Agriculture Marketing Specialist | Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) | Des Moines, Iowa
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is seeking a creative, strategic, and results-driven professional to join the growing Choose Iowa team as a Choose Iowa Marketing Specialist.
This role is an exciting opportunity to help expand awareness of Iowa-grown, Iowa-raised, and Iowa-made food, beverage, and agricultural products while supporting local producers, rural communities, and Iowa’s agricultural economy.
As the state’s official brand for identifying and promoting Iowa ag products, Choose Iowa connects consumers with local farms and small businesses and helps strengthen food systems across the state. If you are passionate about marketing, storytelling, agriculture, and making a meaningful impact, this position offers the chance to build something that matters.
Why This Opportunity Stands Out
- Help grow a statewide brand that supports Iowa farmers, producers, and communities
- Lead creative campaigns that increase consumer awareness and engagement
- Combine strategy, storytelling, events, and digital marketing in one impactful role
- Collaborate with leaders, industry partners, and community organizations across Iowa
- Use your marketing skills to strengthen local food systems and rural economies
What You’ll Do
Lead Marketing & Brand Strategy
- Develop and execute marketing strategies that build Choose Iowa brand awareness
- Manage paid advertising campaigns, budgets, vendor coordination, and performance reporting
- Measure return on investment and recommend improvements based on results
- Ensure marketing efforts align with agency priorities and program goals
Drive Content & Storytelling
- Oversee content planning and creation across multiple channels and tactics including social media, website, email, print, and multimedia
- Write and edit marketing materials including website copy, press releases, fact sheets, presentations, and campaign messaging
- Create editorial calendars, conduct content audits, and optimize performance across platforms
- Showcase Iowa ag products and producers through compelling storytelling
Manage Digital Presence
- Lead website updates, landing pages, SEO efforts, and user engagement strategies
- Support e-commerce tools, email marketing, and CRM-related outreach efforts
- Analyze audience behavior and campaign performance to improve results
Coordinate Outreach & Events
- Plan and promote signature Choose Iowa events such as the Farm Store Crawl and Fall Crawl
- Coordinate Choose Iowa participation in trade shows, conferences, meetings, and public events
- Build awareness through strategic partnerships and community engagement
Support Program Growth
- Manage special projects that expand Choose Iowa visibility and impact
- Stay current on food, agriculture, tourism, and marketing trends
- Perform related duties as assigned
What We’re Looking For
- Experience developing and managing paid advertising or communications campaigns
- Brand management experience with a focus on growth and ROI
- Strong writing, editing, and communication skills
- Robust graphic design and digital media editing talents
- Excellent organization and project management abilities
- Experience using analytics to guide marketing decisions
- Creative problem-solving and strategic thinking skills
Technical Skills Helpful for Success:
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Canva
- Photography and videography
- Social media management platforms
- Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Drupal, HTML, or website management tools
- CRM or customer engagement systems (preferred)
Schedule & Work Environment
- Full-time position
- Monday through Friday schedule
- Occasional evening or weekend events
- Some travel required
- Based in Des Moines at the Hoover Building – not virtual
Why Join IDALS & the State of Iowa?
Working for the State of Iowa means contributing to work that strengthens communities, supports agriculture, and protects the wellbeing of Iowans and their animals.
As a State employee, you’ll enjoy:
- Work That Matters- Support Iowa’s agriculture and animal health systems
- Stability & Purpose- Meaningful public service career
- Professional Growth- Opportunities to learn, develop, and advance
Comprehensive Benefits Package
- Paid holidays, vacation, sick leave, military leave, and jury duty leave
- Low out-of-pocket, high-quality medical insurance options
- Dental insurance — single coverage at no cost
- IPERS Retirement plus state-matched deferred compensation program
- Basic life insurance and long-term disability coverage
- Optional supplemental insurance plans
Learn more about State of Iowa benefits on our careers website:State of Iowa Benefits
How to Apply
The State of Iowa uses NEOGOV to accept and process applications and is an E-Verify employer.
Visit theState of Iowa Careerspage and apply underJobs Open to All Applicants.
Applicants should upload and attach a resume and cover letter in theAttachmentssection of the application.
E-Verify and Right to Work: The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov.
Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:1) Six years of full-time work experience in farm management, livestock production and sales, livestock reporting, grain elevator sales, agricultural commodity brokerage, or in promotions or marketing work associated with agricultural commodities or products.
2) All of the following (a and b):a. A total of four years of education and full-time experience (as described in number one), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in marketing, economics, business administration, statistics, agronomy, horticulture, or animal science equals one year of full-time experience; andb. A total of two years of graduate-level education and full-time experience (as described in number one), where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university course work in marketing, economics, business administration, statistics, agronomy, horticulture, or animal science equals one year of full-time experience.3) Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes eighteen months of full-time work as a Livestock Marketing Specialist or other position involving collecting, compiling, and disseminating agricultural market data.
For additional information, please click on this
link to view the job description.Travel may be required for positions in this class. Employees must arrange transportation to and from assigned work areas.
Within a period of time after hire, as determined by the appointing authority, employees in this class may be required to complete the Market News Reporter Training sponsored by the USDA Market News Service.
