Office Associate II

Early Care And Education Administrative Support

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

Location: Augusta

Salary: $17.73 - $25.53 per hour (inclusive of a 2.50% recruitment and retention stipend)

Position Number: 02000-3824

Closing Date: September 11, 2026

If you enjoy being an active team member and have an interest and understanding of issues related to early care and education, the Early Care and Education division has a current vacancy in the Augusta office of Office for Child and Family Services.

Core Responsibilities:

You will be responsible for providing administrative and program support to the Early Care and Education (ECE) division within the Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS). This position supports OCFS programming for the early care and education workforce in Maine's child care programs, Head Starts, and schools, including early childhood mental health consultation, the salary supplement system, and technical assistance coordination. Program support will be provided, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This work involves a variety of administrative and clerical duties requiring independent judgment, strong organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities within established policies and procedures.

You will also:

• Provide comprehensive administrative support to program management and staff to ensure efficient operations and compliance with program standards.
• Serve as a primary contact for public and stakeholder inquiries, providing accurate information or directing requests to appropriate staff.
• Receive intake forms for those requesting technical assistance and consultation, and direct request to appropriate staff and programs.
• Maintain and update tracking systems for meetings, trainings, and key program documents.
• Prepare and edit correspondence, reports, and presentation materials with accuracy, clarity, and professionalism.
• Record and distribute meeting minutes and maintain organized electronic and physical files.
• Enter and manage program data, generate reports, and identify or correct errors as needed.
• Support the development and documentation of standard operating procedures to improve administrative efficiency.
• Create and format charts, tables, and graphics for reports and presentations.
• Order and track office, marketing, and training supplies; maintain inventory records.
• Coordinate logistics for meetings, workshops, and trainings, including scheduling, communications, and materials preparation.
• Perform general administrative tasks such as scheduling, travel arrangements, and calendar management.
• Exercise sound judgment, professionalism, and confidentiality in all program activities.
• Perform other tasks, as assigned that fall within the classification.

Minimum Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, you must have training, education, or experience in office and administrative support work that demonstrates:

• Competency in applying a solid knowledge of modern office practices to perform complex, varied office support tasks, and
• Demonstrates the ability to use independent decision-making on the appropriate processes to follow, information to process, and actions to take in accordance with standard procedures.

All positions in this classification assume the qualifications of: Office Assistant I, Office Assistant II, and Office Associate I.

The background of well-qualified candidate will demonstrate experience in the following areas:

• Knowledge and application of excellent customer service standards.
• Prior experience performing a broad range of administrative duties.
• Prior experience working with customer service which involves direct face-to-face, phone and written contact with clients.
• Skilled in the use of standard workplace equipment and applications (MS Word, EXCEL, Outlook, Microsoft Forms, SharePoint, etc.).
• Skilled in basic graphic support (PowerPoint, Canva)

Please submit a cover letter rating your skills as expert, skilled or novice in each of the following programs with a short explanation for that rating:

• MS Word or comparable word processing applications
• Excel or comparable spreadsheet applications

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.

The Office of Child & Family Services (OCFS), within DHHS is responsible for ensuring the safety, permanency and well-being of children and families through community networks, local resources, and life-long family connections throughout Maine.

Application Information:

For additional information about this position please contact Megan Swanson, ECE Program Manager at View email address on click.appcast.io.

To apply, please upload a recent resume (if available) and cover letter addressing the competency areas identified in the above section.

Please submit all documents or files in PDF or Word format.

Benefits of working for the State of Maine:

• Work-Life Fit – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave. When you or immediate members of your family are ill, utilize 12 days of sick leave per year.
• Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-95% of employee-only premiums ($12,213.60 - $13,650.48 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 ($365.28 annual value).
• Retirement Plan – The State contributes the equivalent of 14.06% of the employee's pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), on behalf of the employee.
• Gym Membership Reimbursement – Improve overall health with regular exercise and receive up to $40 per month to offset this expense.
• Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts – Set aside money pre-tax to help pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or daycare expenses.
• Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness – The State of Maine is a qualified employer for this federal program. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid office.
• Living Resources Program – Navigate challenging work and life situations with our employee assistance program.
• 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.
• Voluntary Deferred Compensation – Save additional pre-tax funds for retirement in a MaineSaves 457(b) account through payroll deductions.

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