Fairs Program Administrator

Job Description

This posting will remain open until filled. The first review of applications is scheduled for the week of June 12th. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

AGRICULTURE – A Cornerstone of Washington’s Economy

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has been serving the state for more than 100 years. Through service, regulation, and advocacy, we keep agriculture viable and vital in Washington State, while protecting consumers, public health, and the environment. We work extensively with farmers and ranchers, but our responsibilities – from ensuring food safety to environmental protection – touch the lives of millions of people locally, nationally, and abroad.

The agency includes 780 employees approximately and grows close to 1,000 employees at the peak of seasonal work. To learn more and view additional openings, please visit our Employment Page.

We are hiring for a Fairs Program Administrator to join our team!

Administrative Regulations Program is responsible for directing and coordinating the development, delivery, and results of agency-wide administrative functions which include the adjudicative proceedings process, rulemaking, administrative policies, public disclosure and discovery, records management, and form development and management. The program also oversees allocation of funding to the state’s agricultural fairs, complex litigation, data breach response, and bankruptcies; and co-manages limited English proficiency and privacy issues; and overseeing agricultural fairs and the Washington State Fairs Commission.

The Fairs Program Administrator serves as the agency expert on agricultural fairs and administers and provides oversight for the Washington State Agricultural Fairs program. This position acts as chair and administrator for the Washington State Fairs Commission, supervises seven fairs’ commissioners, provides expert advice, consultation, and recommendations regarding complex issues impacting fairs statewide. This position works closely with the state’s 68 agricultural fairs, evaluates fairs, and oversees annual budgets.

Position and Salary Information

WSDA is recruiting for a full-time permanent Fairs Program Administrator position within the Administrative Services Division. This position is approved for a flexible/hybrid schedule and will report to the WSDA regional office located in Olympia, Washington. This is a non-represented position.

The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The typical starting salary range for this position is: $ 69,756.00 – $ 91,524.00 annually.

In addition to the salary range listed above, general wage increases will be applied for all employees on the following dates:

• 4% on July 1, 2023
• 3% on July 1, 2024

In addition to the salary listed above, incumbents assigned to our Seattle office location receive an additional 5% King County Location Pay stipend. If a position is designated as requiring dual language skills, incumbents will also receive a 5% Dual Language Requirement Pay stipend.

Employees who voluntarily provide proof of up-to-date COVID-19 booster vaccination, which must include any recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at the time proof is provided to the employer, between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, will receive a one-time lump sum payment of $1,000 to be paid no earlier than July 25, 2023.

Employee Benefits

• A healthy work/life balance, which may include flexible work schedules, and teleworking.
• WSDA provides an excellent benefits package beyond traditional benefits. State employment offers Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave; click here for more information.
• 12 paid Holidays & Vacation and Leave Accruals.
• All Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required will be provided by the agency.
• Commute Trip Reduction Program.

For more information about the Washington State Department of Agriculture, visit us at www.agr.wa.gov.

Duties

Some of what you’ll do, include:

