Planning & Research Associate II - Augusta

Planning And Research Associate II

Do you want to make a difference in Maine's food systems? Do you enjoy providing service and support to Maine's food producers and connecting consumers to Maine farms and food producers? The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is looking for a highly organized individual who can support the administration, planning, research, and development of the Maine Senior Farm Share Program (MSFSP).

This position is responsible for conducting complex and technical planning and research. Responsibilities will include assisting in the administration and deployment of a federal grant program. The person in this position will collect, analyze, and present data relevant to developing policies and procedures to ensure effective resource utilization of USDA funds.

This is a professional services position of a planning and research nature in coordinating the activities for grant/program planning, development, reporting, compliance, and stakeholder and federal coordination. Work includes program outreach and promotion; data entry; processing invoices and performance reports; developing and tracking program budgets; assisting subrecipients with project management, reporting, and compliance activities; consulting with subrecipients and agencies to ensure that all accounts are in compliance with state and federal requirements;

researching grant outcomes to identify challenges and opportunities in Maine's food system; coordinating participant recruitment and customer service; and developing and implementing division policies, procedures and State Plans.

The MSFSP position will support the administration of the USDA FNS Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program including an annual ~$700,000 allocation to the Maine Senior Farm Share Program. The purpose of MSFSP is to provide low-income older adults with access to locally grown produce; increase local food consumption; and support the development of new food supply chain coordination.

Location:

Augusta

Minimum Qualifications:

An eight (8) year combination of education, training, and/or experience providing a knowledge of planning and research principles, practices, and techniques.

The successful candidate will have:

• Experience in food-supply-chain systems
• Prior experience in delivering business technical support to stakeholders; and working with software programs
• Experience developing budgets, work programs, contracts, and cost analyses
• Knowledge of federal grant programs with the ability to interpret and administer program requirements and prepare project and financial reports; and write comprehensive reports that document findings, conclusions, and recommendations
• Experience monitoring and auditing grant projects and/or subaward contracts to ensure that federal awards are used appropriately, performance goals are achieved, and to ensure compliance
• Ability to complete tasks within budget and within a specified order of operations
• Ability to conduct special studies, collect and analyze issues, and report program outcome data, including investment impact
• Experience acting as a key point of contact for coordination of activities involving stakeholders and partner organizations
• Ability to conduct site visits as part of monitoring and due diligence efforts
• Ability to draft and present testimony before regulatory fact-finding committees and other groups

Currently, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or STEM OPT extensions.

We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• Work-Life Balance – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
• Health Insurance Coverage– The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($12,213.60-$14,369.04 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.
• Health Insurance Premium Credit – Participation decreases…