GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF POLICY INNOVATION AND THE FUTURE

ANTI-HUNDER POLICY COORDINATOR

-ANTICIPATED VACANCY-

Opening Date: June 26, 2025

Closing Date:  July 11, 2025

Job Class Code: MU30
Grade: 30
Salary: $71,843.20 - $101,587.20/Annually
Position Number: 095101179

The Anti-Hunger Policy Coordinator will spearhead collaboration and coordination of anti-hunger and anti-poverty strategies and policies across state agencies and with external stakeholders.  This position will be responsible for facilitating coordination of key anti-hunger policies and program initiatives in partnership with state agency staff overseeing Maine’s administration of federal and state nutrition programs and with community partners.  The position will be responsible for staffing and coordinating the work of the Ending Hunger Advisory Committee and the Cross-Agency Ending Hunger Staff Group. 

The advisory committee was established by the Maine Legislature to provide guidance to the state’s Ending Hunger initiative and is made up of nonprofit hunger-relief providers, advocates, organizations representing groups most impacted by hunger, and community members with lived experience of hunger. The cross-agency staff group is made up of staff responsible for the state administration of federal nutrition programs, including program staff from Maine’s Department of Education; Health and Human Services; and Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. The advisory committee and cross-agency staff group advise and support coordination around a set of key priority areas identified by working groups in 2024. 

The Anti-Hunger Policy Coordinator role offers a unique opportunity to work across public agencies and across sectors to improve the lives and livelihoods of Mainers struggling to put food on the table and to shape programming and policies to tackle poverty.  This is a full-time, salaried position responsible for significant cross-agency work and stakeholder engagement.  The position will report to the Policy Director for Human Services in the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future and is located in Augusta, Maine with opportunities for remote work. The Policy Coordinator will work with staff and stakeholders throughout the state.

Responsibilities:

This position will be responsible for:

• Supporting cabinet agencies with the development and review of policy plans, performance metrics, public-private partnership strategies, and community outreach.
• Communicating to Maine residents, communities, and other stakeholders about food insecurity in Maine and the efforts by state agencies and community partners to address the problem.    
• Tracking data and research to inform and monitor the impact of key anti-hunger policies and programs. This includes coordinating with the Office of the State Economist to update the Ending Hunger Dashboard, as needed.
• Coordinating and facilitating a statewide Advisory Committee charged with guiding the Ending Hunger in Maine initiative.
• Coordinating and facilitating a cross-agency group with staff from three cabinet agencies to increase coordination across state-administered federal nutrition programs.
• Communicating with the philanthropic community and writing proposals to raise funding to support Advisory Committee and working group projects, and managing and reporting on grants, thereof.
• Coordinating with the nonprofit organizations who nominate community members with lived experience to participate in the advisory committee, to ensure the experience is positive and inclusive.
• Writing and producing a quarterly newsletter, an annual report and policy briefs.
• Ability and willingness to speak with news media.

Skills and knowledge required:

• Strong knowledge of barriers and challenges facing Mainers with low income
• Strong knowledge of existing resources, programs and opportunities to combat hunger and poverty in Maine
• Strong research and policy analysis skills (preferred)
• Strong knowledge of policy development and implementation processes (preferred)
• Excellent communication skills, ability to communicate effectively with internal and external audiences and to make complex ideas accessible and memorable in a range of formats (memos, slide decks, public reports)
• Ability to navigate complex organizations, develop trust with senior leaders, and build trusted relationships among diverse groups of colleagues and community partners.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively as a member of a team.
• Significant organizational skills and ability to multitask and prioritize.
• Strong meeting facilitation skills and experience.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• To qualify for this position, you must have strong administrative and organizational skills and a combined eight (8) years of education and/or professional experience including at least 2 years of experience working with or in diverse community settings, community-based systems, and/or experience with government-administered health and human services programs, policy design, or research.

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). 

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.

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.