Supervising Agricultural/Measurement Standards Specialist

County of Mendocino•Mendocino, CA

49d

About The Position

The list developed from this recruitment will be used for a limited period to fill open and promotional, regular full-time, and part-time positions, should they occur. Under general direction, plans, organizes coordinates, assigns, supervises, reviews and evaluates the work of staff engaged in making inspections to enforce the provisions of the California Food and Agricultural Code, Code of Regulations, Business and Professional Code, and County Ordinances pertaining to the office of the County Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer of Weights and Measures. Inspects and enforces laws and regulations contained in the Food and Agricultural Code and Business and Professions Code; performs work related to the protection of agricultural, the environment and the public wellbeing. Performs work related to measurement standards; enforces consumer protection laws; investigates for the prosecution of violators. Supervisor Academy is mandatory for all supervisors and consists of nine courses that must be completed within two years. Participation is required and completed during work hours.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited four year college or university with a bachelor's degree in a major that meets the minimum qualifications established by the California Secretary of Agriculture.
Requires degree as stated above; three (3) years of experience equivalent to the duties performed by Agricultural Measurement Standard Specialist III; and the following licenses issued by CDFA: Pesticide Regulation, Investigation and Environmental Monitoring, Integrated Pest Management, Commodity Regulation, Measurement Verification, Pest Prevention and Plant Regulations, Weight Verification, Transaction and Product Verification; License to issue Federal Phytosanitary Certificates.
Valid driver's license (depending upon assignment may require Class B driver's license)
Valid licenses as listed above, issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture
Knowledge of: Supervisory principles and practices, including work planning, direction, review, evaluation, employee training, and discipline.
Knowledge of: Principles and practices of leadership, motivation, team building and conflict resolution.
Knowledge of: Principles and techniques for working with groups and fostering effective team interaction to ensure teamwork is conducted smoothly.
Knowledge of: All applicable state, county, federal and local ordinances, laws, rules, and regulations.
Knowledge of: Record keeping, report preparation, filing methods, and records management techniques.
Knowledge of: Modern equipment and communication tools used for business functions and program, project, and task coordination.
Knowledge of: Principles and practices of effective business communication.
Knowledge of: Structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Knowledge of: Computers and software programs (e.g., Microsoft software packages) to conduct, compile, and/or generate documentation. Computer applications and hardware related to performance of the essential functions of the job.
Knowledge of: General office procedures, policies and practices, as well as basic knowledge of computers, related equipment and general office equipment.
Knowledge of: Standard business arithmetic, including percentages and decimals.
Knowledge of: Insects, plants, and weeds.
Knowledge of: Pesticides and their uses.
Knowledge of: Agricultural crops grown within the county.
Skill in: Planning, assigning, supervising, reviewing and evaluating the work of staff.
Skill in: Applying principles of management, leadership, motivation, team building and conflict resolution.
Skill in: Applying advanced interpersonal skills to provide effective leadership to subordinate personnel and to develop cooperative working relationships with employees, senior management, elected officials, and outside agencies.
Skill in: Exercising initiative, ingenuity and sound independent judgment when making decisions within general policy guidelines.
Skill in: Demonstrating tact, patience, and possess an understanding of the problems of citizens and staff. Responding to stressful and sensitive situations in a calm, professional and confidential manner.
Skill in: Preparing and presenting concise and well-organized written and oral reports of a technical nature, communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
Skill in: Researching, compiling, and summarizing a variety of informational and statistical data and materials.
Skill in: Organizing work, setting priorities, meeting critical deadlines, and following up on assignments with a minimum of direction.
Skill in: Applying logical thinking to solve problems or accomplish tasks, understand, interpret, and communicate complicated policies, procedures, and protocols.
Skill in: Public relations and customer services protocols and techniques
Mental and Physical Abilities: Read, analyze, and interpret professional periodicals and journals, technical procedures, and government regulations.
Mental and Physical Abilities: Speak effectively before individuals and public groups and respond to questions.
Mental and Physical Abilities: Establish and maintain effective working relationships with the public, other departments and agencies, boards and commissions, public officials, community groups and others contacted in the course of work.
Mental and Physical Abilities: Provide effective leadership in the development of new or improved procedures, rules, regulations and policies.
Mental and Physical Abilities: Work under pressure, establish priorities and meet deadlines.
Mental and Physical Abilities: Deal tactfully, convincingly and effectively with departmental personnel, government officials, representatives of special interest groups and the public.
Mental and Physical Abilities: Define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Mental and Physical Abilities: Work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference.
Mental and Physical Abilities: Interpret a variety of technical instructions with abstract and/or concrete variables.
Mental and Physical Abilities: While performing the essential functions of this job, the incumbent is frequently required to sit, stand, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, speak and hear, and lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Nice To Haves

County Deputy Agricultural Commissioner License is highly desired.
County Deputy Sealer of Weights and Measures License is highly desired

Responsibilities

Carries out supervisory responsibilities over professional inspection staff in accordance with policies, procedures, and applicable laws, including: training; planning, scheduling, assigning, and directing work; appraising employee performance; making recommendations for rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems. Participates in the interviewing and hiring of assigned staff.
Trains employees in agricultural inspection techniques, standards and procedures.
Interprets, clarifies, explains and enforces agricultural laws and regulations, including controversial issues, to subordinates as well as to growers, shippers, the public and others in local agricultural community; ensures work is performed in accordance with laws and regulations.
Assists management in the evaluation of programs to assess strengths, weaknesses, and areas needing improvement; monitors inspection and enforcement procedures and practices to assure effectiveness and conformity with established legal requirements, job standards, and safety measures. Identifies and resolves operational, public relations and personnel issues.
Compiles information, statistics and data for the preparation and writing of progress reports on inspection activities, special reports, crop values and costs of performing various tasks and services.
Reviews required reports before they are released to appropriate agencies or persons.
Inspects plant, fruit and cut flower parcels at parcel terminals for quarantine compliance.
Inspects agricultural pesticide applications including mix/load activities.
Inspects pest control businesses for pesticide application including mix/load activities.
Registers pest control advisors, pest control businesses, maintenance gardeners, structural pest control businesses, and farm labor contractors.
Investigates pesticide drift complaints and pesticide illness cases.
Writes detailed investigative reports.
Answers general agricultural and consumer questions for the public.
Identifies plants and insects brought in by the public and/or sends to state lab for identification.
Issues pesticide permits to growers.
Surveys county roads for noxious weeds; applies pesticides to noxious weed sites in the county; hand pulls and/or digs noxious weeds.
Surveys lakes and bodies of water for noxious water weed(s).
Issues new CPCs yearly; updates, prints new forms and receives payments.
Registers Certified Farmer's Markets and receives payments.
Conducts testing and sealing of weighing and measuring devices.
Conducts testing and sealing of fuel pumps; inspects fuel station labeling, quantity control and price verification.
Conducts shelled egg, fruit, and vegetable inspections.
Conducts grower education classes for pesticide use.
Registers organic growers for state registration.
Inspects nurseries for County compliance; issues nursery licenses.
Issues phytosanitary certificates.
Inspects organic producers for compliance with regulations.
Maintains records of inspections.
Perform other related duties as assigned.