Policy Associate 2

The Catherine Cutler Institute at the University of Southern Maine is seeking a Policy Associate II – Child Welfare Workforce Development, Family Engagement. 

The Policy Associate II: Child Welfare Workforce Development, Family Engagement brings content expertise to state and national child welfare initiatives and strategies; developing cutting-edge work in the areas of child welfare training and workforce development; stakeholder engagement; program planning and implementation; oversight and direction for existing initiatives; development of new work by cultivating funding sources and works closely with multiple child welfare training teams and staff with lived experience to ensure alignment and shared learning across related efforts. Collaborates with the State of Maine Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) and position provides leadership, project management and development, and supervision in collaboration with OCFS to design and implement programs to improve parent engagement in the child welfare system in Maine.  This position is responsible for leadership and project development including responsibility for managing project budgets and contributing to contract deliverables, and for ensuring that the training is of quality that meets relevant federal standards and is consistent with the State agency's law, policies, and priorities.

This is a grant funded position with a starting annual salary up to $72,000 commensurate with experience.  

The University of Southern Maine offers highly competitive benefits for full-time and eligible part-time employees that includes (but is not limited to):

• 13 paid holidays plus earned vacation time and sick time.
• Health, dental and vision insurance.
• Low-cost short-term disability insurance and employer-paid long-term disability insurance.
• Employer-paid basic life insurance and supplemental life insurance.
• A tuition waiver program for employees and their spouse or dependent child(ren).
• A 403(b)-retirement plan with employer contribution.
• Free access to the METRO system, including the Husky Line with service between our Portland and Gorham campuses.

To learn more, please review the Benefits Information Summary.  

The University of Southern Maine is a vibrant academic community located in the greater Portland, Maine area, including campuses in Portland, Gorham, Lewiston, and online. USM is part of the University of Maine System and offers a comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate programs, emphasizing hands-on learning, community engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration. With a highly engaged student-centered learning environment, USM is a steward of higher education, helping drive the economic, cultural, and civic life in the communities where our campuses are located and beyond.  USM is committed to providing expanded access to high-quality education that elevates economic opportunity and contributes significantly to the vitality of a diverse society. To learn more about USM, visit About Our University. 

The University of Southern Maine fosters a welcoming and supportive campus environment that respects and appreciates varied perspectives, enhancing teaching, learning, personal growth, and overall institutional achievement.  We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds who share our dedication to academic excellence and the enrichment of our community.

We are dedicated to our Service Promise, Student Focused Every Day and seek a team member who embraces this commitment and upholds our core values of Respect & Care, Integrity, Equity, and Responsiveness.

Required Qualifications and Skills:

• Master’s degree and five years of relevant professional experience, or bachelor’s degree and seven years of relevant professional experience. 
  • Relevant experience may include child welfare, behavioral health, family support services, or other systems serving children and families.
• Project management skills and experience such as overseeing timelines, deliverables, and cross-agency collaboration for training programs, pilot initiatives, or stakeholder engagement projects.
• Demonstrated experience in training and workforce development. This may include developing and delivering trainings, coaching staff or peers, contributing to onboarding or continuing education for team members, or supporting training improvements based on feedback or evaluation data. 
• Demonstrated ability to support work that centers families who have experienced child welfare involvement, systemic barriers, and high levels of need. Experience working alongside or on behalf of parents navigating reunification, recovery, or reentry processes is especially valuable.
• Demonstrated skills in group process, supervision, shared decision making, and leadership. Examples may include supervising staff with lived experience; facilitating collaborative decision-making within a small team; working across multiple training teams to promote consistency, collaboration, and shared learning; and providing trauma-informed supervision that balances clarity, compassion, and accountability in emotionally demanding environments. 
• Knowledge of and direct experience with the development, design, delivery and quality assurance/program evaluation of training. This includes creating or adapting curriculum, incorporating feedback from trainees or stakeholders, and using data to improve the effectiveness and impact of trainings
• Demonstrated ability to center and elevate lived experience in program design, training, or advocacy roles. This may include personal experience as a parent impacted by the child welfare system, or professional experience working in close partnership with individuals who have such lived experience. 
• Familiarity with Maine’s child welfare system and core family engagement practices. Experience with OCFS policies, kinship and foster care models, or family-centered training initiatives is strongly preferred.
• Experience managing or supporting a program budget, including planning how funds are used, tracking expenses, making sure spending stays on budget, and helping prepare reports for funders or contracts.

How to Apply:

Click on the ‘Apply Now’ button below or visit our USM Careers Page and submit the following:

• Cover Letter
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• Finalist candidates will be asked to provide a list of the names and contact information for references.

For full consideration please submit all required materials by August 22, 2025.

We are not able to consider applicants who require Visa sponsorship support.

Appropriate background screening will be conducted for the successful candidate.

Clery Act:

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or Clery Act, mandates that all Title IV institutions, such as the University, prepare, publish, and distribute an Annual Security Report (ASR), and provide notice of the availability of the ASR to all prospective employees. This report consists of two basic parts: disclosure of the University’s crime statistics for the past three calendar years; and disclosures regarding the University’s current campus security policies. View the University’s Annual Security Report (PDF). If you wish to have a paper copy of the ASR or need to have a copy of the ASR in an accessible format, the University will provide such a copy upon request. Please contact our Public Safety Office at 207.780.5211.

EEO Statement:

The University of Southern Maine is an EEO/AA employer and is committed to nondiscrimination. For inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies, please contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Services, 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5713, 207-581-1226.  TTY 711 (Maine Relay System)