• 
  Provides expert advice, consultation, and recommendations regarding complex and/or unprecedented issues with significant impact to agricultural fairs statewide. Often, this involves how to implement legislation that impacts all the fairs.
• Provides expert advice, consultation, and recommendations to the director, agency policy staff, communications staff, associate deputy director, and program manager regarding agricultural fairs, including consultation on the state fair fund.
• Represents the director as chair of the Fairs Commission. This includes overseeing the operation of the state Fairs Commission, directing funds, providing oversight of the fairs commissioners, and maintaining a positive relationship with agricultural fairs and the Washington State Fairs Association.
• Oversees the appointment of fairs commissioners. This includes drafting recruitment announcements, conducting interviews, making recommendations to the director for final selection, drafting appointment letters, and conducting new commissioner orientation.
• Provides training to commissioners on how to conduct evaluations of fairs, how to complete paperwork, including travel vouchers, the process for distributing funds to fairs, Open Public Meetings Act, and records management.
• Provides oversight to the fairs commissioners including assignment of on-site evaluations of 68 fairs statewide, monitors and approves fairs commissioners travel and expenses, ensures commissioners adhere to defined processes, addresses commissioner misconduct, and conducts commissioner evaluations each year.
• Develops and prepares commissioner visitation packets in preparation for fair evaluation.
• Oversees the distribution of two to eight million in capital improvement grants to agricultural fairs each biennium. This includes developing and reviewing the department’s award process, developing scoring criteria, updating forms, communicating with fairs that funds are available, coordinating the application review process, recommending award amounts to the director, drafting contracts, executing contracts, entering contracts into ECMS, communicating with grantees, ensuring grantees follow requirements of the Department of Historic and Archaeological Preservation, ensuring deliverables are met, closing out contracts, and redirecting unspent funds to other fairs.
• Oversees the distribution of four million in funding from the state fair fund to agricultural fairs each biennium. This includes developing and reviewing the department’s award process, potentially conducting rulemaking to amend the WAC, updating forms, communicating with fairs that funds are available, communicating with fairs regarding insufficient application packets, coordinating the application review process, recommending award amounts to the Fairs Commission and agency director, communicating to fairs the amount of their award, and ensuring our fiscal office processes the payment. Overseeing the budget also includes ensuring the fund is not overspent between awards to fairs and administrative oversight costs. Annually working with Fairs Commission to determine recommended allocation amounts for general funding for the state’s agricultural fairs.
• Researches, analyzes, and determines eligibility for fair funding under state law in response to requests from new applicants for funding.
• Monitors the Fairs Program budget to ensure all funds are allocated appropriately and not overspent.
• Researches additional funding opportunities that fairs may leverage to bring their facilities up to code and establish them as county emergency management and response sites.
• Conducts at least two Fairs Commission meetings annually to discuss fair evaluation, funding allocations, and capital improvement project funding. This includes organizing each meeting, researching, and selecting relevant agenda topics, and facilitating the actual meetings. Files Fairs Commission meeting schedules with the Office of the Code Reviser to comply with the Open Public Meetings Act.
• Completes assigned legislative bill analyses and fiscal notes for legislation affecting agricultural fairs to analyze impact.
• Communicates with fairs by presenting at the yearly Washington State Fairs Association’s Super School and at the annual convention; attends fair board meetings; disseminate animal health requirements for fairs; and provide guidance, training, and other material.
• Organizes the department’s presence at the Evergreen State Fair, the Washington State Fair, the Central Washington State Fair, and any other fair the department chooses to attend.
• Develops and implements program strategic and operational plan.
• Maintains and archives all program records, including historical files for each fair.
• Oversees/updates the agency’s agricultural fairs website.
• Maintains program desk manual.

Qualifications

Who should apply?
Professionals with:

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in public administration, business administration, communications, writing, English, or related field.

AND

Five (5) years of professional, supervisory, or consultative experience in community, trade or economic development which must include budget management, contracts management, or program coordination.

OR

An equivalent combination of education and/or experience.

Preferred/Desired:

• 
  Excellent writing skills.
• Experience with the agricultural fairs industry.

Supplemental Information

How to apply:

You must complete your careers.wa.gov profile and answer the supplemental questions. In addition to completing the online application, and supplemental questions applicants must attach the following documents to their profile to be considered for this position:

• 
  Current resume detailing experience and education
• A cover letter describing how you meet the specific qualifications for this position
• Three professional references

By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed.

Applications with comments “see attachments” will be considered incomplete.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com.

The initial screening will be solely based on the contents and completeness of your application and the materials submitted. All information may be verified, and documentation may be required. Applications received via e-mail will not be accepted in lieu of applying through the state’s on-line recruitment system.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Department of Agriculture celebrates our differences. We strive to hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds. We are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, status as a protected veteran, genetics, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

We believe in the importance of recognizing the value each of us contribute to the success of the agency mission. Having a diverse workforce is this agency’s greatest resource of strength and knowledge. It is through the combination of talents and abilities that we can pursue finding effective measures to provide the best customer service. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone and we strongly mean everyone.

Contact Us

Should you have any questions regarding this position or the online application, contact the Human Resource Office at Recruitment@agr.wa.gov.

Prior to a new appointment in the Department of Agriculture, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position.

The Human Resources Division may use referrals from this recruitment to help fill future similar vacancies for up to six months.

Veteran’s Preference: Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and wish to claim Veteran’s Preference MUST attach a copy of their DD214, or other verification of military service. Please blackout any personally identifiable data such as social security numbers. For additional information on Veteran’s Preference and guidance on how to determine if you are eligible, click here.

Persons with a disability, who need assistance with their application or need this announcement in an alternative format, may call 664-1960 or toll free (877) 664-1960. TTY users should first call 711 to access the Washington Relay Service.