Director of Finance & Administration

Summary

Description

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference and builds greater public confidence in good government, consider joining the dedicated people of the State of Colorado. Our professionals strive to support state government and the citizens of Colorado. Customer service is a key component for every position in state government as is the focus on ideas and ways to redesign the delivery of services in making state government more effective and efficient.

In addition to a great agency and rewarding, meaningful work, we offer: 

• Distinctive career advancement opportunities throughout the state system;

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined 

• Contribution Plan plus 401K and 457 plans. Member Contribution Rates. Correctional Officers I-IV qualify as "Safety Officers" and are eligible for increased PERA benefits;

• Medical and dental health plans; 

• Short and long term disability coverage;

• Paid life insurance;

• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave;

• Wellness program, tuition reimbursement, training opportunities and more;

• Visit State of Colorado Employee Benefits. for more information.

Terms of Employment: 

• Employment is at-will, with no actual, expressed or implied contract.

Description of Job

The Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) is recruiting for a dynamic leader to direct the Office of Finance and Administration, as the Chief Financial Officer.  
 

Primary duties include, but are not limited to: 

• Advance agency agenda by establishing and maintaining relationships with internal and external stakeholders to build consensus in broad organizational policy areas and goals. These stakeholders include: DOC staff, employee partnerships, staff from the Governor's office, legislators, legislative staff, locally elected officials, local law enforcement, leaders from other state agencies, the Colorado Commission on Crime and Juvenile Justice, and members of the public;
• Negotiate and collaborate with officials of the Office of Strategic Planning & Budget (OSPB), the Joint Budget Committee (JBC), State Controller, Legislative Audit Committee, and the Department of Personnel & Administration (DPA) regarding financial, administrative, legislative, and operational matters related to the Department of Corrections;
• Testify before legislative committees, the State Audit Committee, the Joint Budget Committee, and the Capital Development Committee regarding legislative, operational, and budgetary matters affecting the Department;
• At the direction of the Deputy Executive Director, represent the Department to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders;
• As the appointing authority, manage, supervise and provide direction and support for each area of the Department that reports, directly and indirectly, to the Director of Finance and Administration: budget and business operations, finance, purchasing, contracting, correctional industries, facility management services, and other administrative functions as may be determined by the Deputy Executive Director;
• Provide agency direction and management to each of these areas to ensure compliance with relevant federal and state laws and regulations and Departmental policies;
• Provide leadership to encourage innovation and problem solving to ensure efficient and effective operations to provide good customer service to a wide range of affected stakeholders;
• Work cooperatively with the Director of Prison Operations, the Director of Adult Parole, Director of Clinical and Correctional Services, Chief Human Resource Officer, Public Information Officer, Business Innovation Group, Profit Loss and Acquisition, and the Inspector General to provide guidance in responding to a multitude of issues that require input from the Executive Management Team;
• Collaborate with other members of the Executive Management Team to develop and implement performance-based measures to monitor successful implementation of the strategic plan in an effort to ensure that Departmental operations are efficient, effective, and customer-service oriented operations;
• Report to major crisis situations such as a facility or division emergency or natural disaster, which involves a unit under the Director's span of authority;
• Other duties as assigned. 

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Only applicants who meet the minimum and special qualifications for the vacancy will be included in the comparative analysis process.
EDUCATION:  Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Finance, Business Management, Criminal Justice or related field. (Unofficial college transcripts must be uploaded with this application to be considered. Transcripts must include your name, college name, degree and date conferred in order to receive credit).

– AND – 

EXPERIENCE:  Six (6) years of progressively responsible *professional work experience in budgeting, finance or procurement within a large, multiple level public safety or corrections governmental agency/organization.  This experience must have included all of the following: 

• Two years of managing through subordinate supervisors;
• Two years of public or business administration that includes establishing organizational structure, developing strategic work plans, budget development and control, setting goals and objectives to achieve program results, and fostering a team environment.

This experience must be detailed within the work experience section of your application.  Resumes will not be accepted "in lieu" of detailed work experience.

Substitutions:

• Experience which provided the same kind, amount and level of knowledge acquired in the required education, may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the bachelor's degree.
• A master's or doctorate degree from an accredited college or university in the above mentioned fields may be substituted for the bachelor's degree and on a year-for-year basis of general experience but not the four years of specific experience.
• A bachelor degree (or higher) that is not in a closely related field of study, may substitute up to 60 semester hours of core coursework on a year for year basis.

*Professional work experience is defined as work that involves exercising discretion, analytical skill, judgment, and personal accountability, and responsibility for creating, developing, integrating, applying, and sharing an organized body of knowledge that characteristically is uniquely acquired through an intense education or training regimen at a recognized college or university; equivalent to the curriculum requirements for a bachelor's or higher degree with major study in or pertinent to the specialized field; and continuously studied to explore, extend, and use additional discoveries, interpretations, and application and to improve data, materials, equipment, applications and methods.
 

