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Department of Labor, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Job Class Code: 3082
Grade: 22 (Professional/Technical)
Salary: $25.23 - $32.28 (Hourly- includes a 2% stipend)
Location: Portland, ME
Opening Date: March 20, 2026
Closing Date: April 3, 2026

RCII - Business Engagement Specialist

• Do you have successful experience supporting individuals with career development?
• Are you skilled at networking and building professional relationships with many different stakeholders?
• Do you enjoy helping people achieve their career goals?

The Portland Vocational Rehabilitation office seeks Business Engagement Specialist candidates who will develop strong relationships with employers in Cumberland and York counties resulting in career exploration and permanent employment opportunities for clients with disabilities. These positions will work from the Portland CareerCenter at 151 Jetport Blvd.

If you are a professional who excels at:

• Developing, strengthening, and maintaining a dual customer approach
• Assessing client skills and abilities in collaboration with team members
• Identifying labor market needs and trends
• Coaching clients to maintain employment
• Professional, timely and accurate communication and documentation
• Understanding barriers to employment for people with disabilities
• Ethical communication founded in empathy and teamwork
• Adapting to changing circumstances and priorities

This work may a great match for you!

DESCRIPTION:

This is professional services work involving the provision of rehabilitation services to persons with physical, emotional, or mental health disabilities.

Work includes counseling persons with disabilities in selecting, preparing for, and following a rehabilitative program.

Duties include interviewing and determining eligibility for services and developing and implementing client programs. Work is performed under limited supervision.

REPRESENTATIVE TASKS:

• Counsel client in the rehabilitation process, develops a supportive relationship, and elicits client feedback and participation in order to provide rehabilitation services to clients.
• Evaluates and interprets client’s medical and physical information, interviews and determines initial and continuing eligibility for services, and assesses client needs and available resources in order to develop and implement a comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation plan.
• Contacts business and industry groups, advocates for clients, and offers incentives and assistance in order to place clients in jobs.
• Consults with representatives of hospitals, schools, public and private agencies and employees on rehabilitation programs for clients in order to ensure program is within client’s capabilities and meets client needs.
• Develops and manages a budget plan and negotiates the purchase of client services in order to ensure effective delivery of client services.
• Explains rights of fair hearings and appeals and negotiates solutions and agreements with clients in order to meet client needs, agency goals, and minimize appeals.
• Directs and trains support staff, case aides, Rehabilitation Counselor I’s, job developers, and coaches in order to ensure needs of the caseload and individual clients are met based on Federal and State mandated guidelines, and timeframes
• Counsels and trains clients on self-employment opportunities with regards to the use of business management tools, culture, climate and trends in order to interpret and apply labor market survey results.
• Manages crisis situations by determining the level of safety, mental health status, and need for crisis intervention, and de-escalates potentially violent situation in order to prevent danger to consumer, counselor or others
• Consults and trains in the field including education, psychiatric, medical, social services, community organizations, and the business community in order to enhance awareness of resources and the employability of disabled citizens. Advocates for employment, education, housing, child care, transportation, legal services guardianship, emancipation and medical/mental health treatment programs in order to implement state/federal initiatives
• Coordinates training, treatment, counseling, job coaching, and related rehabilitation programs in order to assist clients.
• Utilizes technical expertise in the area of adaptive equipment, technology, and physical and communication accessibility in order to assist clients.

KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

• Knowledge of rehabilitation services and programs.
• Knowledge of agency standard operating procedures.
• Knowledge of adaptive equipment, rehabilitation technologies, and laws which govern accessibility and reasonable accommodation issues.
• Ability to manage a case services budget.
• Ability to analyze functional capacity, identify transferable skills.
• Knowledge of human growth and development as it relates to childhood and adolescent experiences and its impact on adult behavior.
• Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology.
• Knowledge of mental and emotional conditions affecting social and vocational adjustment.
• Knowledge of state, federal and local initiatives, mandates and procedures, policies and physical accessibility codes and standards related to disabilities. Knowledge and understanding of business culture, climate, trends, and labor market information.
• Ability to detect and identify the manifestations of mental and physical disabilities as it relates to vocational and social adjustments.
• Ability to perform an adaptive technology assessment and to procure necessary equipment and software based on evaluation and medical information.
• Ability to perform accessibility evaluations.
• Ability to use methods and techniques of vocational and professional counseling.
• Ability to collect and analyze facts and date and draw appropriate conclusions. Ability to elicit and gather appropriate information through interviewing clients. Ability to prioritize and manage a large caseload, records, reports, caseload budget.
• Ability to analyze functional capacity, identify transferable skills, and interpret medical reports.
• Ability to work independently as a counselor and as a part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to be flexible and handle sudden change in demands.
• Ability to provide crisis management including assessment of safety and mental health status and the need to de-escalate emotional and potentially violent situations.
• Ability to prepare reports, plan and conduct trainings for staff, employers, families and clients in rehabilitation practices.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, clients and the community.
• Ability to exercise discretion and make independent decisions.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to write clearly and effectively.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

A bachelor’s degree in a field related to vocational rehabilitation and 2 years of experience demonstrating knowledges and abilities in assisting individuals with disabilities, employers and other stakeholders with their employment and workforce needs.

After a conditional offer of employment is made, certain positions may be subject to fingerprinting as part of the background process given the responsibilities of the RCII position.

Contact information:

Questions about this position should be directed to Samantha Fenderson, DVR Director at samantha.j.fenderson@maine.gov

Currently, 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 Fit – 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%-95% of employee-only premiums ($11,196.96 - $12,514.32 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.

• Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($387.92 annual value).

• Retirement Plan – The State contributes the equivalent of 13.29% of the employee's pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS) for MSEA, or 18.09% for Confidential employees.

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 lived experience and passion set you apart.

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.

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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.