What are the responsibilities and job description for the Agriculture Program Manager position at Department of Agriculture?
The Montana Department of Agriculture and Montana Wheat & Barley Committee are accepting applications for our Agriculture Program Manager in Great Falls.
Posted until filled with first review of applications occurring on April 8, 2026.
Job Overview:
Join the Montana Wheat & Barley Committee and take part in a global industry where your work makes a difference for every farmer in Montana. We are looking for an agriculture program manager that is an enthusiastic critical thinker who can assist our managers by aptly moving projects from beginning to successful end. This person will be capable of goal-setting while being adaptable if a project changes midstream. It is a role where the work changes daily and is invigorating: one day you may be out in the field shooting video for social media and the next day you might collaborate with southern states on a national initiative. This person will have the advantage of meeting and entertaining industry members from Pacific Rim, Mexican, Central and South American markets. The ideal candidate needs to enjoy working with people and will have a passion for bettering Montana’s agriculture industry. Montana’s wheat and barley sales bring $1.7 billion in sales to Montana each year, an incredibly important economic impact to our state. The position has evolving job duties and has room for substantial professional growth. Apply today and help us make a difference!
Tactical Highlights of the Role: The Agriculture Program Manager will either assist managers with the following or take the lead, depending on each project’s needs and capacities:
- Digital Space: Basic shooting and video editing; website content management; strategic planning of social media content including working with our professional social media and video teams
- Communications: Research latest grain reports and transform into attractive charts or graphs; validate image and content credibility; assist managers in presentation prep for regional and national events; serve team as a “second set of eyes” for proofreading brochures, newsletter, news releases, content, signage and more
- Trade Teams: Organizing trade missions to Montana including building relationships with industry partners, securing locations, assisting with welcome kits and presentations, and selecting gifts; assisting with offsite meeting preparations including venue management, reservations and securing technology
- Education: Assessing event and planning for exhibition including booth setup, promotional items, communication and engagement tools; provide ideas for communicating the value of wheat- and barley-based products to consumers; suggest opportunities for MWBC to communicate to growers about research and market development efforts
- Specialty Projects: Assist with projects such as annual grain sample collection, organizing harvest reports, or leading a Montana team during farmer education tours; projects on an as-needed basis
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Knowledge of agriculture, public presentation practices and methods for presenting marketing information.
- Excellent written and communication skills.
- Ability to analyze outreach effectiveness and translate findings into information for decision making.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with internal and external customers and colleagues.
- Teamwork and collaboration skills with teammates are critical attributes.
- Provide information to the public utilizing quick decision-making and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to manage constantly changing priorities and heavy workload; to work effectively under deadlines with limited supervision and cooperatively with a team.
- Coordinate several activities concurrently both while traveling and in the office.
- Strong expertise with Microsoft Office programs (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) and Adobe products.
- Proficiency with all social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc.)
- Knowledge of videography & editing, and basic graphic design.
Typical Qualifications on the First Day of Work
- Bachelor’s degree with a major in communications, marketing, agribusiness or related fields.
- Valid driver’s license.
- Ability to obtain passport.
- Experience in the agriculture industry is preferred.
- Other combinations of education or experience may be substituted.
Benefits:
Your paycheck is just part of your total compensation package! Benefits of working for the State of Montana include:
- Employees earn 15 working days of annual leave, 12 days of sick leave and 10-11 paid holidays each year.
- Culture of public service and a commitment to work/life balance.
- Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Benefits apply on the first day of employment.
- Access to Montana Health Centers, low-cost clinics for state employees and their families.
- State Retirement plan and additional savings opportunities (deferred compensation)
- Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
Salary : $52,000 - $56,160