Ensure that the “Work Experience" section of the application is complete and contains all relevant work experience related to the position that you are applying for.  This information will be used to help determine compensation for the position.  "See resume" statements cannot be accepted in lieu of the "work experience" section of the application.  Additional work experience will not be accepted after the job announcement close date for compensation purposes.  

Required Competencies:

• Self-control, a strong sense of ability to work in stressful, potentially violent situations;
• Ability to remain alert, emotionally stable, and mentally resilient under pressure and observant throughout their shift;
• Tolerance to stress, confinement, and high-stakes interaction;
• Proven experience in public sector contract management,  budget and governmental financial management;
• Proven experience managing staff with diverse professional experience and qualifications;
• Proven experience in policy analysis, development and implementation;
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication and public speaking skills;
• Ability to work in a complex political environment;
• Excellent negotiation and consensus building skills;
• Ability to understand, develop, and implement performance and outcome measures, managing effective operations while ensuring performance measures are met; 
• Proven ability to provide analytical expertise in strategic planning, operational effectiveness and progressive evaluation of measurements;
• Proven ability to provide efficient and effective customer service to the stakeholders of Colorado, which includes exemplary responsiveness; 
• Ability to establish measures of efficiencies through the creation of objectives which measure efficiencies;
• Ability to implement and improve the operation through effective performance measures;
• Ability to read and comprehend the English language; 
• Ability to effectively communicate fluently in English both verbally and in writing.  

 Preferred Qualifications:

•  Senior level management experience within a criminal justice or correctional environment;
•  Experience managing and directing administrative processes in a governmental, correctional organization which includes the ability to develop proven inter-agency relationships with state, federal and local agencies;
•  Extensive knowledge of the legislative processes, government funding and the State purchasing system;
•  Proven ability to negotiate and work with legislative officials in the creation of statewide policy;
•  Experience and the ability to testify to a legislative body as an expert of current governmental/budget/correctional trends and issues.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The Assessment Process: Your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum Qualifications (MQ's). Applicants that meet MQ’s will be included in the Comparative Analysis process. Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted through a comparative analysis which may include, but is not limited to, a suitability screening, eSkills Assessment, oral assessment, written performance assessment or it may include a review of your application material and your responses to any supplemental questions by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to assess and rank applicants in order to establish an eligible list for referral to the hiring manager for final consideration.

Use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including language models, to create, write, or alter any portion of responses throughout any step of the assessment process may result in the disqualification of an applicant. 

Be sure the “Work Experience” section of your application is complete and specifically addresses your qualifications, experience, and accomplishments as they relate to the Description of the Job, Minimum Qualifications, Required Competencies and Preferred Qualifications as listed above. Resumes and “see resume” statements will not be accepted in lieu of the “Work Experience” section of the application. Failure to include adequate information or follow instructions by the closing date may result in your application not being accepted and/or may affect your score, rank or inclusion in the final pool of eligible applicants.

Employees who are rehired or reinstated within six months of their separation will return at either their previous pay rate if hired into the same class level or based on their time in the class series, whichever is higher. Those rehired or reinstated after six months' separation will be calculated using the same formula for new hires and promotions.

Please note that while this change in role may constitute a promotion in title and/or responsibility, salary adjustments are not guaranteed and may be influenced by factors such as internal pay equity, budget constraints, market benchmarks, or the individual’s current compensation level. Any changes to compensation will be determined separately and communicated accordingly.

If you have transcripts, a license or other relevant documentation regarding your qualifications, upload and attach copies to your application. 

If an unofficial copy of transcripts is being submitted at the time of application, transcripts from colleges or universities outside the United States must be assessed for U.S. equivalency by a NACES educational credential evaluation service. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and must be included as part of your application materials. Failure to provide a transcript or credential evaluation report may prevent your application from moving forward in the selection process.

Under the Job Application Fairness Act (SB 23-058), applicants may redact information from certifications and transcripts that identify their age, date of birth or dates of attendance from an educational institution. 

In order to process a background investigation, your application must include at least (10) ten years of the most current work experience unless experience related to the job for which you are applying is later than (10) years. Failure to provide this information could result in delays and/or elimination from the background investigation process.

Toll Free Applicant Technical Support: If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV technical support at 855-524-5627 Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time).  Helpful hints: if you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application first, ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files and second, close the document before you attempt to upload (attach) it.

**You are encouraged to print a copy of this announcement for your records**

Conditions of Employment: All job offers are contingent upon a successful medical screening by a healthcare professional, certifying the candidate's ability to perform the essential functions of the position.  Applicant must consent to hold harmless CDOC and its agents and staff from any liability arising in whole or in part from the testing and the use of this information in connection with CDOC’s consideration of application for employment.

