If you are a current State of Maine employee, please submit your application through the internal application process using the Find Jobs report in PRISM. Seasonal employees who do not have PRISM access should apply through the State’s career page and indicate on the application that they have previously worked for the State.
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Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
Social Services Program Specialist II
Date: May 21, 2026
Closing Date: June 4, 2026
Job Class Code: 5093
Grade: 25 (Supervisory Services)
Salary: $58,552.00 - $82,700.80*
*This is inclusive of a 2% recruitment and retention stipend.
Position Number: 02000-4062
Location: Augusta, Bangor or Portland
This position allows for partial telework with management approval.
Currently, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or STEM OPT extensions.
Join Our Team!
If you are passionate about being part of an innovative team of professionals dedicated to promoting the social and emotional well-being of children by supporting the important adults in their lives, this is the job for you! We are looking for a committed individual with a strong understanding of early childhood mental health, early care and education systems, and community resources. This role offers the opportunity to collaborate with professionals, advocate for services, and make a meaningful impact on the lives of children and families.
Core Responsibilities:
The ECE Consultation for ME Program Specialist supports the implementation, coordination, administration, and continuous improvement of ECE Consultation for ME, Maine’s Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) program. The position supports statewide program operations, quality improvement activities, outreach and engagement efforts, contractor oversight, and consistent implementation of program expectations and service delivery practices.
Primary responsibilities include providing programmatic and operational support to contracted consultation agencies and Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultants to promote alignment with program standards, documentation requirements, quality measures, and statewide implementation expectations. The position provides technical assistance related to program procedures, service delivery tracking, data collection and reporting processes, quality monitoring activities, and continuous quality improvement efforts to strengthen consistency and fidelity across program implementation.
Responsibilities include monitoring contractor and subcontractor compliance with contract requirements, program deliverables, and applicable policies and procedures. The position supports quality assurance and fidelity activities through implementation monitoring, performance review, identification of trends, and recommendations to strengthen program quality, effectiveness, and outcomes.
The position supports development and dissemination of outreach materials, educational resources, presentations, webinars, training materials, infographics, and communication tools to increase program awareness, strengthen referral pathways, and support statewide engagement efforts. Responsibilities include collaboration with community partners, contracted providers, early childhood programs, schools, state agencies, and stakeholders to strengthen awareness, coordination, and integration of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation supports across Maine’s early childhood systems.
The position contributes to program planning, operational development, policy and procedure development, and systems improvement activities designed to strengthen quality, sustainability, efficiency, and overall program effectiveness.
Minimum Qualifications:
An eight (8) year combination of education and/or professional experience in social services or program management with experience in the early care and education system and/or children’s mental health system.
The backgrounds of well-qualified candidates should demonstrate the following competencies:
- A thorough knowledge of the early care and education system, children’s mental health system, and other child-serving systems.
- Administrative skills, including development and implementation of workplans, quality assurance processes, and communication strategies.
- The ability and motivation to effectively manage multiple short- and long-term projects.
- Experience and ability to facilitate meetings, conduct training, and interface with various stakeholders.
- A knowledge of program oversight including quality assurance and quality improvement.
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 experience and passion set you apart.
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.
This position is in the Early Care and Education division and may be located in our Augusta, Bangor, or Portland office. This position requires regular attendance at meetings in Augusta and statewide travel as needed.
Application Information:
For additional information about this position please Melanie Miller, ECCP® Program Manager at Melanie.Miller@maine.gov
To apply, please upload a resume, post-secondary transcripts and cover letter addressing the competency areas in the Minimum Qualifications section .
Please submit all documents or files in PDF or Word format.
To request a paper application, please contact Mandy.Hernandez@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%-100% of employee-only premiums ($12,845.82 - $15,112.76 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.
- Health Insurance Premium Credit – Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%. Visit the Office of Employee Health and Wellness for more information about program requirements.
- Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($395.72 annual value).
- Retirement Plan – The State contributes the equivalent of 14.11% 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 non-birthing 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.
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If you are unable to complete the online application, please contact the Human Resources representative listed on the job opening you are interested in applying for. They will work with you for an alternative method of submitting.
