Public Affairs and Policy Director - POL ADV VI - HYBRID - State of Colorado : Job Details
Public Affairs and Policy Director - POL ADV VI - HYBRID
State of ColoradoJob Location : all cities,CO, USA
This position is only open to Colorado state residents.
This position will have hybrid workplace options available but will still be required to report to the listed address at the discretion of the supervisor and based on business need.
We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.
The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness. The State is resolute in non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities.
If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Our tobacco-free campus offers free parking and is conveniently located near RTD bus lines, Glendale City Set, and the Cherry Creek bike path. In addition to a great location and rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:
- Employee wellness programs and facilities
- Extensive internal professional development opportunities on a wide variety of subjects
- Bike to work programs, including access to storage lockers and bike racks
- Distinctive career advancement opportunities throughout the State system
- Strong, yet flexible retirement benefits including a choice of the PERA Defined Benefit Plan or the PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus optional 401K and 457 plans
- Medical and dental health plans
- Paid life insurance
- Short- and long-term disability coverage
- 11 paid holidays per year plus generous personal time off
- Mentoring program with opportunities for mentors and mentees
- Tuition assistance for college level courses including Master's degree programs
- Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, and a variety of employee resource groups
Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, go to:
Description of JobThe Work UnitThe Air Pollution Control Division (APCD) at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is responsible for protecting and improving Colorado's air quality and the public's health by implementing state and federal air quality laws and regulations. The division oversees monitoring, permitting, compliance, enforcement, policy development, and stakeholder engagement initiatives aimed at reducing air pollution, addressing environmental justice, and mitigating climate impacts.
What You Will Be DoingAPCD's Public Affairs and Policy Director oversees the legislative function of the Air Pollution Control Division, reporting to and advising the Senior Director of Air Quality as the department's delegated Staff Authority. This is a strategic role that facilitates the passage of the department's air quality agenda by overseeing the division's development of bill proposals; monitoring bills during session, elevating concerns, and engaging on positions or amendments; and assuring post-session activities are assigned and completed. The position is the key point of contact for the department's Legislative Affairs work unit and lobbying team, assuring the division is responsive to legislative requests, and that products produced for the executive director, legislature, and governor's office are of high quality. The position provides strategic direction, political insight, and expert analysis to navigate complex and high-stakes political environments, understanding the political landscape and shaping effective public policy by advising division and department leadership and the Governor's Office. The position ensures that APCD's legislative work is internally aligned, externally credible, and strategically positioned to advance the division's air quality and climate goals in partnership with the department and administration.
Job DutiesOversees the Division's Legislative Function
- Ensures alignment between APCD's programmatic goals, the department's legislative protocols, and the administration's priorities. This position oversees the division's legislative agenda process, incorporating division leadership priorities, coordinating the division's bill requests, and ensuring the information provided is well reasoned, well written, and vetted with division leadership.
- Follows the legislative procedures of the governor's office, the department, and state law, and regularly huddles with the department's Legislative Affairs work unit to ensure ongoing alignment.
- Works with the Legislative Affairs work unit to ensure consistency in divisional communications, strategy, and messaging around legislation, while engaging with the governor's office, stakeholders, (including NGOs, industry and affected communities), and other state agencies. Leads the coordination, development, and delivery of staff training and technical assistance regarding the legislative process, to improve knowledge and understanding of legislative work processes among APCD staff at all levels.
- Serves as the principal strategic legislative advisor to the Senior Director of Air Quality Programs. It is responsible for identifying and advancing legislative opportunities that support the division's mission and the broader goals of the department and administration. Provides strategic direction, political insight, and expert analysis to navigate complex and high-stakes political environments, ensuring that the division's legislative strategies are well-informed, timely, and impactful.
- Advises the Senior Director on legislative trends, emerging opportunities, and political risks, and supports alignment between legislative priorities and APCD programmatic goals, while also providing guidance across APCD on legislative matters, helping to synthesize policy context, regulatory background, and stakeholder perspectives into clear strategic recommendations.
- Provides ad hoc support to the Senior Director of Air Quality Programs and division leadership in response to emerging priorities, urgent requests, and high-profile legislative or policy matters. The Public Affairs and Policy Director may represent the division in cross-agency or stakeholder meetings, contribute to executive-level briefings, or support time-sensitive initiatives that require legislative or political expertise.
- Developing and delivering clear, persuasive, and politically attuned communications that support APCD's legislative efforts and policy positions. In alignment with the Senior Director of Air Quality Programs and the department's Legislative Affairs work unit, the Public Affairs and Policy Director translates complex technical, legal, and programmatic information into compelling narratives for legislators, the Governor's Office, CDPHE leadership, and other stakeholders.
