Chief Program Officer

Maine Connectivity Authority / Chief Program Officer / Portland, Maine

Maine Connectivity Authority has an exciting opportunity for a Chief Program Officer to join the organization’s executive leadership team and lead the strategy, design, and execution of the organization’s program portfolio.

The Chief Program Officer, reporting to the President, will lead a team of grants management and program design and deployment professionals to implement infrastructure/middle‑mile programming, digital opportunity programming and grants administration.

The CPO will be instrumental in driving a comprehensive, coherent approach that integrates MCA’s efforts to strengthen the state’s broadband infrastructure, scale affordability and accessibility programs and meet MCA’s statutory responsibilities and impact goals.

This key leader will work at both the strategic and hands‑on levels, ensuring programming strategies are aligned, integrated, and positioned to deliver strong, measurable outcomes that are sustainable over time.

• Remote/hybrid position with options to work from any of the 3 Maine locations; however, must currently live in Maine
• Annual pay in the range of $161,591 - $197,500 commensurate with experience
• Generous paid time off including 13 paid holidays, 20 vacation and 10 sick days
• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Retirement plan with employer contribution
• Flexible Spending, Health Savings Account
• Continuous education, wellness reimbursement, and student debt repayment

• Bachelor’s degree (advanced degree preferred) with 10+ years professional experience, preferably in leadership roles, within broadband operations and programs or related fields
• Technical knowledge of broadband, advanced communications infrastructure, and state and federal grant administration
• Knowledge of communications infrastructure industry solutions and demonstrated willingness to learn about and to integrate new technologies into programs
• Customer / mission focus:
  Deep commitment to MCA’s charge to provide broadband for everyone in Maine and to facilitate the digital infrastructure for Maine’s future
• Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships with communities, agencies, nonprofit and for‑profit partners, and internet service providers
• Detail‑oriented while able to see the big picture and drive continuous improvement
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and duties simultaneously in a dynamic environment
• Willingness and desire to manage a team of subject matter experts and ensure integration across a team of diverse and complementary skills
• Highly organized, with the ability to create systems and processes that are easy for others to follow
• Self‑directed and independently motivated; able to take initiative without immediate direction
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong project development and project management skills
• Adaptable and open to new solutions or processes that support organizational growth
• Ability to collaborate effectively as a team player while maintaining individual accountability
• Strong results orientation – resourceful, proactive, and persistent in achieving results.
• Demonstrated ability to problem‑solve and co‑create innovative solutions with key stakeholders, including grantees
• Occasional overnight travel may be required and occasional day travel to meetings and project locations across Maine

• The CPO will lead implementation and maximize impact of a unified strategy that brings together three pillars: grants administration, digital opportunity programming, and infrastructure/middle mile programs.
• Support and enable MCA’s grants administration team in implementing and evolving MCA’s portfolio of 110+ subawards from complex, federal and state funded investments to future investments of all sizes funded by a range of federal, state and private funders.
• Ensure the successful execution and management of the full lifecycle of existing last‑mile infrastructure grant programs.
• Digital opportunity programs – Support and enable MCA’s grants administration and program team in implementing and evolving existing…