Planning & Research Associate II - Augusta - 0615

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Do you want to make a difference in Maine's food systems? Do you enjoy providing service and support to Maine's food producers and connecting consumers to Maine farms and food producers?

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is looking for a highly organized individual who can support the administration, planning, research, and development of the Maine Senior FarmShare Program (MSFSP).

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION & FORESTRY

PLANNING & RESEARCH ASSOCIATE II

Opening Date: August 27, 2026

Closing Date: End of the day September 11, 2026

Location: Augusta*

Position Number: 00500-0615

Position Type: Full Time/Year-Round

Class Code: 0040

Grade: 23 (Professional/Technical Unit)

Salary: $49,275.20 - $69,139.20 Per Year

Interested applicants need to submit a Direct Hire Application, Cover Letter, along with a detailed Resume**

**For us to properly determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for any posting, you must be sure your resume includes the month and year for any relevant experience listed. Your resume should include the duties and responsibilities associated with each position. Any experience that was not full-time employment should be identified as such.

BRIEF JOB DESCRIPTION: This position is responsible for conducting complex and technical planning and research. Responsibilities will include assisting in the administration and deployment of a federal grant program. The person in this position will collect, analyze, and present data relevant to developing policies and procedures to ensure effective resource utilization of USDA funds.

This is a professional services position of a planning and research nature in coordinating the activities for grant/program planning, development, reporting, compliance, and stakeholder and federal coordination. Work includes program outreach and promotion; data entry; processing invoices and performance reports; developing and tracking program budgets; assisting subrecipients with project management, reporting, and compliance activities; consulting with subrecipients and agencies to ensure that all accounts are in compliance with state and federal requirements; researching grant outcomes to identify challenges and opportunities in Maine's food system; coordinating participant recruitment and customer service; and developing and implementing division policies, procedures and State Plans.

The MSFSP position will support the administration of the USDA FNS Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program including an annual ~$700,000 allocation to the Maine Senior FarmShare Program. The purpose of MSFSP is to provide low-income older adults with access to locally grown produce; increase local food consumption; and support the development of new food supply chain coordination.

*The position is in Augusta and may work according to DACF's Telework Policy with the approval of management.

For questions specific to the position, please contact Michelle Webb at: michelle.t.webb@maine.gov

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: An eight (8) year combination of education, training, and/or experience providing a knowledge of planning and research principles, practices, and techniques.

The successful candidate will have:

• Experience in food-supply-chain systems
• Prior experience in delivering business technical support to stakeholders; and working with software programs
• Experience developing budgets, work programs, contracts, and cost analyses
• Knowledge of federal grant programs with the ability to interpret and administer program requirements and prepare project and financial reports; and write comprehensive reports that document findings, conclusions, and recommendations
• Experience monitoring and auditing grant projects and/or subaward contracts to ensure that federal awards are used appropriately, performance goals are achieved, and to ensure compliance
• Ability to complete tasks within budget and within a specified order of operations
• Ability to conduct special studies, collect and analyze issues, and report program outcome data, including investment impact
• Experience acting as a key point of contact for coordination of activities involving stakeholders and partner or