• Must be 21 years of age

• Possess a valid driver’s license. Drivers must maintain a valid, non-restricted Colorado driver license, obey traffic laws, and be able to safely operate a motor vehicle. State drivers are expected to maintain a safe driving record consistent with Colorado Division of Human Resources Universal Policy Driving Standards (Download PDF reader). Eligibility to drive a State-owned vehicle, includes holding a valid Colorado driver’s license within 30 days of employment or residency change and meeting specific driving record criteria. Serious traffic violations, including DUIs or reckless driving, can disqualify drivers for up to seven years.  All State Vehicles are monitored by telematics for safe operation and employees have no reasonable expectation of privacy while using an agency State Fleet vehicle.

• Possess a high school diploma or GED

• Have NO felony convictions, to include any actions defined in 5 U.S.C. 301; U.S.C. 509, 510; 42 U.S.C. 15601-15609. The CDOC shall not hire nor promote anyone who may have contact with an offender who has engaged in sexual abuse which includes acts, activity, and sexual behavior,  in a prison or other institution as defined in 42 U.S.C. 1997; or has been convicted of engaging or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse, or has been civilly or administratively adjudicated to have engaged in the activity described in the above paragraph. The agency shall consider any incidents of sexual harassment in determining whether to hire anyone who may have contact with offenders or residents.

• Applicants must be legally eligible to work in the United States to be appointed to this position. CDOC uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. CDOC does not sponsor non-residents of the United States.

• Successfully pass all modules of the six-week Colorado Department of Corrections Basic Training, to include English reading comprehension, relevant competency assessments and written/practical exams in Defensive Tactics

• Possess the physical ability to successfully complete Defensive Tactics

  • Lift arms above head and kick as high as own waist

  • Stabilize another person to accomplish a controlled take down

  • Use arms, palms of hands, shins, and feet to deliver blows

  • Withstand impact (slow speed or with a safety bag) on own body from strikes/blows

  • Swing a baton in a striking technique

  • Rotate body 90 degrees with feet planted for striking with foot or using a defensive tactic;

  • Get down on one or both knees and up again with multiple repetitions

• Will be exposed to Oleoresin Capsicum during Basic Training and will be exposed while on assignment

• Must be able to see and hear in order to observe, address and respond to potential breaches in safety and security

• Seize, hold, control or subdue violent or assaultive persons and defend oneself or others to prevent injury

• Demonstrate body agility, strength of all four limbs and the ability to walk and climb stairs consistently

• Work in situations involving assaultive behavior, physical control of another person and/or restraint situations

• Deal with individuals with a range of moods and behaviors, utilizing tactfulness and a congenial, personable manner

• Work with people of the opposite sex, diverse racial ethnic groups, mentally ill and emotionally disturbed offenders

• Communicate by talking, listening and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information, assignments

• Work in an environment with fluctuating noise and temperature (hot and cold) which may include working outdoors in inclement weather and/or concrete floor/wall work settings

• Willing and able to travel

• Willing and able to work various shifts, days, afternoons, graveyards (nights) which includes a rotating shift schedule

• TB (tuberculosis) screening is required of all new employees upon hire

Successful completion of a background investigation is required. Should applicant’s background reveal criminal charges, it shall be the responsibility of the applicant to provide the Department of Corrections with written/official disposition of any charges.

The CDOC is committed to a work environment free from illegal drugs and alcohol. Employees (see exception below) may use marijuana in their personal time but are prohibited from working while under the influence of any substance, including marijuana. A drug test will be administered to all new employees; employees must successfully pass.  Random drug screening will occur throughout employment. 

Exception: Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified employees are prohibited from the use of marijuana. Health care professionals must check their licensing requirements regarding marijuana use.

Supplemental Information

After submitting an application, you should receive an email acknowledging your submission. If you do not get the email, please check to ensure you have actually submitted the application and typed the correct email address on the application.

Include a working email address on your application; one that is checked daily as time sensitive correspondence WILL take place via email. You may receive email notifications from a Colorado Dept. of Corrections employee or from this email address: info@governmentjobs.com. It is your responsibility to ensure that your email will accept these notices and/or review your junk mail and spam filtered email; if you do not receive correspondence soon after the closing date or if you have questions about this job announcement, please contact Jennifer LaDuke at jennifer.laduke@state.co.us. 

SCHEDULED DATES OF POSSIBLE APPLICANT ASSESSMENTS (I.E., EXAMS, ORAL BOARDS, WRITTEN EXAMS) WILL NOT BE MADE UP.  IF YOU FAIL TO SHOW AT THE APPOINTED DATE/TIME, MAKE-UPS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED.  

The 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 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. 

The Colorado Department of Corrections 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 Employee Relations Specialist, Kristen Lange, at doc_employeerelations@state.co.us or call 719-728-0270.

ALL DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FACILITIES AND BUILDINGS ARE TOBACCO FREE. 

WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE PROTECTED CLASSES TO APPLY.