Agriculture Consulting Specialist / Project Manager

Job Description

ProSidian Seeks a Agriculture Consulting Specialist / Project Manager (Contract Contingent) in CONUS - Varies to support an engagement for A Department of the United States Federal Govt. that is primarily responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, and food. It aims to meet the needs of farmers and ranchers, promote agricultural trade and production, work to assure food safety, protect natural resources, foster rural communities and end hunger in the United States and internationally. 

The ProSidian Engagement Team Members work to Manage Research Analysts and Underwriters to conduct a full evaluation of the Onion Crop Insurance Program provided by the United States Department of Agriculture. It will require experience in agricultural insurance and project managment techniques to develop and execute task orders to meet project deliverables. Will lead team of underwriters and research analysts to conduct statistical analyses, evaluate current policies and procedures, and write up the Final Issues Evaluation Report regarding the Onion Crop Insurance Program and Pilot Onion Stage Removal Option.

Project Manager Candidates shall work to support requirements for PR0001 Communications And Knowledge Management Support and support Client Engagements focussed on Successful agricultural transformations from Farm Operations to Prioritized/Differentiated Strategies and Agricultural Analytics.  This position helps Govt and private sector clients with core elements of planning and delivery to develop market-driven opportunities and food security requirements. 

Driving growth and transformation across the food value chain:  Agriculture Performance | Agricultural Transformation | Raw-materials management | Rural development | Food supply chains to develop approaches that help farm operators and land-holding management companies drive operational improvements.  Incorporate and implement end-to-end perspectives on supply-chain management to help reduce shrinkage and optimize the quality and cost of their fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats.  Help national governments and development partners in emerging economies develop agriculture sectors, and work with donor agencies and foundations that support rural agriculture. 

Utilize knowledge of crop insurance industry to evaluate USDA onion crop insurance program. Manage team to meet program deliverables which will require but is not limited to: risk modeling. insurance product design, costs associated with production and marketing of the crop, patterns of loss and regional differences, and adequacy of the premium rates relative to insurance experience to create an evaluation and recommendation for the Onion Crop Insurance Program and Pilot Removal Option. . Communicate progress updates monthly to USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) and allocate project resources according to program deliverables. Be able to support as a research analyst or insurance specialist in addition to project management responsibilities.

The project manager is responsible for overall delivery of the Onion Crop Insurance Program and Onion Removal Pilot Issues Evaluation Report. Major job responsibilities will be to coordinate team to address six areas: 1) Industry Research, 2) Insurance Experience, 3) Policy Content and Structure, 4) Rating Sufficiency and Analysis, 5) Pricing Analysis, and 6) Plan of Insurance. Specific job tasks include but are not limited to working with Analysts to create statistical summaries to provide a scope of the crop program and each region (insured liability to total crop value, total liability, loss ratios, among others); determine if there are any discrepancies between the policy provisions, procedures, current practices, and technology in the industry, and identify any policy vulnerabilities and weaknesses; perform an independent evaluation of the prices established for the insured commodity; and prepare statistical summaries of county average yields.

Qualifications

The Project Manager shall have consecutive employment in a position with comparable responsibilities within the past five (5) years, Must be able to use a computer to communicate via email; and proficient in Microsoft Office Products (Word/Excel/Power point) and related tools and technology required for the position.  Ability to follow project management plan and deliver task orders in a timely manner. Ability to assess and navigate risk; Analyze trends and scenario plans from which portfolio strategies can be developed and implemented; Analyze current performance against various benchmarks with a view to ensure adequate progress and satisfactory performance;

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty and responsibility satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required:

• GS-13 Equivalent (e.g., STTA subject matter expert, program manager, senior program analyst, etc.); Bachelor Degree, preferably degree in Business, Agribusiness, Economics, Insurance or Risk Management;
• Proven track record leading projects in Agribusiness business with 5+ years of experience;
• Crop Insurance experience preferred.
• Good understanding of Agribusiness products and portfolio;Good understanding of regional/local Agribusiness insurance markets and competitor landscape.
• Ability to follow project management plan and deliver task orders in a timely manner.
• Ability to assess and navigate risk; Analyze trends and scenario plans from which portfolio strategies can be developed and implemented; Analyze current performance against various benchmarks with a view to ensure adequate progress and satisfactory performance;
• Experience in Crop insurance for private companies and/or government.

TRAVEL:  Travel as coordinated with the technical point of contact and approved in writing by the Contracting Officer in advance, is allowed, in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations. 

LOCATION:  Work shall be conducted at the CONUS - Varies

• U.S.  Citizenship Required
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Products (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, & Adobe)
• Advanced Data Analytics (Time series regressions, knowledge of how to apply appropriate statistical models to each job task)

Additional Information

As a condition of employment, all employees are required to fulfill all requirements of the roles for which they are employed; establish, manage, pursue, and fulfill annual goals and objectives with at least three (3) Goals for each of the firms Eight Prosidian Global Competencies [1 - Personal Effectiveness | 2 - Continuous Learning | 3 - Leadership | 4 - Client Service | 5 - Business Management | 6 - Business Development | 7 - Technical Expertise | 8 - Innovation & Knowledge Sharing (Thought Leadership)]; and to support all business development and other efforts on behalf of ProSidian Consulting.  

