FNW PROGRAM SPECIALIST III-DACS - 42003941 1

Requisition No: 876107 

Agency: Agriculture and Consumer Services

Working Title: FNW PROGRAM SPECIALIST III-DACS - 42003941 1

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 42003941 

Salary:  $47,830.64 - $50,222.17 

Posting Closing Date: 05/20/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

FNW PROGRAM SPECIALIST III - DACS

 

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

 

FOOD, NUTRITION AND WELLNESS

 

***OPEN COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY*** 

 

CONTACT:

 

Jaren Vass (850) 617-7428

 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

 

A high school diploma or its equivalent and seven (7) years of professional or technical experience in consumer complaint program work, business administration, customer or public relations, investigations; or administrative work and/or professional regulation, or a field related to the area of responsibility; or

 

A bachelor's degree (4 years) from an accredited college or university and three (3) years professional experience in consumer complaint program work, business administration, customer or public relations, investigations; or administrative work and/or professional regulation, or a field related to the area of responsibility; or 

 

A master's degree (6 years) from an accredited college or university can substitute for one (1) year of the required experience. 

 

Requires possession of a valid Driver’s License.

 

EDUCATIONAL NOTE: Graduates utilizing education attained in the United States to meet the minimum requirements of a position will not be appointed until verification of the applicable degree has been obtained. Foreign trained graduates utilizing a degree attained outside of the United States to meet the minimum requirements of a position must be prepared to provide a copy of a credential evaluation conducted by an Approved Credential Evaluation Agency.  A list of approved agencies can be viewed at “Approved Credential Evaluation Agencies, Florida Department of Education.” Approved Credential Evaluation Agencies (fldoe.org)

 

***ATTENTION CANDIDATES***

 

To be considered for a position with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services:

 

• All fields in the Candidate Profile must be completed (an attached resume is not a substitution for the information required on the candidate profile).
• Work history, duties and responsibilities, hours worked, supervisor, and formal education fields, etc. must be filled out to determine qualifications for this position.
• Responses to Qualifying Questions must be verifiable in the Candidate Profile.

 

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services values
and supports employment of individuals with disabilities. Qualified
individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

 

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

 

Required to travel up to 10% of the work period.

 

Must be willing to obtain additional training appropriate to job functions.

 

Occasional travel required.

 

NOTES:

 

To maintain fairness and integrity, applicants are required to provide honest and authentic responses during all stages of the evaluation and selection process. Applicants must rely on their own personal knowledge, thoughts, and impressions. A candidate’s use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to answer qualifying questions or participate in interviews will be taken into consideration when determining qualification for the position.

Actual hours of work shift will be established by supervisor and based on providing departmental coverage for established business hours.

 

Successful applicant must pass a background screening, including fingerprinting, as a condition of employment.

 

JOB DUTIES:

 

General: Determines the eligibility of entities to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) administered by the division.  Helps increase access and assure that CNPs operate with integrity while providing high quality nutrition and wellness programs for Florida’s children.   

 

Serves as the primary application point of contact for potential and/or current program sponsors to provide assistance in completing the application for participation.  Analyzes and processes a high volume of program applications.  Tracks the potential program sponsors’ application status and correspondence using the Florida Automated Nutrition System (FANS).  Prepares and provides timely application status updates to division staff and program supervisors.  Routes as appropriate permanent agreements of program sponsors for approval.  Tracks permanent agreements through execution to initiate sponsor’s program operations.

 

Determines the eligibility of potential program sponsors to participate in CNPs by ensuring compliance with state and federal program policies, procedures, and regulations.  Ensures sponsors have completed a timely initial or renewal application as required.  Reviews and approves all received documentation.  Assesses administrative capability of potential program sponsors through analysis of the application for participation and supporting documentation.  Provides assistance to sponsors in maintaining an accurate online sponsor database. Assists sponsors in completing, changing, and updating information contained within the division’s administrative files.  Ensures all administrative files are certified, complete, up to date, and accurate for all assigned sponsors.  Documents timely follow-up regarding deficient or noncompliant application packets or files.  Recommends the denial of applications, in coordination with the Program Integrity Section, based on capability assessments. 

 

Prepares, edits, proofs, and distributes official correspondence, forms, and other documents as necessary.  Maintains a record keeping and filing system for application materials, including correspondence, forms, and documents in accordance with the department’s records management policies. Prepares appeal documents and testifies at appeal hearings regarding application denials. 

 

Provides technical support to potential and/or current program sponsors on the use of the FANS system.   Provides input in the development and implementation of division policies and procedures related to program eligibility and application materials.

 

Assists with the emergency management functions of the division during periods of disaster.  Performs other related duties as assigned.

 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

 

• Knowledge of federal child nutrition programs
• Effective verbal and written communication, human relations and organizational skills
• Skill in providing excellent customer service to both internal and external customers
• Skill in operating a personal computer with word processing and spreadsheets software
• Skill in understanding and evaluating fiscal data and documentation
• Ability to analyze problems, evaluate alternatives, and recommend effective solutions
• Ability to interpret policies, procedures, and regulations and evaluate data for conformity with those requirements
• Ability to work in a setting requiring self-motivation/cooperative decision-making and to work effectively with diverse groups of people
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and meet strict deadlines while maintaining extreme attention to detail
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to plan, organize and work independently, as well as within a team environment
• Ability to adapt successfully and quickly to change and deliver quality results in a timely manner
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion
• Ability to maintain highest level of confidentiality

 

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida

 

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck.  The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

 

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal holiday each year;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision and other supplemental insurance options;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions (For more information, please visit www.myfrs.com;)
• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

 

For a complete list of benefits, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

 

For an estimate of the total compensation package for this position, please visit the “Total Compensation Estimator Tool” located above under the “Posting Closing Date.”

 

SPECIAL NOTES:

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.