Senior Planner (Market Development Coordinator) - Augusta - 200025276

MaineGuide; Augusta, Northern (ME, KY); Hybrid; USD 54,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

Retirement plan

Paid holidays

Sick leave

Vacation leave

Gym reimbursement

Parental leave

Job summary

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry seeks a Senior Planner (Market Development Coordinator) to advance local food systems by expanding Maine producers' access to markets. The role focuses on market development, branding, distribution, and data-driven program evaluation, coordinating with state agencies and industry partners.

The position emphasizes building resources, guiding businesses to new channels, and supporting trade missions, with remote work options subject to

Qualifications

• Experience in local food system work with nonprofits or government.
• Curriculum development and delivery of technical assistance.
• Understanding of market economics including supply chain, export markets, packaging.
• Robust project management and ability to meet benchmarks.
• Experience convening stakeholder groups and achieving consensus.
• Ability to work independently on complex projects under deadlines.
• Experience developing policies for an organization or network.
• Strong public speaking and written communication skills.
• Familiarity with funding processes and program management.
• Knowledge of monitoring, reporting and data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Guide businesses to identify distribution channels, networks, and resources to build capacity to access, enhance, and/or expand market pathways.
• Collaborate with entities working to increase the marketing and distribution of Maine agricultural and value-added food products in state, regional, domestic, and international markets.
• Coordinate closely with entities working to collect data related to the sales, distribution, and consumption of Maine food and agricultural products.
• Develop tools and resources that support market development activities and strategies for Maine businesses.
• Implement guidelines, processes, and programming for Maine-based agriculture and food businesses to engage in relevant market development, trade shows, trainings, events, and peer learning exchanges.
• Support the Department in preparation for and participation in inbound and outbound trade missions.

Skills

Local food systems experience

Market development

Public speaking

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Independent work

Policy development

Written communication

Funding and grants familiarity

Data monitoring and analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Do you have a passion for connecting farms and agricultural producers to local food systems? Would you like to help the State of Maine achieve its goal of increasing the consumption of locally sourced food and food products grown in Maine? If so, this job may be your future!

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION & FORESTRY

SENIOR PLANNER

(MARKET DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR)

Opening Date: September 17, 2026

Closing Date: End of the day October 09, 2026

Location: Augusta

Position Number: 200025276

Position Type: Permanent Full Time/Year-Round

Class Code: 0603

Grade: 25 (Professional/Technical Unit)

Salary: $54,412.80 - $76,315.20 Per Year

Interested applicants need to submit a Direct Hire Application, along with a Cover Letter, and a detailed Resume*

*For us to properly determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for any posting, you must be sure your resume includes the month and year for any relevant experience listed. Your resume should include the duties and responsibilities associated with each position. Any experience that was not full-time employment should be identified as such.

AGENCY DESCRIPTION: The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) is recruiting to fill a full-time Institutional Market Development Coordinator (Senior Planner) position with the Division of Agricultural Resource Development at its Augusta headquarters. Remote work options are available subject to management approval.

BRIEF JOB DECRIPTION: The person in this position plays a meaningful role in Maine’s local food systems. This position requires experience in market development and market access for agricultural and value-added food businesses, particularly in product, market, and business development; marketing, branding, and promotions; supply chain coordination; and/or local food and beverage distribution or procurement. This position involves researching, designing, implementing, and evaluating effective resources to support market development for Maine agriculture, food, and beverage producers and processors. This position will be responsible for monitoring market data trends; matching Maine agricultural and value-added food businesses with available resources to enable them to explore, assess, and successfully access new and viable market channels for their products; positioning their products in these markets; and tracking and evaluating program effectiveness. This position will be the primary liaison for relevant market-focused organizational partners, service providers, and Maine-based businesses seeking market access and market development support for agricultural and value-added food products. Correlating to this work is the Maine Climate Action Plan Goal to increase the amount of food consumed in Maine from state food producers to 30% by 2030. Examples of the work the person in this position will conduct are:

• Guide businesses to identify distribution channels, networks, and resources to build capacity to access, enhance, and/or expand market pathways.
• Collaborate with entities working to increase the marketing and distribution of Maine agricultural and value-added food products in state, regional, domestic, and international markets.
• Coordinate closely with entities working to collect data related to the sales, distribution, and consumption of Maine food and agricultural products.
• Develop tools and resources that support market development activities and strategies for Maine businesses.
• Implement guidelines, processes, and programming for Maine-based agriculture and food businesses to engage in relevant market development, trade shows, trainings, events, and peer learning exchanges.
• Support the Department in preparation for and participation in inbound and outbound trade missions.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities required:

• Direct experience in local food system work with nonprofits or municipal or state government.
• Curriculum development and implementation skills to deliver responsive technical assistance.
• An understanding of market economics and experience in areas such as supply chain coordination, export markets, specialty crop marketing, food safety, and packaging.
• Robust project management experience and ability to action plan and achieve benchmarks.
• Experience in convening stakeholder groups and helping such groups achieve consensus.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently on complex projects under deadline.
• Experience developing policies for an organization or network.
• High degree of comfort with public speaking.
• Highly organized written communication skills, including conveying program outcomes and objectives.
• Familiarity with state and/or federal funding processes and program management
• Knowledge of monitoring, reporting, data collection, audit practices, and analysis.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 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.

ASSIGNED AREAS: Agriculture, agribusiness, supply chain management, food studies, food systems, public policy, planning and management.

PREFERENCES: Excellent organizational, writing, communication, teaming, problem-solving, consensus-building, and process skills are essential. Those with a bachelor’s degree in sustainable agriculture, food systems, natural resources management, public policy, or a directly related field and four (4) years of professional experience in food systems management, supply chain or market development coordination, and/or related field. A master’s degree would be helpful. Related training and experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis.

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

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 Balance– Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using13 paid holidays,12 days of sick leave, and3+ weeks of vacation leaveannually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
• Health Insurance Coverage– The State of Maine pays85%-100%of employee-only premiums ($12,213.60-$14,369.04 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 contributes14.06%of payto 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 leaveis one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including fathers and adoptive parents—receiveforty-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 aMaineSaves457(b) account through payroll deductions.
• Learn aboutadditional wellness benefitsfor 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.