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Teamwork – ability to foster teamwork collaboratively as a participant, and effectively as a team leader
• Leadership – ability to guide and lead colleagues on projects and initiatives
• Business Acumen – understanding and insight into how organizations perform, including business processes, data, systems, and people
• Communication – ability to effectively communicate to stakeholders of all levels orally and in writing
• Motivation – persistent in pursuit of quality and optimal client and company solutions
• Agility – ability to quickly understand and transition between different projects, concepts, initiatives, or work streams
• Judgment – exercises prudence and insight in decision-making process while mindful of other stakeholders and long-term ramifications
• Organization – ability to manage projects and activity, and prioritize tasks

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OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Business Tools –  understanding and proficiency with business tools and technology, including Microsoft Office. The ideal candidate is advanced with Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word, and proficient with Adobe Acrobat, data analytic tools, and Visio with the ability to quickly learn other tools as necessary.
• Business Tools – understanding and proficiency with business tools and technology, including Microsoft Office. The ideal candidate is advanced with Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word, and proficient with Adobe Acrobat, data analytic tools, and Visio with the ability to quickly learn other tools as necessary.
• Commitment - to work with smart, interesting people with diverse backgrounds to solve the biggest challenges across private, public and social sectors
• Curiosity – the ideal candidate exhibits an inquisitive nature and the ability to question the status quo among a community of people they enjoy and teams that work well together
• Humility – exhibits grace in success and failure while doing meaningful work where skills have impact and make a difference
• Willingness - to constantly learn, share, and grow and to view the world as their classroom

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BENEFITS AND HIGHLIGHTS

ProSidian Employee Benefits and Highlights: Your good health and well-being are important to ProSidian Consulting. At ProSidian, we invest in our employees to help them stay healthy and achieve work-life balance. That’s why we are also pleased to offer the Employee Benefits Program, designed to promote your health and personal welfare. Our growing list of benefits currently include the following for Full Time Employees:

• Competitive Compensation: Pay range begins in the competitive ranges with Group Health Benefits, Pre-tax Employee Benefits, and Performance Incentives. For medical and dental benefits, the Company contributes a fixed dollar amount each month towards the plan you elect. Contributions are deducted on a Pre-tax basis.
• Group Medical Health Insurance Benefits: ProSidian partners with BC/BS, to offer a range of medical plans, including high-deductible health plans or PPOs. ||| Group Dental Health Insurance Benefits: ProSidian dental carriers - Delta, Aetna, Guardian, and MetLife.
• Group Vision Health Insurance Benefits:ProSidian offers high/low vision plans through 2 carriers: Aetna and VSP.
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan: 401(k) Retirement Savings Plans help you save for your retirement for eligible employees. A range of investment options are available with a personal financial planner to assist you. The Plan is a pre-tax Safe Harbor 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with a company match.
• Vacation and Paid Time-Off (PTO) Benefits: Eligible employees use PTO for vacation, a doctor’s appointment, or any number of events in your life. Currently these benefits include Vacation/Sick days – 2 weeks/3 days | Holidays - 10 ProSidian and Government Days are given.
• Pre-Tax Payment Programs: Pre-Tax Payment Programs currently exist in the form of a Premium Only Plan (POP). These Plans offer a full Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Plan and a tax benefit for eligible employees.
• Purchasing Discounts & Savings Plans: We want you to achieve financial success. We offer a Purchasing Discounts & Savings Plan through The Corporate Perks Benefit Program. This provides special discounts for eligible employees on products and services you buy on a daily basis.
• Security Clearance: Due to the nature of our consulting engagements there are Security Clearance requirements for Engagement Teams handling sensitive Engagements in the Federal Marketplace. A Security Clearance is a valued asset in your professional portfolio and adds to your credentials.
• ProSidian Employee & Contractor Referral Bonus Program: ProSidian Consulting will pay up to 5k for all referrals employed for 90 days for candidates submitted through our Referral Program.
• Performance Incentives: Due to the nature of our consulting engagements there are performance incentives associated with each new client that each employee works to pursue and support.
• Flexible Spending Account: FSAs  help you pay for eligible out-of-pocket health care and dependent day care expenses on a pre-tax basis. You determine your projected expenses for the Plan Year and then elect to set aside a portion of each paycheck into your FSA.
• Supplemental Life/Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance: If you want extra protection for yourself and your eligible dependents, you have the option to elect supplemental life insurance. D&D covers death or dismemberment from an accident only.
• Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance: Disability insurance plans are designed to provide income protection while you recover from a disability.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - See Below Instructions On The Best Way To Apply

ProSidian Consulting is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants foremployment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, or Vietnam era, or other eligible veteran status, or any other protected factor. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

ProSidian Consulting has made a pledge to the Hiring Our Heroes Program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the “I Hire Military” Initiative of The North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) for the State of North Carolina. All applicants are encouraged to apply regardless of Veteran Status.

Furthermore, we believe in "HONOR ABOVE ALL"  - be successful while doing things the right way. The pride comes out of the challenge; the reward is excellence in the work.

FOR EASY APPLICATION USE OUR CAREER SITE LOCATED ON http://www.ProSidian.com/ OR SEND YOUR RESUME’S, BIOS, AND SALARY EXPECTATION / RATES TO CAREERS @ PROSIDIAN.COM.

ONLY CANDIDATES WITH REQUIRED CRITERIA ARE CONSIDERED.

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