CDA-Export Certification and Potato Program Coordinator (Administrator III)

Full Job Description

Agriculture is a part of all our lives. When you eat, put on clothes, or care for an animal--your life is touched by agriculture.

Colorado's food and agriculture industry generated $47 billion of economic activity in 2019 and supports nearly 5% of the state's workforce. CDA is proud to be a part of such an important industry.

Mission:

The CDA's mission is to strengthen and advance Colorado's agriculture; promote a safe and high-quality food supply; protect consumers; and foster responsible stewardship of the environment.

CDA Wildly Important Goals:

To accomplish our mission, CDA focuses on four “wildly important goals:”

• Goal 1: Advancing Local Food Access

• Goal 2: Expanding Water-Resilient Agriculture

• Goal 3: Supporting the Next Generation in Agriculture

• Goal 4: Advancing Animal Health and Welfare

We use these goals to focus and align the daily work of our staff in support of Colorado farmers and ranchers. Learn more about our Department and our wildly important goals in our performance plan on our website.

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including aPERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus optional 401(k) and 457 plans (www.copera.org)
• Medical and dental health plans (https://stateofcoloradobenefits.com/)
• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account ($60 per month)
• Paid life insurance, plus additional optional life insurance options
• Paid Short Term Disability and optional Long Term Disability coverage
• 11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave accruals
• BenefitHub state employee discount program
• Employee Wellness program State of Health
• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, remote work opportunities, free parking, professional development and more!

To learn about the total compensation package for State government employment visit: https://www.colorado.gov/dhr/totalcompensation

Requirements

Organizational Purpose:

Major Objectives of the Position:

Program Coordinator:
Brief Duty Description:

• The position works with the USDA-APHIS-PPQ (United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine) to implement the export certification program by maintaining memorandum of understating (MOU) with USDA to issue federal phytosanitary certificates; develops procedures, fee structures, and inspection protocol to provide certification.

• Maintains official accredited certification status by completing continuing education and passing the reaccreditation exam.

• Trains staff on procedures and approves work. Determines interstate and international export requirements for plant commodities by researching online databases (PExD) and websites (PCIT) and contacting importing state program managers and USDA officials.

• Prepares and issues the appropriate certificate to meet the state’s or country's requirements.

  • This must be done multiple times daily for numerous commodities.

  • This involves taking in information via email, phone, fax or an online application system on the type, genus and species, and plant part of the commodity wishing to be exported.

• This position will facilitate safe and compliant interstate trade for the state's agricultural sector.

Position will serve as the primary liaison for nurseries and commodity growers, responsible for initiating and maintaining regulatory compliance agreements.

Key functions include the detailed administration of testing documentation, processing contracts and invoices for essential phytosanitary checks (such as soil, seed, onion testing, European corn borer, and Japanese beetle), and the accurate issuance of official stickers and phytosanitary certificates required for shipment Authorization.

The position must obtain and maintain the status of Accredited Certifying Official (ACO) by the USDA-APHIS-PPQ to issue federal phytosanitary certificates for international export.

This requires maintaining knowledge of USDA-APHIS's policies and procedures by reading updates provided via email, staying current with the Export Certification Manual and by obtaining information from the USDA export certification specialist assigned to Colorado.

• The position must take the required training and PASS the ACO test and complete regularly scheduled online reaccreditation requirements. This requires on-line training and testing.

Inspection and Compliance Agreement:

Brief Duty Description:

• Works with the USDA-APHIS-PPQ to implement the federal phytosanitary certification service and state issues plant health certificate.

  • In order to do this the position determines if an inspection or other verification if the requirements for freedom from plant pests required by the importing country or state can be met and if so, the most efficient means to do this.

  • Must have a significant knowledge of plants and plant pests, specifically those that are grown in Colorado and must have the ability to research information in cases of new or unusual plants and plant pests.

Tracks the need for inspections to meet export requirements based on history, quarantine rules of other countries and states and contacts with the export industry.

Based on this information the position determines inspection needs for both the timing of the inspections, type of inspection to be performed, procedures for each type of inspection (storage, field, and site certification, structure) to determine if the pests of concern are present.

