NASS Program Associate Director - Central South Region

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: AZ, AR, CO, LA, MS, NM, OK, TX, and UT.

This position will oversee the transformation of the 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 a NASS Director and work collaboratively with other NASS program team members 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 (40%)

• Oversee the work of the regional leadership team who will manage the daily operations of up to 350 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.
• Hire and train direct reports, Managers and Trainers, as needed.
• 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.
• Work with leadership team to 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 (40%)

• 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.

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 of 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 AZ, AR, CO, LA, MS, NM, OK, TX, UT 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 of 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 received through 6/19/26
• Interviews (possible 2 step interview process) - 6/22/26 - 7/10/26
• Anticipated start date - 7/27/26

SALARY

The hiring range is $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, 9 am - 5 pm 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