The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry is an Equal Opportunity Employer and State as a Model Employer (SAME) to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry strictly prohibits workplace harassment a nd discrimination on the on the basis of race, color, gender, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, religion, national origin, military service, sickle cell trait, protected genetic information or other non-merit factor. LDAF also strictly prohibits employment decisions based upon or influenced by such factors.