Job Description

If you are a current State of Maine employee, you must complete your application through the internal application process (Find Jobs Report). Please apply using your PRISM account. If you are on Seasonal Leave and do not have access to PRISM, contact your local Human Resources representative for application information.

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Office of Information Technology

Opening Date:

November 03, 2025

Closing Date:

12:01AM November 19, 2025

Grade:

34 Confidential

Salary:

$93,167.36 - $132,292.16/Annually (Includes 10% recruitment and retention stipend )

Position Number:

020103243

Position Type:

Full-Time

Location:

Augusta

Telework:

Available

OVERVIEW:

The Department of Administrative and Financial Services (DAFS) Office of Information Technology (MaineIT) provides information technology support to over 13,000 employees. MaineIT oversees large-scale enterprise applications that support the critical and diverse business needs of the State and its agencies. This position reports to the Executive Director of Enterprise Architecture within the Office of Information Technology. The Director, MaineIT AI Center of Excellence (COE), is responsible for leading the development, design, adoption, and monitoring of the State's Generative AI strategy. Under this position's leadership, the AI COE will be a progressive, forward-thinking unit that fosters collaboration across agencies, championing AI best practices, and setting the framework for how the state of Maine adopts and integrates generative AI, making recommendations on how IT infrastructure and applications will be procured, provisioned, and supported. The AI COE will influence technological decisions, oversee the ethical application of AI, and explore its potential to drive operational efficiencies to improve services for Maine's constituents. This position will:


Ensure the program is scalable, secure, accessible, and equitable while adhering to rigorous accountability standards statewide. Deliver guidelines for the integration of generative AI into existing state systems and monitor its ongoing use. Govern the program, enforce compliance with state and federal guidelines, and uphold relevant regulatory standards. Recruit, develop, and retain top talent to ensure the AI COE possesses the skills and abilities needed to fulfill the mission and guide the State's journey toward leveraging generative AI for transformative impact.
MaineIT is seeking a highly talented individual who will represent our

C.A.R.E.

values in all that they do. At MaineIT 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.
The Director, AI Center of Excellence is a key leader in MaineIT's mission to modernize digital government through trustworthy, transformative, and equitable use of artificial intelligence.

KEY RESPONSIBILITES:

Lead the design, implementation, and governance of Maine's statewide AI strategy and Center of Excellence. Develop frameworks for ethical, transparent, and secure adoption of generative and agentic AI applications, including lifecycle guidance for model creation, deployment, and oversight. Collaborate with agencies to identify opportunities where AI can enhance public services, improve efficiency, and inform decision-making. Partner with the Technical Advisory Committee established by the Governor's Executive Order on AI. Define governance structures, policies, and accountability processes for AI adoption. Coordinate with security, risk management, and legal teams to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements. Build and lead a community of practice to promote collaboration and early adoption of AI best practices. Oversee capacity planning, AI reference architectures, and optimization strategies for scalable deployment. Lead workforce development by recruiting and mentoring AI professionals and fostering continuous learning. Recommend statewide AI program decisions, investments, and partnerships aligned with State mission goals.

KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS:

AI Governance & Compliance: Deep understanding of AI governance models (NIST AI RMF, OECD AI Principles, EU AI Act) and regulatory standards (HIPAA, CJIS, GDPR), with emphasis on secure data and model protection. AI Technologies & Architectures: Expertise in AI lifecycle management ( MLOps ), machine learning, natural language processing, foundation models, and generative and agentic AI frameworks that enable autonomous reasoning, planning, and workflow orchestration. Cybersecurity & Risk Management: Familiarity with security frameworks (NIST 800-53, ISO 27001) and techniques to safeguard AI systems against bias, adversarial attacks, and data misuse. Business Transformation: Understanding of decision intelligence and AI-driven innovation to optimize government operations, regenerate workflows, and deliver measurable value. Technology Trends: Awareness of emerging and their potential to drive data-informed policy and citizen-centered outcomes.

CORE CAPABILITIES:

Strategic Leadership: Define vision and priorities for statewide AI adoption; inspire innovation while ensuring transparency, equity, and accountability. Technical Expertise: Assess and integrate generative and agentic AI capabilities into enterprise systems, ensuring scalability, compliance, and measurable ROI. Governance & Ethics: Implement responsible AI practices addressing issues such as hallucination, bias, and autonomy, supported by human-in-the-loop safeguards. Collaboration & Communication: Translate complex AI concepts into actionable strategies for executives, technologists, and policymakers; foster cross-agency partnerships. Analytical Insight: Evaluate AI performance, business impact, and technical viability, detecting and mitigating risks such as model drift and performance degradation. Change Management: Promote continuous learning, workforce readiness, and knowledge sharing to build statewide AI maturity.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

A bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, or a related technology field is preferred; equivalent work experience may be substituted. 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in strategic roles within artificial intelligence, data science, analytics, automation, or related technology fields, with a clear track record of implementing technology strategies and solutions that have driven significant business impact. 5+ years in a leadership position managing teams directly related to artificial intelligence, data science, machine learning, automation initiatives or other technology related leadership positions. Preference will be given to candidates with a demonstrated understanding of artificial intelligence and current policy initiatives at the Federal and State levels. We welcome a cover letter in which you can share how your relevant experience relates to this opportunity.

PREFERENCES:

Extensive experience leading AI, data science, or automation initiatives that delivered measurable enterprise or public-sector impact. Proven leadership in developing and implementing technology strategies and managing teams focused on artificial intelligence, data analytics, or automation. Demonstrated knowledge of AI policy and governance initiatives at the federal and state levels.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For more information or questions specific to the position, please contact recruiting.ggsc@maine.gov


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

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or STEM OPT extensions.

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:

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 18.91 % 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 .


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 experience and passion set you apart.


If you require a paper application, please download and print one HERE


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If you are unable to complete the online application, please contact the Human Resources representative listed on the job opening you are interested in applying for. They will work with you for an alternative method of submitting.