Director of Special Projects - Public Service Coordinator I

Location: Augusta,Maine,United States

Office of Cannabis Policy 

Director of Special Projects - Public Service Coordinator I 

Opening Date: February 25, 2025

Closing Date:  March 11, 2025

Job Class Code: CA28
Grade: 28
Salary: $66,206.40 – $94,057.60/Annually  
Position Number: 004601203

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Director of Special Projects position serves as a critical team member within the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy (OCP), one of the nation’s preeminent cannabis regulators, and represents a terrific opportunity for the right candidate to join a team that is committed to effectively and responsibly licensing and regulating cannabis establishments in Maine.

The position’s day-to-day responsibilities include overseeing the successful completion of projects and tasks of OCP’s various functional units (licensing, compliance, data analytics, policy, outreach) and cross-functional teams, all of which relate to fulfilling the organization’s mission and goals. This includes working with other senior leadership positions in planning, controlling, and finalizing organizational projects or initiatives, as assigned by the Director. Additionally, the Director of Special Projects will liaise with other state government agencies, as necessary, to ensure the Office is completing its various initiatives on-time and with all the input and feedback necessary to ensure their success.

As an organization which prides itself upon meeting strict deadlines, this position requires the successful candidate to be highly-organized, have a keen eye for detail, and exercise the independent judgement necessary to manage several—often competing—priorities at once.

This Director of Special Projects reports directly to the Director of the Office of Cannabis Policy.

Specific duties include:

• Overseeing the planning, implementation, and execution of high-level initiatives.
• Developing and maintaining an organizational operating plan, which will include both near- and long-term initiatives.
• Developing, researching, and analyzing best practices related to both adult use and medical cannabis laws, including policy, procedures, and rules in other cannabis regulating jurisdictions.
• Determines and effectuates accountability and identification of all OCP contracts – leads in drafting requests for proposals, lead the evaluation team, assist in contract writing and coordinate bidders conferences as necessary, receive and coordinate question for contracted services.
• Working closely with fellow OCP team members to develop and execute project plans and timelines, as assigned.
• Collaborating with state and local entities to fulfill the mission of OCP.
• Preparing and executing materials—including but not limited to documents, presentations, videos, web content—on behalf of and for the use of the Office.
• Manages and approves Municipal reimbursement applications in accordance with P.L. 2021, ch.645 including ensuring sufficient allotment to process payments. 
• Assist in the logistics of rulemaking per Maine’s Administrative Procedures Act.
• Attend meetings to take notes/minutes, document next steps, and ensure decisions are made with a holistic understanding of ongoing organizational initiatives.
• Assist in the logistics of events, public hearings, presentations, etc.
• Navigate and analyze data from OCP’s licensing, compliance, and inventory tracking systems to assist the daily operations of OCP.
• Planning and executing projects as assigned by the OCP Director in the time allotted.
• Oversee all FOAA responsibilities for the office including intake, evaluation, compliance review, response preparation and tracking to ensure time and accurate fulfillment.

KNOWLEDGES, ABILITIES AND SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Ability to efficiently manage time and multiple projects.
• Knowledge of the project management process.
• Ability to initiate, plan, execute, control, and finalize any given project in a specified time.
• Ability to work with groups in a leadership role.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to write clearly and effectively.