Office Specialist II

Department of Education; United States; On-site; USD 28,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays

Sick leave

Vacation leave

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Parental leave

Job summary

The Department of Education Office of Higher Education and Educator Support Services in Augusta, Maine is seeking an experienced administrative professional to support the certification team, processing applications and authorizations with discretion and independent judgment. The role covers guidance for the public via emails and calls and handling complex endorsements.

The position requires strong knowledge of modern office practices, the ability to interpret rules, and capability to manage

Qualifications

• Knowledge of modern office practices and office equipment.
• Ability to apply rules, regulations, and policies to non-routine applicants.
• Ability to review proposed/enacted law and rule for feasibility.
• Ability to analyze solutions and make sound recommendations.
• Ability to develop budgets, perform accounting and assemble statements.
• Experience with reconciliation of certification records and discrepancy reports.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced office and administrative support to the agency and public.
• Coordinate, implement, and oversee the certification team's activities.
• Process applications leading to authorizations and certification.
• Apply interpretation of applicable rules and policies to non-routine cases.
• Develop budgets, perform accounting, and assemble financial statements.
• Daily reconciliation of certification records and review of discrepancies.

Skills

Office management

Rulemaking processes

Business correspondence

Policy interpretation

Analytical thinking

Communication

Meetings coordination

Work planning

Application processing

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting

Bachelor's degree in education

Job description

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.

Department of Education Office of Higher Education and Educator Support Services Opening Date: September 16, 2026 Closing Date: September 30, 2026 Grade: 19 / Administrative Job Class Code: 6550 Salary: $20.23 - $29.14 / Hourly Position Number: 014006247 Position Type: Full-Time Location: Augusta Currently, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or STEM OPT extensions.

PURPOSE:

This position is essential to both short- and long-term success of the certification team by providing advanced office and administrative support to both the agency and public. This position provides support to the coordination, implementation, and oversight of the certification team having a broad scope of diverse responsibilities. Proficient knowledge of modern office practices and office equipment is necessary to perform diverse administrative functions that include exercising independent judgement, initiative, and discretion regarding guidance for the public via emails and phones calls and the processing of applications leading to authorizations and certification, including the most complex endorsements. The ability to apply explanation and interpretation of applicable rules, regulations, and policies to non-routine applicants during the processing period is a critical distinguishing characteristic of position as well as the ability to develop budgets, perform accounting and assemble financial statements. This position is also responsible for daily reconciliation of certification records and the review and resolution of discrepancy reports to ensure the accuracy and integrity of certification data and financial records. This position complies with statutory and regulatory governance related to the credentialing of education personnel in the State of Maine as well as requirements of State polices, including those concerning human resource components of security protocols of agency information security and confidentiality policies for state business purposes.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of principles of office management
• Knowledge of State of Maine rulemaking processes and procedures
• Ability to compose, review, and edit complex business correspondence
• Ability to review proposed/enacted law and rule for appropriateness and feasibility, and to identify problems.
• Ability to analyze solutions, reach logical conclusions, and make sound recommendations
• Ability to apply non-routine individual cases an explanation and interpretation of applicable rules, regulations, and policies
• Ability to understand and promote management goals as they affect day-to-day and long-term operations
• Ability to effectively represent the organization at internal and external meetings
• Ability to effectively plan and adjust work operations to meet planned and unexpected change
• Ability to process all initial and renewal applications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Training, education, or experience in administrative support work that demonstrates 1) competency in applying a proficient knowledge of modern office practices to perform advanced administrative support tasks at the statewide level that are broad in scope or functionally diverse, and 2) the ability to use independent judgment, initiative, and decision making on complex administrative matters.
• All positions in this classification assume the qualifications of: Office Assistant I, Office Assistant II, Office Associate I, Office Associate II and Office Specialist I.
• Preference will be given to candidates who have: A bachelor’s degree in accounting or education.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

CONTACT INFORMATION: For more information or questions specific to the position, please contact [e-mail]

The selected candidate will be required to pass the required background checks (fingerprinting may be required) as a condition of employment.

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:

Benefits of working for the State of Maine:

• Work-Life Balance – 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 ($11,857.68-$13,950.24 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, and 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 of Maine contributes 14.06% of pay to 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 fathers and adoptive parents—receive forty-two (42) consecutive calendar days 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.

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.