Salary: $85,000.00 - $105,000.00 Annually
Location : Richland County, SC
Job Type: FTE - Full-Time
Job Number: 191727
Agency: Department of Agriculture
Division: External Affairs and Economic Development
Opening Date: 09/10/2026
Closing Date: 9/20/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Residency Requirement: No
Class Code:: AL11
Position Number::
Normal Work Schedule:: Other
Pay Grade: GEN12
Hiring Range - Min.: $85,000.00
Hiring Range - Max.: $105,000.00
Normal Work Schedule (Other):: Generally Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Will require a flexible schedule to attend meetings/events during evenings and weekends.

Job Responsibilities
Do you have a passion for agriculture? Do you want to be part of creating business opportunities in SC for agriculture and agricultural products? Are you a "people person" who never meets a stranger? If you said "YES!" to these questions, then this is the perfect position for you! The SC Department of Agriculture (SCDA) is seeking a Director of Agribusiness Development. In this role you will:

• Oversee the research conducted on various agribusiness economic development projects and utilize the data to highlight South Carolina agriculture in various projects and to various companies.
• Work to implement SCDA's Agribusiness Development strategic plan.
• Develop a proficiency of SCDA's economic development incentives, as well as all incentives offered by the State of South Carolina.
• Participate and assist in the development of SCDA's long-term planning document (10-15 year strategic plan).
• Serve as key agribusiness economic development contact for the department.
• Develop and leverage relationships with industry partners.
• Recruit target industry sectors and work to expand existing agribusiness operations.
• Develop a plan for industry recruitment and expansion.
• Create and maintain all marketing materials for SCDA agribusiness development programs and incentives.
• Attend and present at various annual economic development conferences, including but not limited to SC Power Team, SC Economic Developers Association, National Protein & Food Distributors Association, regional and national trade shows.
• Lead team focused on industry development, research, and entrepreneurship.

BENEFITS

• Generous State benefits to include retirement, health, vision, dental and life insurance.
  • Premium for BCBS State Standard Plan for employee only coverage is less than $100/month!
  • Premium for BCBS State Standard Plan for full family coverage is only $307/month!
• 13 paid holidays, generous annual and sick leave accruals.
• Up to six weeks paid parental leave
• Deferred Compensation Program.
• Access to fleet vehicle for required travel.
• Employee Assistance Program
  • Free counseling sessions for employees and household members.
  • Free Life Management Services. (legal, financial, and more)

Minimum and Additional Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a related field and at least three years' experience in marketing, economic development, sales, or customer service.
• Valid Driver's License and ability to operate a vehicle.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, or Agricultural Science/Economics or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• A strong understanding of South Carolina's agribusiness industry, as well as South Carolina's economic development industry and associated players.
• Experience managing employees.

Additional Comments

• Must be able to communicate both verbally and written at every level.
• Ability to deal with all aspects of general public, producers, and economic development leaders.
• Detail oriented and be able to multi-task with a wide variety of on-going projects.
• Must be able to walk and stand for periods of time. Lift 50 lbs. and assemble and dismantle exhibits.
• Will require frequent day travel along with periodic overnight travel and weekend work.
• Schedule may vary with attendance required at meetings held after regular business hours.
• Manage Agribusiness Development team who specialist in agricultural research, entrepreneurship and data collection.
• Work closely with legal on performance agreements and incentive negotiations.
• This position is located in the Wade Hampton building on the Statehouse grounds and the selected candidate would be expected to report to the office daily when not traveling. The right candidate may be eligible to work remotely one day per week after a probationary period.

Benefits for State Employees
The state of South Carolina offers eligible employees generous benefits, including health and dental insurance; retirement and savings plan options; and paid vacation and sick leave. Plus, work-life balance programs such as telecommuting and flexible work schedules are available to employees of some state agencies.

Insurance Benefits
Eligible employees may enroll in health insurance, which includes prescription coverage and wellness benefits. Other available insurance benefits include dental, vision, term life insurance, long term disability and flexible spending accounts for health and child care expenses.

Retirement Benefits
State employees are also offered retirement plan options, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans. Additionally, eligible employees may elect to participate in the South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program, which is a voluntary, supplemental retirement savings plan offering 401(k) and 457 plan options.

Workplace Benefits
State employees may also be eligible for other benefits, including tuition assistance; holiday, annual and sick leave; and discounts on purchases, travel and more.

Note: The benefits above are available to most state employees, with the exception of those in temporary positions. Employees in temporary grant and time-limited positions may be eligible for all, some or none of these benefits as benefits are associated with each position type. For these positions, contact the hiring agency to determine what benefits may be available.
01

Please provide the field of study of the highest level degree attained.
02

Describe any experience you may have with SC agriculture and/or business development opportunities, If none, enter N/A. ** Do not cut and paste from other areas of your application or resume. **
03

Please detail your supervisory or management experience, if any, and the maximum number employees directly managed at any given time.
04

Can you meet the physical requirements of this position, which include: lifting up to 50 lbs., assembling / dismantling exhibits, enduring long periods of walking/standing and frequent driving, short and long trips?

• Yes
• No

05

Please acknowledge that you understand this position is not a remote position and the selected candidate will report to the office on the campus of the Statehouse grounds in downtown Columbia roughly 80% of the time. Must be flexible to attend meetings throughout the state to include some evenings and weekends.
06

Do you possess a valid driver's license and are you able to operate motor vehicles?

• Yes
• No

07

Are you willing to accept a salary between $85,000 and $105,000? NOTE: The selected candidate must have one or more of the preferred qualifications and extensive relevant experience to be eligible for the higher end of this range.

• Yes
• No

08

Are you a state of South Carolina retiree?

• Yes
• No

09

How did you hear about this position?

• SC State Jobs Website - careers.sc.gov
• College Website
• Dice.com
• Indeed.com
• Ladders.com
• A current employee
• A former employee
• LinkedIn
• SC Works
• Facebook
• Radio Ad
• Other

Required Question