Limited Period HOPE Senior Planner

State of Maine • Augusta, ME

2d • $54,413 - $76,315 • Onsite

About The Position

The limited period HOPE Senior Planner position will assist with the administrative and operational functions that allow the Higher Opportunity for Pathways to Employment (HOPE) Program’s development and implementation of Maine’s Rural Health Transformation Plan to engage and support student parents who will grow the rural healthcare workforce. This Senior Planner position will make professional-level decisions related to the interpretation and application of policy in order to serve Maine parents seeking post-secondary healthcare credentials. This HOPE position will interact with workforce development community partners and stakeholders. The position will monitor, evaluate, and contribute to the engagement and success of rural residents whose career goals are to be employed by healthcare providers that serve rural communities. Additionally, the HOPE Senior Planner will assist the Office for Family Independence in administering the HOPE Program, which assists parents with low incomes with completion of training and education required to meet their employment goals. This position is responsible for assisting the HOPE Program Manager in day-to-day operations, collection of program information, and evaluation of the program. Strong interpersonal, written communication, and problem-solving skills are required. The ability to interact professionally with people engaged in post-secondary training and education pathways, higher education faculty and staff, community partners, and stakeholders is crucial. A HOPE Senior Planner works in a collaborative team environment and should be able to work in a self-directed manner and be accountable for all assigned tasks.

Requirements

• A Bachelors Degree in assigned area and four (4) years of related work experience. Equivalent related experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.
• Work experience may include: the development, delivery, or administration of public sector eligibility, healthcare, or social service programs, or comparable experience in a public administration, legal, business, or education environment.
• A proven aptitude for fostering collaborative relationships, communicating regularly and respectfully, documenting and reporting relevant information, and practicing a high level of professionalism. A background working with families with low incomes is preferred.
• An ability to oversee the type, nature and frequency of services delivered, identify trends in service delivery, evaluate program performance, and help enhance practices and systems to maintain the mission, integrity, and efficiency of the program.
• An ability to identify, assess and analyze statistical data and develop management reports summarizing program performance for state and federal reporting purposes and departmental decision making.
• An ability to balance competing priorities under tight deadlines, employing exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and using strong, professional writing ability to be an informative, helpful point of contact for applicants, participants, vendors, and/or stakeholders.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Access, and Word, with a high level of expertise with Excel preferred, including the ability to import, query, and visually present data.

Nice To Haves

• A background working with families with low incomes is preferred.
• high level of expertise with Excel preferred, including the ability to import, query, and visually present data.

Responsibilities

• Acting as a liaison between the Department and HOPE Program stakeholders.
• Monitoring program procedures and processes for efficiency, accuracy and overall service quality.
• Evaluating information received from Department vendors.
• Collecting and evaluating program applications and applying program rules to determine eligibility.
• Administering issuance of program support services applying program rules.
• Coordinating, developing, and providing program outreach, training and ongoing policy interpretation to vendor staff and other stakeholders as needed.
• Representing the Department at administrative hearings.
• Coordinating data reporting internally and in coordination with Department vendors.
• Overseeing quality, quantity and effectiveness of services provided by program vendors.

Benefits

• 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.
• Health Insurance Premium Credit – Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level