Guest Experience Coordinator (Public Relations Specialist)

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DEPARTMENT OF INLAND FISHERIES & WILDLIFE

GUEST EXPERIENCE COORDINATOR

(PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST)

Opening Date: February 03, 2026

Closing Date: End of day February 19, 2026

Location: Maine Wildlife Park - Gray

Position Number: 200024863

Class Code: 0824

Grade: 20 (Professional/Technical Unit)

Salary: $20.68 - $28.88 Per Hour

BRIEF JOB DESCRIPTION: Maine Wildlife Park is one of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s most visible and well-loved public programs, welcoming tens of thousands of visitors each year. The Public Relations Specialist (Visitor Experience Coordinator) plays a key role in shaping how visitors experience the park and how the Department connects with the public.

This position serves as a primary point of contact for visitors, supports public-facing events and group visits, assists with outreach and informational materials, and helps ensure visitors receive accurate information and positive, professional interactions. Through daily engagement with the public, this role supports the Department’s mission by increasing awareness, understanding, and participation in Maine’s wildlife and conservation programs.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as a primary point of contact for visitors, providing accurate information and a positive, welcoming experience.
• Respond to visitor questions and concerns and support safe, enjoyable experiences during peak visitation.
• Coordinate and support group visits, tours, and educational experiences.
• Assist with planning and on-site support of public events and public-facing activities.
• Support development and maintenance of informational materials, signage, displays, and website content.
• Assist with routine media inquiries and event-related media coordination, referring complex matters as appropriate.
• Track visitation, participation trends, and public feedback to support outreach evaluation and planning.
• Work collaboratively with park staff, seasonal staff, volunteers, and partners to ensure consistent, professional public engagement.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Weekend and holiday work is required from April – November.

For questions related to the position, please contact Howie Powell at: [email protected]

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: A four (4) year combination of education, training, and/or experience in outdoor education, public relations, or program management. Education in other fields must be supplemented by two (2) years of work experience which provides knowledge of professional outdoor education, public relations, various media, and/or information dissemination techniques.

Preference will be given to candidates who have knowledge, skills, and abilities in the following areas:

• Knowledge of public relations and customer communication principles
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to interact professionally with diverse audiences, including visitors, partners, and media representatives
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and manage multiple tasks
• Ability to apply departmental policies and procedures when interacting with the public
• Familiarity with public-facing materials, visual displays, and educational messaging is beneficial

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 14.11% 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. 
• Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness. 

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.

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