Summary

Description

This position is located in the Executive Director's Office of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. The Executive Director's office provides guidance and supervision of the activities of the Divisions within DNR in the development, preservation, and enhancement of Colorado's natural resources for the benefit and enjoyment of its citizens – both now and in the future. Divisions include the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission; the Colorado State Land Board; the Colorado Water Conservation Board; Colorado Parks and Wildlife; the Division of Water Resources; the Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety; Colorado Avalanche Information Center and the Division of Forestry.

This position must be able to be in person at the Colorado State Capitol when the legislature and interim committees are in session.

Description of Job

This position exists to develop and manage the Department's legislative program to ensure the programmatic goals of the Department and its 8 divisions are achieved. This position functions as a staff authority and the Department’s sole Legislative Liaison charged with influencing statutory changes that affect State's management of natural resources. This position consults with and responds to Governor's staff, the Executive Director and Deputy Director on the development of the legislative program; establishes legislative goals and implementation strategies, ensures the Department's position on specific legislation is developed and provided in a timely, accurate and in an effective manner; develops active support for the Department's goals with individuals and groups beyond the Department and state government; and tracks legislative task forces and implementation of passed legislation.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Managing DNR’s Legislative Program:

Position functions as the staff authority for influencing and advising on statutory changes that affect the State’s management of natural resources. The position develops and executes the Department’s legislative program.
Provides direction to others in furtherance of legislative program goals; analyzes legislation for impacts on DNR and its divisions; coordinates internal and external resources to achieve legislative goals; and develops and defends departmental legislative testimony.
The position functions as a liaison between DNR staff (DNR’s Executive Director’s Office, Division program managers, Division Directors, and other subject matter experts for each of DNR’s Divisions); and Governor’s Office staff and State Legislators.

Internal and external outreach to stakeholders:

Collaborates with Department leadership in the development of department-wide responses to legislative proposals that affect the Department and its divisions.

Provides direction to others in furtherance of legislative program goals; analyzes legislation for impacts on DNR and its divisions; coordinates internal and external resources to achieve legislative goals; and develops and defends departmental legislative testimony.

Legislation Implementation:

Tracks and reports details of DNR implementation of passed legislation and output of legislative task forces

Special Projects and other duties as assigned:

Manages special projects with an emphasis on the analysis of legislative and state, regional and national policy affecting the Department and its divisions. Researches, writes and presents reports, briefings and studies on policy issues for both internal and external distribution. Prepares policy statements, white papers, and background documents for the Governor’s Office, Executive Director, boards and commissions and the General Assembly.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Minimum Qualifications

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in Law, Political Science, Public Administration, Public Policy, Natural Resources-related fields, or other field closely related to the work assignment.

AND

At least three (3) years of progressively responsible professional experience analyzing legislation, policy development, lobbying, or in the natural resources field.

Substitutions
A combination of work experience in the occupational field or specialized subject area of the work assigned to the job, 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 a field of study related to the work assignment may be substituted for the bachelor's degree and one or two years of general experience respectively.

Please note: The required experience must be substantiated within the work experience section of your application. Your resume will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications; only the work experience section of your application will be reviewed to determine this. “See Resume” statements on the application will not be accepted. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.

Required Competencies

Proven experience in policy analysis.
Excellent interpersonal, communication and public speaking skills.
Ability to problem solve and execute decisions.
Ability to work in a complex political environment.
Excellent negotiation and consensus building skills.

Preferred Qualifications

In-depth knowledge of the Colorado legislative process.
Lobbying experience, preferably with the Colorado General Assembly.
Significant experience in a governmental environment.
Experience with natural resources policy and issues.
Experience successfully communicating complex programs to decision-makers.

Conditions of Employment:

While candidates from out of state will be considered for this role, the candidate selected for the position must relocate and reside in Colorado on the first day of their new position. A reasonable timeframe for relocation will be established on an individual basis, while considering business needs, and determining a start date.
Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify their application from the current position. (Please Note: Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with DNR).
Must be able to report to work at primary work location and at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver (200 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver). Must be able to travel within Colorado to overnight meetings 4-10 times per year for employee meetings or other events as needed.
Pursuant to the DNR-120 Fleet and Driving Standards Administrative Directive, any worker who will be expected to drive a State-owned vehicle is responsible for maintaining a safe driving record and a valid driver license prior to driving any State-owned vehicle.

To be compliant with the new fleet vehicle policy, Motor Vehicle Records (MVRs) will be pulled for review for workers who:
- Have an assigned State fleet vehicle
- Are required to operate a vehicle as part of the position
- Utilize a State fleet vehicle as a pool vehicle
Must be willing and able to register as a lobbyist with the Secretary of State and remain in good standing.
This position is exempt from the classified personnel system as it falls under the exemption provisions of article XII, section 13(2)(a)(XI) and (XII) of the constitution and §24-50-135(4), C.R.S. The position is not governed by the selection processes of the classified personnel system and is an at-will position.

Supplemental Information

The Assessment Process

All applications received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed by an HR Specialist against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement.
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 will be a structured application review by Subject Matter Experts.
Resumes, cover letters and other attachments are considered as part of initial reviews, therefore, it is important to document in your application your education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications as outlined in the job announcement.
Please do include a resume and cover letter which will be part of later reviews.
Please thoroughly answer all supplemental questions (if listed) since question responses may be evaluated for content, writing ability, spelling, grammar, and effective communication.
This recruitment may involve additional testing and/or exams to arrive at the top group for interviews.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

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. We are committed to increasing a “Colorado for ALL" of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of all backgrounds and abilities. The State of Colorado believes that a “Colorado for ALL” drives 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.. 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 dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us.

The Department of Natural Resources 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 dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us

ADAAA Accommodations
Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request accommodation, please contact our Benefits Specialist at dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us at least five business days before the date that any accommodation will be required to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.

E-Verify
The Department of Natural Resources participates in E-Verify in accordance with the program's Right to Work for all newly-hired employees. Employees are queried through the electronic system established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to verify identity and employment eligibility. You may complete section 1 of the I-9 form upon your acceptance of a job offer letter, but no later than your first day of employment and in addition, on your first day, but no later than the third day, you are required to submit original documents to verify your eligibility to work in the U.S. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Toll–Free Applicant Support – Technical Help
If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV at 855-524-5627, Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). The Human Resources Office will be unable to assist with technical issues.