Senior Section Manager

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Department: Secretary of State /BMV

Division: Vehicle Services

Location: Augusta, Maine

Schedule: Monday – Friday

Job Class & Grade: 7340, Grade 27

Salary: $29.78 – $42.05 per hour

Closing Date: January 22, 2026

Join Our Team at the Department of the Secretary of State:

The Department of the Secretary of State is committed to delivering reliable, transparent, and high-quality public services that impact the lives of Maine people every day. We foster a culture rooted in teamwork, integrity, accountability, and continuous improvement, while prioritizing work-life balance and employee well-being.

If you are a confident, thoughtful leader who thrives in complexity, values public service, and is ready to guide teams through change, we invite you to bring your leadership to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

About the Position:

The Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) is seeking a highly capable and experienced leader to serve as Senior Section Manager in the Vehicle Services Division . This position provides statewide leadership over vehicle registration programs and municipal services, ensuring operational excellence, regulatory compliance, fiscal accountability, and continuous improvement.

This position leads and supports teams in a fast-paced, high-volume, and highly regulated environment. The incumbent sets clear expectations, addresses performance challenges, supports workforce development, and guides teams through modernization and operational change. The work requires sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and the ability to balance people leadership, service delivery, and system-level responsibilities. This leadership directly impacts statewide service quality, program integrity, and public trust.

What We're Looking For:

• Customer Service Leadership: Model, reinforce, and uphold high standards of courteous, accurate, and efficient service while ensuring teams consistently meet service expectations in a public-facing regulatory environment.
• High-Volume Operational Leadership: Lead teams through high-demand workloads while maintaining professionalism, accuracy, and responsiveness statewide.
• Collaborative Team Leadership: Build and sustain effective teams by fostering collaboration, accountability, and a respectful, productive workplace culture.
• Professional Judgment & Attention to Detail: Apply analytical thinking and sound judgment to complex operational decisions while ensuring accuracy, consistency, and compliance.
• Clear & Strategic Communication: Communicate complex rules, policies, and changes clearly to staff, leadership, municipalities, and the public.
• Problem-Solving & Risk Awareness: Identify issues, assess risk, and implement practical, solution-focused responses while supporting staff through challenges.
• Adaptability & Change Leadership: Lead teams through evolving policies, procedures, technologies, and modernization initiatives while maintaining clarity, morale, and performance.
• Professional Leadership Presence: Represent the Department with integrity, accountability, and professionalism, setting expectations for ethical conduct and public trust.

Key Competencies We Value:

• People Leadership & Accountability: Lead, coach, and manage employees across varying levels of performance, including addressing challenging behaviors and holding staff accountable in a fair, consistent, and respectful manner.
• Constructive Performance Management: Ability to have difficult or sensitive conversations with professionalism, empathy, and clarity while supporting improvement and maintaining standards.
• Training & Workforce Development: Guide onboarding, training, and ongoing development to ensure staff readiness and operational resilience.
• Emotional Intelligence: Demonstrate self-awareness, empathy, discretion, and sound judgment in high-stress or sensitive situations.
• Continuous Improvement: Champion innovation, learning, and process improvement to enhance service delivery statewide.

In This Role, You Will:

• Ensure compliance with state motor vehicle laws and federal requirements, including National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reporting standards. Oversee fraud prevention, identity verification, and data security practices to protect program integrity.
• Manage and coordinate responses to Motor Vehicle investigations, audits, and legal inquiries.
• Identify and mitigate operational and regulatory risks impacting municipal and registration programs.
• Oversee revenue collection and reconciliation related to registration fees, taxes, and penalties.
• Allocate staffing and resources efficiently to support statewide operations.
• Manage contracts and relationships with vendors and third-party service providers.
• Ensure fiscal accountability and effective use of program resources.
• Provide oversight of vehicle registration and municipal IT systems supporting registration programs.

Partner with IT teams on:

• System integrations and data sharing
• Cybersecurity and privacy compliance
• Automation and online service expansion
• Support modernization of vehicle registration programs by helping design, test, and implement initiatives that improve service delivery and prepare teams for evolving technologies and business needs.

Preferences Will Be Given to Candidates Who Demonstrate:

• Senior-level experience overseeing vehicle registration or comparable regulatory programs with statewide or multi-site impact.
• Strong working knowledge of state and federal motor vehicle laws and regulations, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
• Proven success managing teams in high-volume, customer-facing, or regulatory environments, including addressing performance challenges.
• Experience leading modernization efforts, system implementations, or complex process improvement initiatives.
• Possess project management skills, including planning, coordinating, and supporting cross-functional projects to meet timelines and objectives.
• Experience overseeing fraud prevention, identity verification, compliance, or risk management programs.
• Demonstrated ability to partner with IT teams on system integrations, data sharing, cybersecurity, or privacy compliance.
• Strong background in fiscal management, including revenue reconciliation, resource allocation, and vendor or contract management.
• Experience developing or overseeing training and workforce development initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications:

An eight (8) year combination of education, training, and/or experience in business or public administration, including at least four (4) years in a supervisory capacity.

Why Join Our Team?

We believe in supporting our workforce's health and well-being with a valuable total compensation package, including:

Work-Life Fit: Take time for yourself with 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, $12,514.32 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find 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 ($387.62 annual value).

Retirement Plan: The State contributes the equivalent of 14.11% of the employee's pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS).

Contact information:

Questions about this position should be directed to Terri Kanaris Talent Acquisitions Specialist, via email

Application Instructions:

To apply, click "Apply for this opening" and upload your cover letter, resume, and any relevant transcripts or certifications. Your resume must include month/year for each position and list related duties and responsibilities. Please note if any experience was part-time.

Need a paper application? Download one [ HERE ] or call

Submit paper applications, cover letter, and resume before the closing date to:

Office of Human Resources

Secretary of State, Office of Human Resources

101 Hospital Street

Augusta, ME 04330

Fax:

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to building an inclusive workplace that respects and values diversity across all background

.

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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