Inspection Management Analyst

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.

The Opportunity:

The Food Safety & Consumer Services (FSCS) Division Administration team provides expert consultation on a division-wide basis to the Assistant Director and the six Program Managers regarding financial and human resource oversight, project management, legislative bill analysis, and public disclosure requests. Our team ensures agency and division policies and procedures are implemented consistently and accurately along with adherence to Washington Administrative Codes (WACs). FSCS Division administration oversees division-wide initiatives such as rulemaking, budget allotments, and public records procedures.

The Inspection Management Analyst (Management Analyst 3) supports the Produce Safety Program in helping the state's produce industry understand and meet the requirements of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule, which exists to protect public health. This position supervises administrative staff and oversees data management, budget analysis, strategic and long-range planning and federal reporting in accordance with state and federal laws and rules. This position is responsible for developing, leading and deploying the produce safety program's inspection scheduling and farm inventory management strategy, training staff to follow procedures that ensure the most consistent, timely, and accurate farm data possible.

Important Notes

WSDA is recruiting for an internal full-time permanent Inspection Management Analyst (Management Analyst 3) position within the Food Safety & Consumer Services (FSCS) Division. This position's duty station is located at the Natural Resource Building in Olympia, WA with the ability to telework. 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: Range 54 $60,132 Step A - $78,912 Step L annually.

What to Expect

Establish and deploy a high-level produce safety inspection scheduling strategy while providing operational and data management oversight of the FoodPro database for produce farms.

• Develop and manage a master inspection scheduling plan.
• Contact produce farms to schedule inspections and other technical assistance visits.
• Ensure all prioritized farms are contacted at least once prior to seasonal harvesting and/or packing activities and make follow-up contact as needed.
• Allocate inspections through FoodPro.
• Coordinate with produce safety inspectors to ensure a continuity of customer service.
• Establish and train staff on Food Pro, standard operating procedures.
• Serve as account manager for FoodPro's Business Intelligence (BI) Platform.
• Generate, analyze, and compile Inspection Aggregate and Inventory and Outreach Aggregate Data Reports.
• Manage global terminal server permissions.
• Lead point of contact with third-party database provider.

Maintain and deploy effective strategies to maintain a comprehensive farm inventory.

• Recommend inventory outreach assignments for inspectors to conduct inventory and technical assistance calls during non-inspection periods.
• Oversee annual inventory outreach campaign through direct farm email and notification letters.

Review budget and provide advice and information regarding the grant's financial status to higher-level administrative staff.

• Prepare budgetary reports for FDA grant submissions, including spending summaries, supplemental narrative descriptions, and projected budgets for review by the Principal Investigator.
• Oversee Administrative Assistant in the development of a monthly cooperative agreement budget to ensure accurate expenditures and appropriate billing of cost categories per agency, OFM, and FDA requirements.

Who should apply?

Professionals with:

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration, law, public health, health administration, or a related field.

Note -Additional qualifying experience will substitute year for year, for education.

AND

• Three (3) years of experience conducting research and analyzing policies, laws, rules, or regulations or comparable combination of graduate education and experience.

Special Requirements:

• Posses and maintain a valid driver's license.
• Must have the ability to qualify for and obtain FDA Commissioning as required.

FDA Commission qualifications (subject to change, discretion, and further inquiry by FDA):

• Meet qualifications for FSCS position duties.
• Citizen of US.
• No felonies/misdemeanors (excluding minor traffic offenses) or pending trials/investigations for such.

In addition to the above qualifications, the following knowledge, skills, and abilities will make a candidate highly desirable:

• Prior work experience in food safety or produce safety and understanding of production agriculture in the context of public health practices.
• Demonstrated experience with cooperative agreement programs or other federal grants.
• Demonstrated experience in building programs, systems, and projects from scratch in pursuit of establishing a long-term program.
• Prior experience developing and delivering training to staff and stakeholders at all levels.

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; click here for more information.
• 12 paid Holidays & Vacation and Leave Accruals.
• All Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required will be provided by the agency.

How to apply: You must complete your 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 or email

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.

Equity at WSDA

The Department of Agriculture recognizes, appreciates, supports, embraces, and respects all cultural identities and backgrounds while we collaborate in authentic ways. We hire amazing people that share in the commitment to our Pro-Equity Anti-Racist (PEAR) strategic plan, our Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act implementation plan, and our unique needs and desires for belonging, respect, and inclusion. We value the growth and development of our team members by providing equitable access to resources and opportunities for continuous learning, improvement, and advancement.

We strive to hire, cultivate, and retain a productive and dedicated workforce that reflects the communities we serve while we are committed to a workplace that celebrates our differences and supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Contact Us

Should you have any questions regarding this position or the online application, contact the Human Resource Office at

Prior to a new appointment into 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 or toll free TTY users should first call 711 to access the Washington Relay Service.