• Determines if other types of documents such as compliance agreements can be utilized to assist in meeting the requirements while making the most efficient use of division resources and the client's efforts.

Tracks client adherence to the compliance agreements and modifies and updates them as needed. Position will develop procedures utilizing clear and concise writing skills.

Will require the use of Google suite, Microsoft suite or SalesForce platforms in order to create procedures, and track inspections and agreements.

• Train inspectors and others regarding procedures in the field and problem solving when general procedures don't meet the specific need.

• Ensure appropriate equipment, vehicles, traps, lures, etc., and temporary staff available for all types of inspections.

  • If the requirements cannot be met because documentation of freedom from the pest(s) cannot be obtained, the position communicates this to the applicant via phone, email or mail and provides options for the applicant to meet the requirements if it is possible.

  • If the requirements can be met, the position works with other staff to conduct the inspection or verification to meet the requirements.

  • Once the requirements are met, the position then oversees the preparation of the export certificate and the issuance of the document and sees that it is signed by an accredited certifying official. Also, the position oversees the delivery of the document to the applicant based on the request.

Conduct the inspection of a commodity to be exported.

In doing so the position may frequently be required with little or no advanced notice, to travel by automobile in state and stay overnight one or more weeks at a time up to two or more weeks per year.When conducting the inspections the position must have the ability to visually examine or compare items, to handle, lift and manipulate items, detect color sizes and shape and to climb in and out vehicles and warehouse areas and drive for periods of up to 5 or more hours per day.

• They may need to walk and maneuver in restricted areas and diverse terrain: driving the location to perform the inspection; accurately filing out or creating reports by inputting into tablets, legibly handwriting and/or using a computer software.

Potato Shed and Field Suspension Management:
Brief Duty Description:

• Manages export certification programs including nursery and seed labeling and cleanliness standards.

• Support environmental and consumer protection regarding the distribution of live plants, nursery stock and seeds as well as implementation of quarantines, conducting request inspections, surveying for pests to provide certification and documentation of freedom from pests in Colorado.

• Implements statute and rule requirements and program objectives by analyzing statutes and rules and regulations, developing registration, inspection, enforcement and administrative procedures in collaboration with appropriate departmental, industry and concerned parties.

• Negotiates with other agencies on contracts like for example onion sampling and testing for pests with certified nematode labs. Serves as a resource on export of plant commodities and related regulatory issues.

• Supervises and guides the export certification program by maintaining memorandums of understanding with USDA to issue federal phytosanitary certificates; develops procedures, fee structures, and inspection protocol to provide certification.

• Maintains official accredited certification status by completing continuing education and passing the reaccreditation exam.

• Trains staff on procedures and approves work. Export certification operates within narrow timeframes to deliver perishable commodities to distant countries in a timely manner. The position must be able make timely decisions and work well under deadlines.

Be able to prioritize effectively and work on several different requests within a short period.

Communications with all contacts must be done effectively and efficiently, and should be conducted professionally and courteously when exchanging information via telephone or other electronic media; and must work cooperatively, coworkers, stakeholders and the general public.

Potato Shed and Field Suspension Management:
Brief Duty Description:

• Process potato shed suspension upon notification of USDA with a lit of NNC numbers, the specific pest, the shed and field number the phytosanitary tracking number, shipping date, and other information by notifying the CSU Potato program mangers, the CDA Phyto Program manager in Monte Vista, and the owners of the shed(s) that of the of the field associated with the shed of the suspension.

• Puts information and related document into a folder and logs this information into a a database that tracks current year’s suspension and reinstatements which is shared with the Monte Vista phyto office and CSU as it is updated.

• Collaborates with the Division Director and Plant Health Program Manager conducting an external outreach and education for stakeholders, collaborators and interested parties concerning potato seed certification and potato late blight quarantine restrictions.
  
  
  
  

Qualifications

You must be a Colorado Resident at the time of application in order to apply
**This Position is in-person at the listed location and is ineligible for remote work but will be eligible for hybrid office work
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This position is advertised in line with the Governor’s executive order focused on skills-based hiring practices that focuses on the knowledge, skills, and abilities specific to the job and aligns the hiring process accordingly. Skills-based hiring reduces potential barriers for applicants and allows for reduced bias in the hiring process by providing a direct description of skills that are unique to the duties assigned to the position with a recognition that the applicant may have developed these skills through education, training, or past experiences.

