State of Maryland

A Resource Conservation Regional Coordinator is the supervisory level of work assisting in the development and implementation of local and State resource conservation district programs.  Employees in this classification act as liaisons to four or more county soil conservation districts (SCD), working with federal, county, and district level staff to forward resource conservation efforts in the soil conservation districts.  Employees in this classification supervise Agricultural Resource Conservation Specialists, Soil Conservation Associates, and/or Soil Conservation Engineering Technicians.  They may also supervise Resource Conservation District Supervisors and other staff in the local resource conservation district offices.  Employees in this classification may provide guidance and direction to local district employees who are not State employees with respect to their roles in State programs or projects.

Employees in this classification receive managerial direction from the Resource Conservation Assistant Secretary or District Operations Program Manager. Employees interact frequently with the SCD 5-member Board of Supervisors, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and USDA Farm Service Agency for purposes of work assignments, problems resolution, policy issues, and program coordination.  Employees communicate frequently with the Program Manager, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for purposes of obtaining or planning support services, exchanging information, resolving problems, and developing cooperative efforts.  The work requires travel within the assigned area and work during evening hours.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Resource Conservation Regional Coordinator is differentiated from the Resource Conservation District Supervisor in that the Resource Conservation Regional Coordinator is responsible for planning and supervising activities of a designated geographic region which consists of several soil conservation district offices while the Resource Conservation District Supervisor is responsible for the day-to-day supervision of one local soil conservation district office and for carrying out the policy guidelines of the local District Board of Supervisors.

Supervises and coordinates the work of subordinate staff of soil conservation district offices by reviewing work, approving leave, preparing performance evaluations and signing time cards;

Meets with staff of each conservation district in order to obtain and communicate information relating to State or district programs, policies or priorities;

Serves as point of contact to the Boards and staff of the local conservation districts regarding finances, personnel matters and communication needs;

Provides guidance and assistance to the Boards of the local conservation districts with planning and implementing statewide programs at the local level, including public information, outreach, technical assistance and promotion of conservation programs;

Plans, develops and coordinates training programs for subordinate staff and staff employed by the Boards of the local conservation districts;

Provides oversight of the MDA/MDE Compliance and Enforcement program in the assigned region related to agricultural pollution and the prevention of soil or animal pollution from entering waters of the state;

Administers regulatory compliance with MDE’s Animal Feeding Operation program requirements;

Participates in the development of memoranda of understanding between the State Office of Resource Conservation, local conservation districts, federal agencies and local government jurisdictions;

Evaluates the priorities and needs of the district and the region for preparation of the budget and review funding requests;

Represents the Maryland Department of Agriculture at meetings, hearings and conferences with officials and representatives of local conservation districts, U.S. Department of Agriculture, federal, State, county and municipal agencies, the agricultural community, conservation interest groups, and, the general public in order to promote and coordinate efforts in resource conservation, water quality protection and related resource enhancement programs;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of soil and water conservation program;

Knowledge of the organization and function of local conservation districts;

Knowledge of management and supervisory principles and practices;

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

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

Skill in communication;

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

Ability to supervise and evaluate the performance of subordinate personnel;

Ability to provide guidance to staff of local conservation districts;

Ability to assess personnel and budgetary needs;

Ability to assess programs of local resource conservation districts.

Experience: Seven years of supervisory or administration experience in soil conservation, water quality protection or related agricultural or natural resource program.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and three years of supervisory or administration experience in soil conservation, water quality protection or related agricultural or natural resource program for the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience at a rank of Corporal/Petty Officer or higher as a commissioned officer in soil conservation classifications or soil conservation specialty codes in the soil conservation field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.  

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.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.