About Us
Location: Augusta,Maine,United States
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
Public Service Manager II
Opening Date: September 27, 2024
Closing Date: October 10, 2024
Job Class Code: MA30
Grade: 30
Salary: $71,843.20 - $101,587.20 per year
Position Number: 02000-3307
Location: Augusta
Agency information:
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is dedicated to promoting health, safety, resilience, and opportunity for Maine people. The Department provides health and social services to approximately a third of the State's population, including children, families, older Mainers, and individuals with disabilities, mental illness, and substance use disorders. The Department also promotes public health, operates two state psychiatric hospitals, and provides oversight to health care providers.
The Office of MaineCare Services (OMS) within DHHS administers the State’s Medicaid program, which provides free or low-cost health insurance coverage for low-income Mainers so they can access the health care services they need to work, care for family, go to school, and participate in the community. OMS works collaboratively with other State agencies, the Legislature, the Office of the Governor, MaineCare members, health care providers, and other health care purchasers on statewide healthcare improvement initiatives. OMS is committed to advancing health equity efforts to improve access to care and positive health outcomes for all low-income Mainers. OMS provides benefit coverage and support services in alignment with Department goals, federal requirements, and State statutes. OMS also provides oversight necessary to ensure accountability and efficient and effective administration of the state’s Medicaid program.
The OMS Contracts Management team plays a critical role in the success of the MaineCare program by overseeing and supporting the management of over $300 million worth of MaineCare-related services contracts. These contracts include fiscal agent claims processing services, statewide transportation programs, behavioral health administrative services, pharmacy benefits administration, actuarial services, staff augmentation, policy and analytics support, program evaluation services, member outreach support, and much more. The team collaborates across OMS and DHHS to ensure that procurement, contract negotiation, contract execution, and contract performance monitoring run smoothly and in accordance with State and federal requirements.
Core Responsibilities:
The Senior Contracts Manager will promote the effective and efficient administration of contracted services in support of OMS’s strategic priorities while ensuring the program adheres to State and Federal contracting regulations. Supporting activities include overseeing the following:
• Procurement,
• Contract development,
• Contract management, and
• Vendor management.
The position will advise and support OMS contract managers and senior leadership on contract and procurement best practices and processes, development and interpretation of contractual requirements, and monitoring and enforcement of those requirements.
The Senior Contracts Manager acts as OMS’s primary liaison to the DHHS Division of Contract Management (DCM) for execution of and support for procurement and contracting activities. The person in this position must cultivate and maintain effective working relationships for day-to-day oversight and coordination of contract and financial operations. Crucial partners include colleagues across OMS, DHHS, and other State of Maine agencies, and external vendor partners. The person in this position must have strong organizational skills, an attention to detail, and a strong focus on customer service.
Work is performed under minimal supervision. This position reports to the OMS Chief Operating Officer.
Representative duties include:
• Supervising three staff (one direct report) on the Contract Management team to ensure that work is appropriately assigned, prioritized, scheduled, and executed according to established workplans and deadlines.
• Acting as OMS subject matter expert on allowable Federal Medicaid administrative match opportunities, and reviewing requests from other offices to use State and Federal Medicaid administrative funding.
• Supporting OMS contract managers to review and process contract and procurement related deliverables, including contracted-related invoices, as well as monitoring upcoming procurement timelines and overseeing procurement planning support for contract managers.
• Working closely with DHHS budget and financial teams to monitor and manage contract expenditures within the OMS administrative budget and to develop the annual contract spending plan.
• Reviewing contract documents for completeness, coherence, adherence to best practices, and compliance with State and Federal contracting regulations.
• Working closely with DCM to stay informed about and provide input into Department- and Statewide changes to and options for contracting and procurement processes; identifying and implementing relevant changes to OMS-specific business processes as needed; and advising others in OMS as appropriate.
• Leading or overseeing process improvement and knowledge management activities related to OMS contract management; and
• Understanding and developing processes for how the contract management team can best support OMS grant management activities.
The position is located in Augusta, Maine and is eligible to have a hybrid work schedule.
Minimum Qualifications:
A ten (10) year combination of education, training, and/or professional experience in business administration, accounting, finance, fiscal management, and/or contract administration, including at least two (2) years of management experience.
Preferred experience includes:
• Experience with and knowledge of the Medicaid program and/or other health and human services programs serving low-income populations.
• Lived experience with Medicaid and/or other health-related social needs common to individuals and families receiving Medicaid coverage.
The background of well-qualified candidates will demonstrate the following competencies:
1. Proven experience successfully writing, developing, negotiating, and managing service contracts.
2. The ability to organize and maintain complex information and to communicate such information to a non-technical audience.
3. Experience providing high quality customer service and a proven ability to successfully partner with team members with various financial, programmatic, and technical knowledge to achieve a common goal.
4. Knowledge of or the ability to develop knowledge of the State of Maine’s contracting and procurement policies and processes.
5. Effective leadership skills: ability to communicate well verbally and in writing, motivate team members, manage and delegate responsibilities, listen to feedback, manage multiple and unexpected priorities, and solve problems.
Thinking about applying?
Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting. If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your lived experience and passion set you apart.
Application Information:
Please submit all documents or files in PDF format.
For questions, please contact Molly Slotznick at To request a paper application, please contact Mandy.L.Harman@Maine.gov .
Benefits of working for the State of Maine:
No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:
- Work-Life Fit – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
- Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-95% of employee-only premiums ($11,196.96 - $12,514.32 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.
- Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($387.92 annual value).
- Retirement Plan – The State contributes the equivalent of 18.09% of the employee's pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS).
Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including fathers and adoptive parents—receive six weeks of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package, covering many aspects of wellness. Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.
Note: Benefits may vary somewhat according to specific collective bargaining agreements and are prorated for anything less than full-time.
There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role.
As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics.
If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you. Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.