Program Administrator 1 (Livestock Regulatory)

Work Location: 8995 E Main Street, Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068-3399, United States. Contact: Ryan Gunter, ryan.gunter@agri.ohio.gov. Position Type: Permanent, Full‑Time, Classified, Exempt from union. Primary Skill: Program Management. Work Hours: 8:00 am–5:00 pm, Monday–Friday.

About the role

The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) protects all Ohioans by safeguarding plants and animals, conserving natural resources, and supporting farmers. As a cabinet‑level agency reporting to Governor DeWine, ODA oversees the state’s number‑one industry — food and agriculture — which contributes $124 billion to the economy and employs one in eight Ohioans. The Division of Animal Health is dedicated to protecting and promoting the health of the state’s livestock and poultry industries through testing, inspection, licensing, disease traceability, commercial dog breeding oversight, livestock exhibition regulation, veterinary diagnostic laboratory services, and rapid response to foreign animal disease threats.

Responsibilities

• Plan, direct, and coordinate all activities of assigned regulatory programs: Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 943 Livestock Dealer Law, ORC 953 Rendering Law, ORC 942 Swine Garbage Law, ORC 947 Livestock Branding, ORC 904 Livestock Care Standards; applicable sections of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC); and oversee annual renewal and permitting of related licenses.
• Develop, implement, coordinate, and evaluate policies and procedures to carry out licensing requirements; coordinate changes with division leadership.
• Serve as division designee administering the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between ODA and USDA Packers & Stockyards Administration, directing cooperation between federal and state entities on livestock, poultry, meat packing, and meat marketing activities.
• Act as division primary contact for consumer complaints; assign complaints to field staff for investigation and resolution.
• Provide technical advice and guidance to field staff on uniform interpretation and application of Livestock Care Standards (ORC & OAC).
• Provide technical advice and guidance for uniform interpretation and application of state and federal regulations.
• Implement and administer policies and procedures of assigned regulatory programs; serve as liaison with public officials and the general public.
• Resolve sensitive problems concerning relationships with industry, federal and other state agencies, and the public.
• Maintain working knowledge of state and federal regulations impacting the animal agricultural industry sector.
• Facilitate answers to industry appeals of noncompliance matters.
• Provide training, under direction of Animal Health Administration, to program staff and industry members on changes to inspection procedures.
• Act as liaison between program field staff and central office staff to implement policy decisions, changes, and updates.
• Propose, draft, and review regulations to correct or clarify existing legislation.
• Review for compliance quarterly reports, scale tests, inspection reports, tagging agreements, and audits of livestock dealers, auction markets, concentration yards, and slaughtering establishments.
• Oversee office functions of tag distribution and record keeping.
• Recommend license suspensions and revocations.
• Prepare correspondence and assist in writing Notices of Violation, Enforcement Actions, Consent Decrees, Settlement Agreements, Commuter Agreements, Suspensions/Revocations, and Director’s Orders related to regulatory licensing programs.
• Collaborate with other divisions (Legal, Enforcement, Communications, Meat Inspection, Dairy, Large Livestock, Weights & Measures, Plant Health) to ensure effective communication and accurate information dissemination between the agency and public interest groups.
• Respond to requests from ODA Communications section to media outlets.
• Respond to requests from ODA Legal section relative to Ohio’s Public Records Law.
• Act as Logistics Section Chief (ICS trained) in a statewide animal disease incidence and/or depopulation event.
• Monitor and review veterinary administrators’ and animal health inspectors’ activity and performance relative to assigned licensing and inspection programs.
• Monitor, forecast funds, and account for division field staff equipment and supplies (e.g., livestock trailer, corral gates, restraining chute, supply and disinfection sprayer trailers).
• Operate personal computer and related software (e.g., Microsoft Office) to maintain and/or modify tracking systems (spreadsheets, databases).
• Verify data and ensure data integrity and