NASDA NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service) Associate Director - Great Lakes/North East

National Association of State Departments of Agriculture; Arlington (TX); Remote; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dynamic team dedicated to enhancing American agriculture through innovative data collection and human resource management. This role as Associate Director will lead a team focused on improving the enumerator experience while ensuring accurate and efficient data collection for agricultural surveys. You will collaborate with other leaders across the country, fostering a positive work environment and driving operational excellence. This organization offers a competitive salary, flexible work schedule, and a mission that makes a real impact in the agricultural community. If you are passionate about agriculture and ready to lead, this opportunity is for you.

Benefits

PTO for vacation, sick leave, and volunteer hours

401k - 100% match up to 4%

Tuition reimbursement

Professional development

Employer-paid Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance

Qualifications

• 3+ years of HR experience including payroll and employee support.
• Proven leadership in a multi-level organization with agricultural focus.

Responsibilities

• Oversee human resources and data collection for agricultural surveys.
• Develop strategies to improve data collection quality and efficiency.

Skills

Human Resources Management

Leadership

Communication

Critical Thinking

Budgeting

Interpersonal Skills

Project Management

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Microsoft Suite

Cloud-based HR Systems

Remote Work Technology

Job description

Full Job Description

The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) is seeking a new team member who is passionate about American agriculture to join its National Agriculture Statistics Survey (NASS) cooperative agreements team as an Associate Director, NASS Program leading a team based in the following states: CT, DE, DC, IN, ME, MD, MA, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT, VA and WV.

This position will oversee the transformation of a region's human resources and data collection operations for agricultural surveys, leading a team of managers, coaches, trainers, and enumerators. This role requires a leader who can improve the enumerator experience for accurate and efficient data collection while embracing change and innovation. This position will report to NASDA's NASS Program Director and work collaboratively with other Associate Directors across the U.S.

ABOUT NASDA

NASDA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association representing the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries, and directors of the state departments of agriculture. NASDA enhances American food and agriculture communities through policy, partnerships, and public engagement.

We recognize that to achieve our goals, we need employees who are as passionate about agriculture as we are. We strive to create a positive work environment that our employees can be proud of and where they can build their careers.

NASDA employees earn a competitive salary and enjoy an excellent work culture at an organization with exceptional perks, including a flexible schedule and an incredible mission.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The essential functions include but are not limited to:

Human Resources Leadership (50%)

• Work with NASDA leadership to interview and hire the regional leadership team of Managers, Coaches, and Trainers for assigned region.
• Oversee the work of the regional leadership team who will manage the daily operations of up to 375 part-time, intermittent enumerators providing guidance and support to ensure high performance and adherence to organizational policies and standards.
• Manage regional human resource functions including payroll processing, employee evaluations, and personnel actions.
• Work with Managers to ensure adequate staffing for the designated region, including hiring, onboarding, and addressing any personnel issues.
• Foster positive relationships between the NASDA management team and enumerators, address concerns, and ensure a fair and respectful work environment.
• Coordinate, organize, schedule, and oversee training events for enumerators to ensure consistency and quality across regions.
• Ensure compliance with NASDA's Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment policies in all employment actions.

Operational Management (30%)

• Develop and implement strategies to improve data collection quality, efficiency, and accuracy.
• Coordinate survey assignments and progress for NASS' surveys.
• Manage budgets and work assignments to ensure activities align with financial goals.
• Ensure timely communication of information for assigned team.
• Plan for and review vendor activity.
• Collaborate with other Associate Directors to share best practices and maintain consistency in operations across all regions.

External Engagement Coordination (20%)

• Serve as the liaison with NASS (USDA) teams, facilitate communication and collaboration to ensure alignment with organizational goals and requirements.
• Maintain positive relationships with the NASDA members to amplify the work of the enumerators.
• Serve as a regional contact for agricultural industry partners as needed.

Please see additional information about the role here.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent years of relevant, full-time work experience.
• 3+ years of human resources experience including payroll processing, employee support, recruiting, and development.
• 3+ years' experience in a leadership position, preferably in a field operations or survey environment.
• 3+ years managing agricultural operations or projects with demonstrated expertise in communication, planning, critical thinking, and budgeting areas.
• Adept working with Microsoft Suite applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint or similar applications), cloud-based accounting and/or human resource systems, and remote work technology (Zoom, Teams).
• Superior interpersonal and relationship-building skills. Demonstrated ability to work effectively across all levels of an organization.
• Demonstrated ability to work well in a fast-paced and deadline-oriented work environment.
• Ability to travel several times a year regionally or nationally.
• Currently reside in CT, DE, DC, IN, ME, MD, MA, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT, VA, or a neighboring state.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of human resources experience including payroll processing, interviewing candidates, onboarding/offboarding, and/or delivering performance reviews.
• 5+ years' experience in a leadership role in a multi-level organization.
• Knowledge of agricultural practices and NASS surveys is desired.
• Demonstrated experience leading projects related to agriculture.
• Experience with developing and implementing workshops, conferences, and off-site educational experiences.

Consideration will be given to candidates who explicitly address how their experience meets the minimum and preferred qualifications in their cover letter and resume. Applications without a cover letter and/or resume will not be considered.

INTERVIEW PROCESS

• Applications considered - 4/21/25 - 5/9/25
• Interviews (possible 2 step interview process) - 5/5/25 - 5/23/25
• Anticipated start date - 6/16/25

SALARY

$85,000.00 - $100,000/yr based on experience.

WORK SCHEDULE

This is a full-time (40hrs/week), exempt remote position. Working hours are generally Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm local time.

BENEFITS:

• PTO for vacation, sick leave, and volunteer hours.
• 401k - 100% match up to 4%.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Professional development.
• Employer-paid: Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance.

NASDA does not discriminate in employment practices or programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

You will have to pass a background check.