Careers
Certified Seed Program Manager
Description of Duties
This is administrative services work of a managerial nature in directing the statewide Seed Certification Program. Responsibilities include planning, coordinating, and directing program operations; developing and implementing policies and procedures; developing annual budgets and monitoring expenditures; issuing certifications; issuing final decisions related to disputed inspection results and/or certification issues; and serving as the department’s liaison with the industry on policy and program matters. Supervision is exercised over professional and clerical employees. This will involve managing and coordinating the post-harvest seed testing program, compiling and examining operational data in order to prepare reports, monitor operating budget, identify and implement program efficiencies and writing articles and preparing presentations for meetings focusing on the Certified Seed, Program, new disease developments, and other related topics. Occasional Field work can be expected. programs, including ~$4 million allocated to the Maine RFSI Program. This position is responsible for conducting complex and technical planning and research.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture related field or Business with experience in agronomy, crop science, horticulture, entomology, plant pathology. Experience to include two (2) years administrative experience in managing or directing a program or organization that includes some supervisory responsibility. Directly related experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.LICENSING/CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: Within the first year of employment the employee will be required to obtain authorization to write federal phytosanitary certificate to facilitate exports of Maine seed and obtain a pesticide applicators license – commercial applicator – master license.The successful candidate will have:Experience in food-supply-chain systemsPrior experience in delivering business technical support to stakeholders; and working with software programsExperience developing budgets, work programs, contracts, and cost analysesKnowledge of federal grant programs with the ability to interpret and administer program requirements and prepare project and financial reports that document findings, conclusions, and recommendationsExperience monitoring and auditing grant projects and/or subaward contracts to ensure that federal awards are used appropriately, performance goals are achieved, and to ensure complianceAbility to complete tasks within budget and within a specified order of operationsAbility to conduct special studies, collect and analyze issues, and report program outcome data, including investment impactExperience acting as a key point of contact for coordination of activities involving partner organizationsAbility to conduct site visits as part of monitoring and due diligence effortsAbility to draft and present testimony before regulatory fact-finding committees and other groups