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Salary:
BIWEEKLY
$2,264.31 - $2,717.08
ANNUALLY
$58,872.00 - $70,644.00
Minimum Qualification:Proven Experience, Knowledge, Skills:
• Six (6) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to program management in an agriculture field.
OR

Education and Experience:
• A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to six (6) years
Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Horticulture or Plant Biology.

• Be eligible to obtain federal ACO Licensure.

• One (1) Year in regulatory experience to qualify for ACO Licenture.

• Previous experience working in the State of Colorado
  
  
  

Conditions of Employment:

• Must have an active Colorado driver's license.

• Position must obtain and maintain the status of Accredited Certifying Official (ACO) by the USDA Agriculture Plant Health Inspection Service to issue federal phytosanitary certificates for international export.

• Must be a resident of the state of Colorado.

• Be willing to travel for frequent single-day trips to work sites throughout assigned area and be willing to have overnight travel to other areas of Colorado

• Must be willing to work outside of normal business hours

• Will need to work outdoors in adverse conditions such as rain, heat, and snow.

Required Competencies (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities):


• Excellent interpersonal, communication and public speaking skills.

• Knowledge working with plant health.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and juggle multiple priorities, and able to react and adjust quickly to changing conditions.

• Detail oriented.

• Excellent communication skills; able to communicate effectively and articulately in writing and orally with diverse communities in all corners of the state.

• Work well under pressure.

• Strong relationship management skills and excellent representation of the department in community interactions.

• A proven track record for developing and maintaining trusted relationships with stakeholders and industry experts.

• Excellent negotiation and consensus building skills.

• Proactive approaches to problem-solving and with strong decision-making capability.

• Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently.

Important Information:
Part of, or the entire selection process for this position will involve a review of the information you submit in your application materials. Therefore, it is paramount that in the experience portion of your application, you describe the extent that you possess the education, experience and competencies outlined in the job announcement as well as the special and/or preferred qualifications. Failure to include adequate information or follow instructions may prevent you from competing in subsequent measures used to arrive at a top group of applicants.


Please submit the following:
• Online application (completed fully) describing how you meet the minimum qualifications

OR If you are not able to submit an online application, a paper application is available at this link: PDF State Paper Application.

Paper applications must be received (either by US mail or email to mary.hunt@state.co.us by the closing date and time of the application period listed on this announcement.

• DD214 (if applicable)
• Unofficial copy of transcripts (if applicable)
Factors that will be assessed:
• Technical Competence – Technical experience as it relates to the duties outlined in this job announcement.
• Depth and Breadth of Experience – Experience that covers multiple areas outlined in this job announcement. Experience should be varied and not one dimensional and demonstrate a wide range of community involvement.
• Job Fit – Experience will be evaluated to determine how well your past experience aligns with and meets the business needs of this position. Current experience is preferred.
APPEAL RIGHTS:
If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.
An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.
For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.

Additional Information

Important Information:
Part of, or the entire exam for this position will involve a review of the information you submit in your application material. Applications are considered complete and accurate at the time of submission. Therefore, additional information may not be solicited or accepted after your application has been received. Therefore, it is very important that you clearly describe all of your relevant experience on the application itself. Applications left blank or marked "SEE RESUME" will not be considered.
All applications that are received by the closing date of this announcement will be reviewed against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement by a Human Resources Specialist. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications may proceed to the next step. Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process.

ADAAA Accommodations: Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request an accommodation, please contact by phone or email at least five business days before the assessment date to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.

The Department of Agriculture is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to Mary Hunt, at mary.hunt@state.co.us or call 303-869-9006.
Toll Free Applicant Technical Support: If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV technical support at 855-524-5627 Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). Helpful hints: if you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application first, ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files and second, close the document before you attempt upload (attach) it.


E-Verify
CDA uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
Toll–Free Applicant Support - Technical Help
If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV at 855-524-5627, Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). The Human Resources Office will be unable to assist with technical issues.