Program Support Specialist

National Experienced Workforce Solutions; Willmar (MN); On-site; USD 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Vacation & sick leave

Federal holidays

Vision & dental insurance

Job summary

NEW Solutions partners with NRCS to place experienced workers (55+) in non-federal roles supporting conservation programs. This Program Support Specialist position is 100% onsite in Willmar, MN at the NRCS office, contributing to timely farmer and landowner assistance.

The enrollee will help deliver Farm Bill programs, review documents for compliance, assemble folders, and support contract and payment processing.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience with MS Office and Adobe Acrobat.
• Proficiency in basic letter writing and written/verbal communications.
• Knowledge of computer internet security/cyber security.
• Able to operate office automation equipment (scanner, printer).

Responsibilities

• Work closely with Area staff to deliver Farm Bill programs to producers.
• Assemble contract folders per program guidelines; identify discrepancies and provide corrections.
• Compile documents to validate payment requests and ensure policy compliance.
• Provide initial review of written correspondence and maintain staff calendars.
• Serve as backup for reception, mailing, and record management; organize office files.

Skills

Microsoft Office

Adobe Acrobat

Written and verbal communications

Cyber security basics

Vehicle license

Education

AA Degree in Business or Financial Management, Office Administration or related field

Tools

Windows

MS Word

MS Excel

MS PowerPoint

ArcGIS

Conservation Desktop

Protracts

MS SharePoint

Outlook

MS Teams

Job description

Program Support Specialist

ID: AMN1-036

Location: Willmar

Posted Date: 11/9/2026

Agency: USDA

Wage/Hr: $20.00 - $24.99

Hours/Week: 30 - 40

Minimum Age: 55

Location Comments: 100% Onsite NRCS Agency Office: 1005 High Avenue - Willmar, MN 56201

Disclaimer: This is not a federal position. This role is offered through a partnership agreement and does not constitute an NRCS hiring action.

This position is a non-federal role funded through an existing agreement between NRCS and NEW Solutions. The enrollee will provide direct support to farmers and landowners, enabling the implementation of conservation practices on the ground. This role contributes to NRCS's mission by enhancing capacity in field offices and ensuring timely assistance to producers. It is designed to free up NRCS staff for emergency and high-priority responses, not to replace federal staff.

This role helps ensure continued progress on conservation planning, practice implementation, and technical assistance, especially in high-demand or disaster-affected areas. It aligns with the Administration's priorities for farmer-first, field-facing, and partner-enabled capacity expansion.

For over 25 years, National Experienced Workforce Solutions (NEW Solutions) has specialized in connecting experienced workers (ages 55+) with full-time and part-time job opportunities that support the critical missions of Federal Agencies across the United States.

NEW Solutions connects experienced workers (ages 55+) with the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS). These are experienced professionals who provide technical and professional assistance to the Department of Agriculture for the Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services (ACES) Program.

Benefits: Paid Health Insurance Premium for positions budgeted at 60+ hours per pay period, Accrued Vacation and Sick Leave, Paid Federal Holidays, and optional Vision and Dental Insurance available for positions budgeted at 35+ hours per pay period.

Positions listed here do not guarantee employment for any definite period. Enrollment in the Experienced Worker Programs administered by NEW Solutions is temporary. The enrollment relationship between NEW Solutions and the Enrollee is an ?at-will? relationship. This means that an Enrollee is free to terminate enrollment at any time during the enrollment period, and NEW Solutions and the Agency have the right to terminate the relationship with the Enrollee.

PLEASE NOTE: An ?ACES Enrollee? is not a federal employee, nor an employee of NEW Solutions. An ?ACES Enrollee? is a participant in a grant program established through a Cooperative Agreement funded by the USDA-NRCS and administered by NEW Solutions.

This opportunity applies to applicants legally eligible to work in the United States.

Duties

Work closely with Area staff to deliver Farm Bill programs to producers.

• Incumbent reviews accuracy of documentation, compliance with regulations and policy, processing of workload paperwork associated with conservation compliance; reviews/uploads program information into applicable databases and forwards completed documents to applicable offices, staff, databases, customers.40%
• Assemble contract folders according to program guidelines; reviews components of the agency record, identifies discrepancies, provides needed corrections to appropriate staff.25%
• Compile supporting documents to validate payment requests, ensures that requests comply with policy provisions.15%
• Provides initial review of written correspondence for staff. Maintains record of staff meetings and staff calendars.10%
• Serve as "backup" for reception, mailing, and record management. Assist with processing forms, maintaining program files, facilitate re-organization of all compliance team and field office files to meet established protocol and maintain ledgers for training, and workload/program contracts.10%

Qualifications

Minimum of 5 year(s) of experience in Microsoft Office and proficiency in Adobe Acrobat. Use of office automation equipment including scanner, and printer. Knowledge of computer internet security/ cyber security. Capable of basic letter writing and proficiency in written and verbal communications. OR AA Degree in Business or Financial Management, Office Administration or related field of study.

• Must possess and maintain a valid state motor vehicle operator's license for the type of vehicle(s) operated to perform the duties of this position. This may require the operation of a motor vehicle on both public and private roads during daylight hours.
• Skill in operating personal computer software, as well as simple programming (including word processing, spreadsheets, email, file transfers, internet, time keeping, and databases), to research, tabulate, and analyze economic data, prepare correspondence, finalize documents, and foster work improvement.
• Other Requirements: Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. Failure to pass the background investigation will result in termination of employment.
• Experience required with Windows, MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, ArcGIS
• Conservation Desktop, Protracts, MS SharePoint, Outlook, MS Teams

Other

• Depending on assigned duties, on the job and other NRCS provided trainings may be necessary to complete assigned duties.
• on the job.
• Travel Requirements: We bring staff together a few times a year for 2-4 days to do focused in person, small group work meetings in a centralized location. This person may end up helping with these efforts.
• Overnight travel: Multi-day, overnight travel required two to three times per year.
• Physical requirements: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

NEW Solutions is committed to promoting equal opportunity and to an environment free from discrimination and harassment in any form administering Experienced Service Programs under cooperative agreements with federal agencies. It is NEW Solutions's policy to comply with all applicable laws that provide equal opportunity and to prohibit unlawful discrimination in enrolling participants in the federal programs.