Duties Description

Under the direction of the Director of Agricultural Development, the Senior Advisor on Food Policy and Procurement position will work within the Division of Agricultural Development’s Food Systems and Resiliency Unit and will ensure the agency’s efforts in promoting agriculture and connecting rural agricultural producers to consumers by focusing on increasing food system resiliency and efficiency and increasing procurement of New York products. While based in Brooklyn, this position will spearhead the Department’s food system and procurement efforts across the state and provide policy recommendations that have state-wide implications.

Additional duties include but are not limited to:

• Serve as a single point of contact on state procurement challenges regarding New York food while providing hands-on assistance to achieve these goals.
• Manage both internal and external working groups with diverse stakeholders to advise and direct the Division’s priorities on procurement actions.
• Work to address complex and myriad challenges to utilizing more New York-produced food in New York agencies (i.e.: DOCCS, OMH) and institutions (i.e.: SUNY, K-12, hospitals).
• Utilize knowledge and experience in state procurement laws and regulations to identify policy barriers that can be addressed at the state and federal levels to increase the purchase of New York-produced food and beverages.

o This will involve providing technical assistance for producers, food processors, procurement officials (both public and private), and consumers at large, as well as serving as liaison to other agricultural and food industry entities and government agencies in metropolitan areas of the state and federally, including the USDA, FSA, and Cornell Cooperative Extension.

• Utilize management expertise and execution skills to identify marketing and research barriers in the existing food system and envision a more robust and resilient system that better meets the needs of the state.

o This will involve accessing and adapting both Department and federal programming to overcome barriers that hamper greater access to New York food for New York residents.

The position is located at 55 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, New York 11217. We offer a professional and comfortable working environment with ample free parking. This is a management/confidential (MC) position in the exempt jurisdictional class that offers a competitive salary range of $95,056 - $120,156/year with excellent benefits. Benefits include but are not limited to Health, Dental and Vision coverage, NYS Pension Plan membership, Life Insurance coverage, and Voluntary Defined Contribution Plan.




Department Summary:
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, through its various divisions and programs, promotes New York agriculture and its high-quality and diverse products, fosters agricultural environmental stewardship, and safeguards the State’s food supply, land, and livestock to ensure the viability and growth of New York’s agriculture industries.

If you would like to work for a premier agency focused on enhancing the quality of life for the people of New York State by supporting production of agriculture; ensuring safe, nutritious, and accessible food supply; providing economic opportunities for farm and rural residents, then the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is for you.

To learn more about our agency and our mission, please visit https://www.agriculture.ny.gov/.