Under general direction, supervises, coordinates, and directs the divisional operations of the agricultural and/or weights and measures enforcement programs in the County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office; and does related or other work as required in accordance with Rule 3, Section 3 of the Civil Service Rules.
CLASS CHARACTERISTICS
The Deputy Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer is a mid-management class responsible for administrative and programmatic oversight of various agricultural and/or weights and measures programs. Incumbents in this class primarily supervise professional licensed staff and technical personnel in the performance of inspections, investigation, and enforcement.
TYPICAL DUTIES
Assists the Assistant Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer in the day-to-day operations and personnel management of the Agricultural Division and/or Weights and Measures Division to include hiring, employee and labor relations, performance management, and discipline of professional, technical, and support staff assigned to a specialized department program; ensures adequate staffing levels.
Participates as a member of the Department’s management team; consults with managers to ensure the department remains in compliance and remains informed of new legislation, regulations, and provisions of the Food and Agriculture Code and the California Code of Regulations; assists in the development of policies/procedures; implements administrative processes/procedures to improve operational efficiency of various departmental program.
Assists with the design of grant projects; writes grant proposals and implements and monitors grant projects.
Participates in the more difficult and complex assignments such as criminal prosecutions and hearings; serves as resource person for subordinate staff; verifies permissible tolerance of weights and measures testing devices used by the department; prepares compliance actions and administrative civil penalties; assembles evidence; prepares witnesses and participates in the civil hearing process.
Represents the Department as a liaison with County departments, external agencies and organizations; coordinates assigned program activities to resolve sensitive and controversial issues at meetings, hearings or other professional functions; serves as staff on a variety of boards, commissions, and committees; attends meetings and conferences to maintain awareness of new trends and developments in the field of agricultural and weights and measures inspection; incorporate new developments as appropriate.
Oversees the compilation of annual and special reports as required by the Board of Supervisors, California Department of Food and Agriculture and California Department of Pesticide Regulation; prepares correspondence and reports related to office, program, or department activities.
Assists in the preparation, development, and administration of the division(s) budget; analyzes fiscal information and recommends cost-efficiency options; develops and recommends budgetary controls; prepares assigned program work plans and monitors budget for State contracts.
Develops, plans, and organizes training and outreach programs materials to educate the public, growers and others in the agricultural industry about Department services.
May act in the absence of the Assistant Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, biological, chemical, physical sciences, or other appropriate disciplines as described in California Food & Agricultural Code Section 2106.
Experience: Five years of full-time experience in the enforcement of agricultural or weights and measures laws or in agricultural pest control or in the production, processing, or marketing of agricultural commodities, including one year in a lead capacity equivalent to the Agricultural Biologist/Standards Inspector III.
License: Possession of a valid California driver’s license, if required by nature of assignment.
Special Requirement: At the time of appointment, must possess a valid Deputy County Agricultural Commissioner OR Deputy County Sealer of Weights and Measures license and valid licenses in all eight (8) categories as a County Agricultural Inspector/Biologist and Weights and Measures Inspector issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. These are identified as follows:
a) Pesticide Regulation;
b) Pest Prevention and Plant Regulation;
c) Investigation and Environmental Monitoring;
d) Integrated Pest Management;
e) Commodity Regulation;
f) Weight Verification;
g) Measurement Verification; and
h) Transaction and Product Verification.
If required by nature of assignment, possession of, or ability to obtain, an additional Deputy County Agricultural Commissioner or Deputy County Sealer of Weights and Measures license issued by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
KNOWLEDGE
Duties and responsibilities of the County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office; principles and practices of supervision; principles of public administration; state, federal and county laws governing the regulation of agriculture commodities; regulations, laws and ordinances relating to weights and measures division and the office of the Sealer; agricultural inspection methods and techniques; general agriculture including crops, soils, fertilizers, equipment and related items, basic horticulture, plant pathology and entomology; pest vertebrates, insects, weeds, and other agricultural pests; pesticides, traps, bait and other pest control measures, basic mathematics, experimentation procedures, including sampling, testing, control methods, and data collection; basic public relations; report writing practices; methods and techniques used to verify the accuracy of weighing and measuring devices and the contents of packaged commodities; principles, mechanics, construction, operation and maintenance of weighing and measuring devices.
ABILITY
Plan, assign, supervise, and coordinate the work of others; read, understand, and interpret job related material, including technical and legal publications; enforce laws, rules, regulations and guidelines firmly, tactfully, and impartially pertaining to agriculture/weights and measures; make decisions on complex enforcement problems in accordance with established policies and procedures; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; gather and analyze data; prepare concise and accurate oral or written reports; analyze situations accurately and take effective action; establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS
Mobility – operation of a data entry device; repetitive motion; sitting, standing, walking for extended periods of time; driving; occasional pushing, pulling, bending, squatting, climbing; Lifting – frequently 5 pounds or less; occasionally 5 to 30 pounds; Visual – constant good overall vision and reading/close-up work; read computer screens; frequent color perception and use of eye/hand coordination; occasional use of depth perception and peripheral vision; Dexterity – reaching; grasping; repetitive motion; writing; Hearing/Talking – frequent hearing of normal speech, hearing/talking on the telephone, talking in person; Emotional/Psychological – frequent decision-making, concentration, and public contact; public speaking; deal with emergency situations; occasional exposure to trauma, grief, death; heights; occasional exposure to hazardous materials; Special Requirements – may require working weekends and nights; working alone; Environmental – working in varied weather conditions; poor ventilation.
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