Food Ag Development Specialist

State of Montana • Great Falls, VA

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Montana Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for our Food & Agriculture Development Specialist. The first review of candidates will be March 18, 2026. This position is eligible for a hybrid remote schedule and once training is complete may report to one of our field offices outside of Helena.
The Montana Department of Agriculture operates more than 30 programs. These include regulatory programs that protect producers, consumers and the environment, as well as development and marketing programs to foster growth in Montana agriculture. Our agency is serving Montana agriculture and growing prosperity under the Big Sky.
The Agricultural Development & Marketing Division is responsible for administering programs that promote and enhance Montana agriculture.
Job Overview:
The Food & Agriculture Development Specialist will report to and receive guidance from the Agricultural Finance, Trade & Development Bureau Chief, the Regional Food Business Center Montana Steering Committee, and other state committees with programmatic oversight. The position will be the primary lead for both the Regional Food Business Center program (RFBC) and the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program (RFSI), spending approximately 50%25 of time on each program.
For the RFBC program, the position will be responsible for working with the state steering committee and helping to manage all state-team activities related to coordination, technical assistance, and capacity building in Montana. This position also serves as the state’s representative/connection to the regional center executive committee, and helps coordinate all communication, evaluation, reporting, and other sub-award administration requirements to the regional center.
For the RFSI program, the position will be responsible for drafting and submitting the state plan that outlines how Montana will both develop and coordinate initiatives to build resilience across the middle-of-the-food-supply-chain in Montana. This includes but is not limited to developing an infrastructure grant subaward plan, supply chain coordination, technical assistance, targeted market development, and other activities in alignment with program goals.
For both programs, the position will oversee all state-level financial administration in coordination with their appropriate departmental offices and ensures that all sub-awards at the state level are administered appropriately.
As a Food & Agriculture Development Specialist, you will:
Monitor and promote agriculture market development, and grant activities using knowledge of financial analysis, contract oversight, project management, public relations, and communication skills.
Monitor Program data and prepare budget and program information for the funders and interested parties.
Ensure compliance with conditions of RFBC grant by monitoring and analyzing agreements, contracts, expenses, and activities.
Prepare financial and audit reports for RFBC lead entities.
Manage all aspects of subawards and ensuing contracts.
May manage fiscal and progress reporting and compliance of sub-grant recipients.
Conduct outreach and develop informational tools to inform the public of the services and funding opportunities.
Initiate and maintain communication with economic development and agricultural entities.
Physical and Environmental Demands:
Considerable travel throughout the state during the year.
Works in an office environment.
Position requires the ability to move at least 25 pounds on an occasional basis.
The position is generally sedentary in nature, but incumbents typically perform some light stretching, reaching, twisting, stooping, and bending when performing routine office duties.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Comprehensive knowledge of federal and state grant management regulations, public administration principles and practices; program management; contract administration principles; and contract law and claims management.
Knowledge of economic issues related to food and agriculture; budgeting; and planning practices.
Extensive skills in budgeting, program management, plan implementation on varying timelines.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to apply techniques to a diversity of information sources and requirements; explaining technical and legal concepts to a variety of audiences (e.g., government officials, agricultural organizations, producers, etc.); and synthesizing information from diverse sources into reports.
Ability to establish and maintain effective professional working relationships with internal and external customers.
Ability to be innovative, use good judgment, and apply professional expertise with little assistance or precedent.
Ability to communicate effectively.

Requirements

• Comprehensive knowledge of federal and state grant management regulations, public administration principles and practices; program management; contract administration principles; and contract law and claims management.
• Knowledge of economic issues related to food and agriculture; budgeting; and planning practices.
• Extensive skills in budgeting, program management, plan implementation on varying timelines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to apply techniques to a diversity of information sources and requirements; explaining technical and legal concepts to a variety of audiences (e.g., government officials, agricultural organizations, producers, etc.); and synthesizing information from diverse sources into reports.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective professional working relationships with internal and external customers.
• Ability to be innovative, use good judgment, and apply professional expertise with little assistance or precedent.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Bachelor’s Degree in business, marketing, economic development, agriculture, or related field.
• Two years of work experience in a related field.
• Other combinations of education and experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and promote agriculture market development, and grant activities using knowledge of financial analysis, contract oversight, project management, public relations, and communication skills.
• Monitor Program data and prepare budget and program information for the funders and interested parties.
• Ensure compliance with conditions of RFBC grant by monitoring and analyzing agreements, contracts, expenses, and activities.
• Prepare financial and audit reports for RFBC lead entities.
• Manage all aspects of subawards and ensuing contracts.
• May manage fiscal and progress reporting and compliance of sub-grant recipients.
• Conduct outreach and develop informational tools to inform the public of the services and funding opportunities.
• Initiate and maintain communication with economic development and agricultural entities.

Benefits

• Your paycheck is just part of your total compensation package!
• Upon date of hire, employees working at least half-time for more than six months are eligible for state paid premiums toward employee “core” medical, dental, and basic life insurance coverage.
• Employees earn 15 working days of annual leave, 12 days of sick leave and 10-11 paid holidays each year.
• Membership in a Retirement System - vesting criteria applies.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level