- Collaborates closely with the department's Legislative Affairs work unit, APCD program staff, and the Public Affairs & Policy Manager to ensure timely and coordinated messaging, particularly during legislative session. This includes integrating environmental justice, public health, and community priorities into communications when appropriate and using strategic framing to proactively shape external perceptions of the division's work.
- Leads or contributes to cross-cutting projects and high-priority strategic initiatives that advance the mission of the Air Pollution Control Division and the broader goals of CDPHE. In alignment with the Senior Director of Air Quality Programs, the Senior Policy Director brings political insight, policy expertise, and a solutions-oriented approach to assignments that require coordination across multiple programs or agencies.
- Collaborates with APCD leadership, the department's Legislative Affairs work unit, and other internal and external stakeholders to ensure that project outcomes reflect sound public policy, align with agency priorities, and are responsive to political dynamics. This includes surfacing new opportunities for strategic engagement and providing high-quality support to the Senior Director on division-wide priorities as they emerge.
- Direct supervision of two (2) FTE staff, while providing oversight and direction to these positions, assuring that the program objectives are met through regular 1:1 meetings and during performance evaluations.
- Initiates the hiring process and makes hiring decisions, sometimes in collaboration with the Senior Director of Air Quality.
- Fosters a teamwork environment and develops staff, providing training as necessary. Resolves employee performance issues, disputes, and informal grievances and initiates corrective actions as needed, in accordance with HR policies and procedures.
This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.
Class Code & Classification DescriptionH1R6XXPOLICY ADVISOR VI
Minimum QualificationsAn applicant may meet the minimum qualifications for this job in one of two ways: They may qualify through their work experience alone or through a combination of education and work experience.
Experience Only
Nine (9) years of experience in public policy or public administration, legislative affairs, governmental affairs or governmental experience, project management, communications, air quality management, environmental policy/management or business
OR
Education And Experience
A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in public policy or public administration, legislative affairs, governmental affairs or experience, project management, communications, air quality management, environmental policy or management, business equal to nine (9) years
Preferred QualificationsIn addition to the minimum requirements, the successful candidate in this position will have the following experience:
- Previous State Service related to the work assigned to the position
- Previous experience researching, analyzing and assessing pending legislation and recommending potential actions
- Previous experience working with large volumes of information in a high-pressure setting
- Previous experience translating and communicating complex topics in a variety of forums, tailoring communications to effectively fit and influence the target audience
- Politically savvy with a proven ability to work within a complex political environment and governmental system
- Excellent negotiation and consensus building skills with proven track record of successful collaboration and engagement; ability to work collaboratively with key internal and external leaders, partners, community members and stakeholders
- Previous experience creating verbal and written communication and public speaking
- Demonstrated experience managing complex projects and working effectively under tight timeframes and deadlines
- Strong persuasive skills, proven ability to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders
- Demonstrated strong and effective communication, teamwork, flexibility, accountability, and adaptability
- Demonstrated strong emotional intelligence and embraces diversity and inclusion
- A pre-employment background check will be conducted as part of the selection process.
- TRAVEL: Twice per year, for conferences and/or trainings
An applicant who has been removed from an employment list or removed from consideration during the selection process may request a review by the State Personnel Director. As an applicant directly affected by the results of the selection or comparative analysis process, you may file a written appeal with the State Personnel Director. Review of the completed, signed, and submitted appeal will be timely on the basis of written material submitted by you, using the official appeal form signed by you or your representative. This form must be completed and delivered to the State Personnel Board within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgment of the Department's action. For further information on the Board Rules, you can refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov/board-rules.
Supplemental InformationA Complete Application Packet Must Include
- Completed State of Colorado application.
- RESUME
- COVER LETTER: describing how your professional/supervisory experience aligns with the preferred qualifications of this position and what interests you in this position
- Answered supplemental questions.
- If using education to qualify for this position a copy of your transcripts (unofficial acceptable) or diploma must be provided with application. (if either are unavailable please email the department contact for this posting, listed above)
- If using work experience to qualify for this position, please provide an adequate description in the work experience section of the application. Do not write see resume .
- If you are a veteran, a copy of your DD214 attached to your colorado.gov/jobs application.
- All applications that are received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications proceed to the next step.
- Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process.
- Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position may be a structured application review, which involves a review of the information you submit in your application materials by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) against the preferred qualifications.
- A top group, up to six candidates, will be invited to schedule an interview with the hiring manager.
E-Verify: CDPHE uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
ADAAA AccommodationsThe State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator at [email protected] or call 303-###-####, option 5.
The State of Colorado offers permanent employees a variety of benefits including medical, dental, life and disability insurance, as well as a comprehensive leave program. Please click the following link for detailed information: www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/benefits
Please note that each agency's contact information is different; therefore, we encourage all applicants to view the full, official job announcement which includes contact information and class title. Select the job you wish to view, then click on the Print icon.
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- Director
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- Government Administration