TDA - FND - Administrator for Food and Nutrition (Fi

About the role

The Texas Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Division administers 12 federal child and special nutrition programs and receives more than $2.5 billion in federal money annually. These programs aim to reduce hunger, encourage strong nutrition, and support local economies across Texas.

The Administrator for Food and Nutrition (F&N) serves as the division's Business Management lead, performing highly advanced managerial work and providing direction and guidance in financial and strategic operations and planning. This role assists in directing and overseeing effective management of the division; develops, executes, and achieves strategic goals and objectives; manages complex issues; and conducts long-term financial planning to support the agency's mission. Work is performed under minimal supervision with extensive latitude for initiative and independent judgment.

Job Opening ID: 107142

Responsibilities

• Provide direct leadership to all F&N budget and financial operations to support actions and decisions that achieve high professional standards and customer service excellence.
• Monitor regular division operations; meet all deadlines and timeframes; support division goals and achieve key performance measures; oversee all accountability processes and procedures and perform quality assurance checks to ensure program operational integrity and regulatory compliance.
• Direct, manage, and oversee budgeting for revenue and controlling of expenses, ensuring alignment with Legislative Appropriation Requests, State Operating Budget, and Federal State Plans.
• Ensure the quality and accuracy of guidance and report submissions to federal partners is accurate and timely and reflects a comprehensive assessment of data available.
• Direct and manage the business management staff and team leaders to ensure appropriate and reasonable decisions are made based on critical thinking and sound judgement.
• Oversee, manage and monitor time submissions and approval and conduct performance appraisals of direct and indirect employees; ensure appraisals are conducted timely and appropriately; ensure objective metrics are utilized based on developed job descriptions, and supervisors/team leaders are evaluating consistently and equitably.
• Ensure proper hiring policies and practices are followed and work closely with Human Resources (HR) to ensure positions are filled timely.
• Assist the Assistant Commissioner in the development and monitoring of performance measures, program and financial reports, fiscal notes and requested information; oversee report and requests preparation, as needed, of quarterly LBB performance reports, division strategic planning updates; biennial legislative appropriation requests, general Legislature requests, federal, state, auditor or investigative requests for information, and required federal, state and agency reports.
• Oversee development, redesign and implementation of strategic plans and budgets that support efficient and effective program goals, objectives, guidelines and procedures; evaluate division operations and performance to identify and implement short-range, mid-range and long-range goals and objectives.
• Assign and oversee the coordination of staffing and resource needs between the various programs and functional areas of the division; make recommendations to mitigate risk to regulatory compliance and goal accomplishment.
• Monitor and manage TDA personnel disciplinary processes and practices and ensure they are completed within established timelines; all required actions have been taken in proper order and complete and adequate documentation is maintained; work with HR to ensure TDA policies are upheld and followed.
• Monitor and collaborate with division leadership to ensure staff are professionally developed and technically proficient in meeting long-term operational goals through activities such as classroom training, team building, on-the-job training, operational manuals, job rotations and special assignments and projects; ensure employees share knowledge through cross-training.
• Attend TDA, division staff and senior staff meetings; represent the division/agency on committees, joint projects, and task forces as assigned and at outside meetings; and serve as a contact with other local/state/federal agencies.
• Serve as a backup to the Assistant Commissioner for F&N in legislative business, including testifying at hearings and providing testimony at legislative meetings, compiling information and communication with legislative and oversight agency staff.
• Respond to requests for technical information from clients, the Assistant Commissioner for F&N, TDA staff, legislative or other state government personnel, industry representatives and other organizations; make presentations regarding division programs to interested parties throughout the state as required.
• Follow all TDA policies and procedures. Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

To be considered for the position, applicants must submit a State of Texas Application through CAPPS or WIT experience. (Posting text truncated; full qualifications not captured.)

Schedule

TDA does not offer telework, and all employees are required to be physically present for work. The agency's core business hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. TDA also provides limited customer service between 6:00–8:00 a.m. and 5:00–6:00 p.m.

Location

Austin, TX