Position Information

NY HELPNo

AgencyAgriculture & Markets, Department of

TitleDirector of Food Safety and Inspection

Occupational CategoryAdministrative or General Management

Salary Grade665

Bargaining UnitM/C - Management / Confidential (Unrepresented)

Salary RangeFrom $122092 to $122092 Annually

Employment Type Full-Time

Appointment Type Permanent

Jurisdictional Class Non-competitive Class

Travel Percentage 10%

Schedule

Workweek Mon-Fri

Hours Per Week 37.5

Workday

From 8:30 AM

To 4:30 PM

Flextime allowed? No

Mandatory overtime? No

Compressed workweek allowed? No

Telecommuting allowed? No

Location

County Albany

Street Address 10B Airline Drive

City Albany

StateNY

Zip Code12235

Job Specifics

Minimum Qualifications A Bachelor’s degree in biology, biochemistry, chemistry, environmental health, environmental science, microbiology, food science, food technology, physical science, or public health or a closely related field and eight years of experience providing leadership, direction, and management for Food Safety, Quality, and/or Regulatory programs which must have included three years in a high level administrative capacity involving responsibility and oversight for such programs.

Experience Substitution: J.D. or Master’s degree may substitute for one year of specified experience; Ph.D. may substitute for two years of specified experience.

Education Substitution: An additional four years of specified experience or an Associate’s degree in specified fields and an additional two years of specified experience or ten or more years in public administration with an unrelated Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college may substitute for science related Bachelor’s degree.

Duties Description The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is seeking a collaborative, results-oriented, leader to join our team! The Director of the Division of Food Safety and Inspection will oversee one of the largest and most critical divisions within the agency, one that implements programs that help safeguard New York State’s food supply. The Director will be required to drive innovation, develop and motivate their team and be a continuous improvement agent for the Division. If you would like to work for a premier agency focused on enhancing the quality of life for the people of New York State by supporting production of agriculture; ensuring safe, nutritious and accessible food supply then this is the opportunity for you!

Department Summary:

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, through its various divisions and programs, promotes New York agriculture and its high-quality and diverse products, fosters agricultural environmental stewardship, and safeguards the State’s food supply, land and livestock to ensure the viability and growth of New York’s agriculture industries. To learn more about our agency and our mission, please visit https://www.agriculture.ny.gov/

Division of Food Safety and Inspection Summary:

The Division provides a vital service to people across the state by working to ensure that New York State’s food and feed supply is safe to consume. From licensing businesses and conducting inspections, to collaborating with local, state and federal partners on new and innovative approaches to food safety, this work is critical to ensuring that the safety of the food supply is maintained from producer to consumer.

Division staff conduct over 30,000 inspections each year and investigate nearly 2,800 consumer complaints. The Department has jurisdiction over more than 35,000 food handling establishments and is responsible for initiating food recalls when necessary.

Inspections take place at grocery stores, supermarkets, manufacturing/processing plants, beverage plants, food warehouses, wholesale bakeries, food salvage dealers, bodegas, convenience stores, deli stores, corner stores, gas stations, chain stores, produce farms and similar establishments.

The Division is responsible for providing grading, sampling and inspection services related to produce sold and grown in New York State on behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

To learn more about the Division of Food Safety and Inspection, please visit https://agriculture.ny.gov/food-safety

Job Summary:

Under the general direction of the Deputy Commissioner, the Director of Food Safety and Inspection will lead a dedicated staff of 165 employees to implement food safety programs within New York State. The incumbent will provide the overall leadership of the Division as well as oversee, plan, develop and implement strategies and programs to mitigate food safety risks across New York State. Additionally, the incumbent will develop and maintain strong connections with academia, external associations and industry experts to continually enhance expertise for the changing landscape.

This position is located in Albany, NY but will have statewide oversight. This is a non-competitive, management/confidential position that offers a competitive starting salary of $122,092/year with excellent benefits. Benefits include but are not limited to NYS Pension Plan membership, Life Insurance coverage, and Voluntary Defined Contribution Plan.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Advise the Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets on the formulation of policy relative to the Department's responsibilities to ensure New York remains a strong leader in food safety both in New York State and across the US.
• Participate in formulating new legislation and regulations in the above-mentioned areas and take appropriate action to secure compliance with existing law and regulations.
• Perform all other executive functions required for the effective leadership, management and administration of the Division's programs including budgeting and planning, program evaluation, performance evaluations, and reporting.
• Provide a strong team environment that incorporates feedback from all staff levels across the State.
• Provide an environment of continuous improvement that includes policy and science-based problem-solving techniques.
• Supervise the activities of the programs within the Division and of staff in the three regional areas working on matters relating to the above-mentioned areas.
• Coordinate and interface with other state departments, federal agencies, commissions, working groups, advocates, associations, lobbying groups and advisory boards concerned with matters addressed by the Division's programs.

Additional Comments Travel, overtime, and overnight travel may be required. Weekends and holidays may be required. Must be available for emergency response. Must be available to respond to after-hours emergencies and calls.

Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.

Contact Information

Name Amy Sacco

Telephone 518-457-3216

Fax 518-457-8852

Email Address recruitment@agriculture.ny.gov

Address

Street 10B Airline Drive

City Albany

State NY

Zip Code 12235

 

Notes on ApplyingCandidates that are eligible and interested in being considered for appointment to this position must complete our online employment application and upload their cover letter and resume to the system. Our online employment application can be found at https://fs30.formsite.com/zMiW7u/rxkb6lyjhs/index.html. The deadline to apply is November 2, 2020.

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov.