STAFF ASSISTANT - 42001281

Requisition No: 855946 

Agency: Agriculture and Consumer Services

Working Title: STAFF ASSISTANT - 42001281

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 42001281 

Salary:  $39,000.00 - $42,900.00 

Posting Closing Date: 07/14/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

STAFF ASSISTANT

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

DIVISION OF PLANT INDUSTRY

***OPEN COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITY***

CONTACT:     
         

Kelly Douglas; (352) 395-4715 or email Kelly.Douglas@FDACS.gov.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

A high school diploma or its equivalent and three (3) years of secretarial or clerical work experience.

College education from an accredited institution can substitute at the rate of 30 semester or 45 quarter hours for each year of the required work experience.

Vocational/technical training in the area of secretarial science or office/business studies can substitute at the rate of 720 classroom hours for each year of the required work experience.

Requires possession of a valid Class E driver 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:

This position has vendor invoice/warrant processing responsibilities in accordance with 215.422,F.S. 

Occasional travel, including overnight and sometimes up to two weeks at a time on an emergency program, is required.

NOTES:

To maintain fairness and integrity in our hiring process, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to answer qualifying questions or participate in interviews is strictly prohibited. Applicants must provide their own, authentic responses during all stages of the evaluation and recruitment process. Any candidate found using AI to assist in their answers will be disqualified from consideration.

JOB DUTIES:

GENERAL STATEMENT:  This position serves as the assistant to the Plant Inspection Regional Administrator for Region 1 and staff assistant for all staff within Region 1. The incumbent provides administrative support to the Regional Administrator in all facets of coordinating and reporting activities for the region.

Responsible for preparing and submitting the Regional Quarterly Report, inputting data into the Quarterly Performance Measures (QPM) database, reviewing all regional vehicle reports and inputting necessary data into the Florida FleetWave system, preparing and maintaining a summary of all vehicles assigned to the region, and organizing and maintaining a spreadsheet of all vehicle services. All reports involve compiling information from other submitted reports, checking the accuracy of submitted information, and maintaining files as necessary. Prepares and distributes the regional itinerary.

Conducts fiscal activities for the Regional Administrator. Activities include preparing requisitions and purchase orders, assembling and gathering signatures for recurring bill forms, processing and submitting invoices and contract summaries, maintaining vendor contact information, and accessing and inputting information into the Administrative Image Management System (AIMS).

Develops and maintains a digital filing system for all regional correspondence and reports; processes field reports for the region and enters data into the appropriate database; tracks accountable (prenumbered) forms for the region; issues receipt books; makes travel arrangements for regional conferences and workshops, including assistance with hotel reservations for staff as needed, and prepares State Travel Management System (STMS) trip forms for all staff in the region.

Serves as an office receptionist with duties that include receiving and routing telephone calls and emails and facilitating responses to requests for information. Stays informed of cooperating federal and state agencies’ contact information, duties and services each provides. Transcribes industry requests for special inspections and forwards the requests to the appropriate personnel for handling. Assists with setting up meeting space for regional meetings and new inspector training sessions.

Responsible for maintaining and ordering office supplies, uniforms, technical supplies, sampling supplies, postage supplies, and any other supplies as requested.

Compiles mail outs (electronic and paper type) to all other regional offices including any timely correspondence/communications, as well as processing/preparing all outbound mail, UPS and FedEx shipments as needed. Assists the administrative staff with mass mailouts as needed.

Assists with emergency program functions as needed, including performing data entry, designing forms, spreadsheets, and charts for documenting program information.

Serves as liaison with other departments, agencies, and divisions as needed by the Regional Administrator.

Performs related work as directed by the Regional Administrator.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of Department and Division policies and office procedures.
• Knowledge of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and arithmetic.
• Knowledge of formats for business letters and forms.
• Skill in handling public inquiries and requests effectively and courteously.
• Skill in operating a multiline telephone system.
• Ability to type at least 35 correct words per minute.
• Ability to interpret, summarize, and compile information to develop reports.
• Ability to operate general office equipment.
• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to organize files/records and maintain records management systems.
• Ability to compile and analyze data for administrative reports.
  
  

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:

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

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.