Maryland Department of Agriculture

I.          Nature of Work:

            A Resource Conservation District Supervisor is the first level of supervisory work assisting in the development and implementation of local and State resource conservation district programs.  The work of this class involves the supervision of state employees as well as other staff in the local resource conservation district offices.  Guidance and direction may be given to local district employees, who are not state employees, with respect to their roles in state programs or projects.

            Employees receive general supervision from a Resource Conservation Regional Coordinator or other designated administrator.  Employees also receive guidance and direction from the local District Board of Supervisors which sets policy guidelines for the local soil conservation districts.  The work requires travel within the assigned district and work during evening hours.

            A Resource Conservation District Supervisor is differentiated from a Resource Conservation Regional Coordinator in that the Resource Conservation District Supervisor is responsible for the day-to-day supervision of the local district office and for carrying out the policy guidelines of the local District Board of Supervisors, whereas the Resource Conservation Regional Coordinator is responsible for a designated geographic region which consists of several resource conservation district offices.

II.         Example of Work:     (Examples are illustrative only)

Guides and assists the local Board of Supervisors in the implementation of federal, state and local programs administered by the local district;

Under the direction of the Board of Supervisors, evaluates the needs of the district in preparation of the budget and funding requests in order to receive conservation funds from the Maryland State Department of Agriculture, United States Department of Agriculture and local government;

Plans the agenda and coordinates the meetings of the local Board of Supervisors of the resource conservation district;

Develops and implements the annual plan of work and goals for the district to implement programs of conservation;

Supervises the work of state employees who staff a local resource conservation district office by assigning and reviewing work, approving leave, preparing performance evaluations and signing time cards;

Represents the local district at meetings, hearings and conferences with officials and representatives of local conservation groups; other resource conservation districts; U.S. Department of Agriculture; federal, state, county and municipal agencies; the

agriculture community and the general public in order to promote and coordinate efforts in resource conservation water quality protection and related resource enhancement programs;

Promotes the use of the non-structural shorelines erosion control program and compiles the administrative detail required for project implementation;

Provides technical expertise to lower level staff in the preparation of various soil conservation projects in order to comply with local, state or federal regulations;

Coordinates program implementation with the District Conservationists of the U.S.D.A Soil Conservation Service by assigning work tasks to staff members after consultation with District Conservationists regarding priority workload demands;

Determines water quality violations which create environmental pollution problems, in cooperation with inspectors from the Maryland Department of the Environment, in order to advise property owners in correcting the cited violation;

Performs other related duties.

III.       Required Knowledges, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of soil and water conservative programs;

Knowledge of the organization and function of local conservation districts;    

Knowledge of Department of Agriculture resource conservation programs, procedures and practices;

Knowledge of federal, state and local programs related to soil and water conservation;

Knowledge of federal, state and local laws and ordinances concerning sediment and erosion control;

Skill in communications;

Ability to supervise and evaluate the performance of subordinate personnel;

Ability to interpret laws, rules and regulations concerning resource conservation;

Ability to assess personnel and budgetary needs;

Ability to assess programs of local resource conservation districts.

IV.       Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:

Education:

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

Experience:

Four years of experience in soil conservation, water quality

protection or related agriculture or natural resource programs.

Note:

Additional administrative or supervisory experience in a soil

conservation, water quality protection or related agriculture or

natural resource program may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the required education.

V.        Licenses, Registrations and Certificates:

Candidates appointed to positions in this classification may be assigned duties and responsibilities which require the operation of a motor vehicle.  Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operators license valid in the State of Maryland.

Date Adopted:            September 1, 1991

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.  Specifications reviewed and amended for ADA compliance______________.

                                                            _________________________

                                                            Sara Miller, Assistant Secretary

                                                            Human Resource Management

                                                               and Development

Retyped Replica 4/14/2003