Public Service Manager III - Application Director

Department of Administrative and Financial Services; Augusta (ME); Hybrid; USD 97,000 - 138,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance Coverage

Retirement Plan

Parental leave

Job summary

Department of Administrative and Financial Services (DAFS) Maine Office of Information Technology (MaineIT) seeks an Enterprise Data Services director to shape statewide application strategy and modernization. You will lead multiple development and support teams, set vision, manage budgets, and ensure secure, high-quality services across agencies.

You will partner with executive leadership to align enterprise goals, oversee vendor engagements, and foster a culture of continuous improvement and

Qualifications

• Master’s or bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, or Business Information Systems, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 10 years of related post-secondary education, technical certifications, or technology-related work experience.
• Preference for experience in Application Architecture & Integration, SDLC & QA, Vendor Selection & Contract Management, Risk & Compliance Oversight.

Responsibilities

• Manage partnerships and ensure effective service delivery.
• Align MaineIT mission and strategy to drive efficiency.
• Build and lead a high-performing technical team for service value.
• Collaborate with finance on budget tracking and forecasting.
• Improve work intake and prioritization processes.
• Develop IT sourcing strategies within business areas.
• Prioritize work and deliver well-architected systems on time and budget.
• Oversee design, review, and evaluation of technical solutions.
• Ensure the application team has necessary knowledge and skills.
• Oversee the creation and quality of contracts and amendments.

Skills

Communication

Presentation

Business alignment

Application architecture

Budget management

Vendor management

Interpersonal skills

Data-driven decision making

Leadership

Enterprise planning

Education

Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science / CIS / BIS or related field

Job description

Office of Information Technology Opening Date: September 28, 2026 Closing Date: October 09, 2026 Grade / Admin Unit: 34 / Confidential Job Class Code: MH34 Salary: $97,354.40 - $138,240.96* / Hourly (*Includes a 10% recruitment and retention stipend) Position Number: 020101781 Location: Augusta Telework: Available

Currently, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or STEM OPT extensions.

Overview

The Department of Administrative and Financial Services (DAFS) Maine Office of Information Technology (MaineIT) provides information technology support to over 13,000 employees and oversees large scale enterprise applications that support the critical and diverse business needs of the State of Maine and its agencies. MaineIT is seeking a highly creative Enterprise Data Services director who will represent our core CARE values in all that they do. At MaineIT, our CARE values represent how we:

• Practice Customer-focus, ensuring that our customers are heard, and their needs are met.
• Hold ourselves to a high level of Accountability by being transparent with our stakeholders.
• Maintain an effective level of Responsiveness by providing timely updates in a proactive manner.
• Strive to provide Empathy driven, people-focused services by applying emotional intelligence skills and behaviors.

Job Description

The Director of Applications is a senior technology leader responsible for shaping and delivering the State of Maine’s enterprise application strategy. In this role, you will partner closely with MaineIT’s executive leadership, fellow directors, and agency partners to ensure that technology solutions effectively support statewide goals, deliver value, and enable long‑term modernization. You will provide strategic direction and operational leadership for multiple application development and support teams. This includes setting vision and priorities, overseeing application portfolios, guiding modernization efforts, and ensuring reliable, secure, and high‑quality application services across executive branch agencies. You will manage application budgets, lead planning and execution of major technology initiatives, and provide oversight of vendor‑developed solutions to ensure alignment with enterprise standards and business needs. A key part of this role is leadership excellence. You will build and develop high‑performing teams, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and promote modern delivery practices and technologies. You will guide system design for large‑scale, complex environments and lead policy and planning assignments that influence enterprise technology direction. Success in this position requires strong relationship‑building and collaboration skills. You will serve as a trusted partner to agency leadership, negotiating priorities, balancing competing demands, and driving shared outcomes across organizational boundaries. As part of the Enterprise Shared Services leadership team, you will work with other Application Directors to align investments, standardize practices, and advance the State’s digital strategy. The Director of Applications operates with significant autonomy and is expected to bring strong strategic thinking, sound judgment, and a commitment to service excellence in support of Maine’s mission and the citizens it serves.

Responsibilities

• Managing strong partnerships and ensuring effective service delivery.
• Ensuring alignment with MaineIT’s mission and strategy to drive efficiency.
• Building, managing, and inspiring a high-performing technical team to maximize the value of the service portfolio.
• Collaborating with the finance team on budget tracking and forecasting.
• Continuously improving work intake and prioritization processes.
• Developing teams and IT sourcing strategies within functional business areas.
• Prioritizing work, communicating clearly, and delivering well-architected systems on time and within budget.
• Participating in the design, review, and evaluation of technical solutions.
• Ensuring the application team has the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Overseeing the delivery of high-quality outputs and deliverables.
• Implementing and maintaining operating policies to manage risk.
• Contributing to the development of strategies for modernizing service delivery.
• Approving application deployments on behalf of the CIO.
• Ensuring performance appraisals are completed on or before anniversary dates.
• Leading designated initiatives on behalf of the MaineIT senior leadership team.
• Overseeing the creation and quality of contracts and amendments, ensuring vendors are held accountable for delivering services in accordance with MaineIT policies and procedures.
• Effectively embracing and applying matrix management practices.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong communication and presentation skills with the ability to convey complex technical concepts to both technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Ability to translate business needs into technology strategies and solutions that align with enterprise priorities.
• Solid understanding of application and system architecture, modern development practices, and secure, scalable solution design.
• Experience managing application portfolios, budgets, and multi‑year investment planning.
• Skilled in vendor and contract management, including state procurement processes.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including relationship building, collaboration, negotiation, and strategic thinking.
• Ability to use data and analytics to guide decisions, evaluate risks, and improve performance.
• Strong adaptability with the ability to shift priorities, manage ambiguity, and respond to evolving agency needs.
• Proven leadership experience developing teams, driving modernization efforts, and leading organizational or technology change.
• Ability to contribute to enterprise planning, governance, and policy development across multiple agencies.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s or bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, or Business Information Systems, or a related field of study, or equivalent experience.
• A minimum of 10 years of a combination of related post‑secondary education, technical certifications, or technology related work experience.
• Related training, internship experience etc. may be credited as equivalent experience.
• Preference will be given to candidates with the following skills or experience: Relevant experience in Application Architecture & Integration, Software Development Lifecycle & Quality Assurance, Technical Acumen & Emerging Technology, Vendor Selection & Contract Management, Risk & Compliance Oversight, Performance Monitoring & metrics, Continuous Improvement & Process Optimization, Cross-functional Collaboration & Stakeholder management, problem solving and decision making.

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.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Benefits

• 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, 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 of Maine contributes 18.86% 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.