Sr. Specialist, Communications & Engagement

This mission of the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and consumer energy costs by advancing clean energy, energy efficiency and zero emission vehicles to benefit all Coloradans. The Colorado Energy Office is a great place to work, with collaborative and talented employees who are passionate about our mission and a flexible hybrid (work from home/work from office) atmosphere. Employees report high satisfaction with their work, their colleagues and manager, and CEO leadership. Join us!

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. Governor’s Office staff should demonstrate a commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA) in the workplace to fulfill the promise of a Colorado For All. Staff are expected to participate in learning opportunities and training to increase their knowledge around EDIA, have a growth mindset, and embed new learnings and skills into daily business practices. Creating inaccessible digital content such as web pages, emails, presentations, or documents leaves the state open to fines up to $3,500 based on the language in House Bill 21-110. Staff should strive to make all digital content accessible using provided accessibility resources. 

Starting Salary Range: $85,009.60 - $100,006.40 Annually

*This position is eligible for a hybrid working arrangement. Hybrid positions are expected to be present at the office location for no less than one day per work week.

This announcement is open only to eligible individuals currently employed within the Colorado Energy Office. The announcement is for transparency purposes only to comply with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. Only applications from eligible individuals currently employed within the Colorado Energy Office will be accepted.

CEO’s Communications & Engagement (C&E) team promotes CEO programs and initiatives through communications and outreach to diverse communities across the state; promotes climate and energy initiatives to residents, businesses, and stakeholders through public communications, community events, and targeted outreach; delivers compelling, timely, and accessible information to support CEO’s mission; and, supports climate workforce development through strategic partnerships. 

CEO currently has an opening for a Senior Specialist, Communications & Engagement. This role will include developing subject matter expertise on the work of the Building Decarbonization (BD) and Strategic Initiative and Financing (SIFI) teams to identify, plan, and implement strategic communications, marketing, outreach, and engagement efforts. In collaboration with C&E, this position will use a variety of traditional media and digital media tools, including owned, paid, and earned media. In addition, outreach and engagement efforts may include in-person and virtual meetings, presentations and events, collateral development, and more. 

Candidates for the position should demonstrate strong organizational and time management skills, a proactive problem solving approach, and the ability to work well with others across teams and organizations. 

Management and Coordination 

• Serve as the lead coordinator between C&E and SIFI/BD teams, as well as serving as the lead and advisor for stakeholder engagement related to CEO’s non-residential programs. This may include individuals, organizations, businesses, and partners that are involved in industry, business, buildings, geothermal, energy codes, and more. 

• Support coordination and engagement with State of Colorado agencies, stakeholders, and other external partners to align strategies, activities, and key messages.

• Support onboarding and continuous training of C&E team members. 

• Represent the Colorado Energy Office at key relevant events and identify opportunities to partner with new individuals, groups, and the private sector, and explore ways to strengthen these partnerships over time. 

Communications & Engagement Team Support

• Process design, implementation, and improvement. 

• Serve as the lead for stakeholder engagement for non-residential programs, lead the development of new engagement activities and initiatives and support existing activities to advance programs statewide.

• Support officewide projects that encompass any non-residential topics.

• Support marketing and collateral development, storytelling efforts.

• Support development and tracking of key metrics and reporting. 

• Assist with Salesforce, Marketing Cloud, project management, and other platforms

• Work with others on the team to create social media content, CEO newsletter content, and other cross-team needs.

• Lead development of new engagement activities and initiatives and support existing activities to advance programs statewide.  

• Facilitate and track community and stakeholder input, work with teams to evaluate and respond, as needed, and use to inform program development and refinement.

• Develop relationships with existing stakeholders and lead efforts to engage new stakeholders.

SIFI/BD Teams Support 

• Plan and implement proactive communications and engagement efforts for SIFI/BD programs, and other non-residential programs.   

• Serve as lead for geothermal communications and engagement working group 

• Identify and track key audiences, stakeholders, and activities related to BD and SIFI programs.

• Continuously collaborate with SIFI/BD and other teams as needed to develop ideas and content related to key messages, success stories, website updates, accessibility, social media, collateral, presentations, and more.

• Assist with SIFI/BD budget planning and management for communications and engagement needs. 

• Prepare annual reports, case studies, one-pagers, presentations, and legislative and other materials upon request.  

Other

• Other duties as assigned

• Minimum 3 years of relevant professional experience.

• Knowledgeable and passionate about energy and climate related issues including energy efficiency and/or electrification.

• Experience and demonstrated knowledge of communications and engagement strategies. 

• Experience prioritizing and managing projects amongst a wide array of challenges and opportunities.

• Demonstrate a collaborative and proactive problem-solving approach and a dedication to continuous improvement.

• Strong attention to detail and follow through to drive projects over the finish line. 

• Strong time management and organization skills.

• Strong written, oral, and presentation communication skills.

• Comfort and flexibility with changing circumstances and willingness to take on or adapt assignments as needed. 

• Valid driver's license

• Ability to travel up to 15% of the time

• Flexibility to work periodic weekends, evenings, and overnight travel, as needed

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social science, marketing, communications, or other related field OR 4 additional years of experience working in related field. 

To Apply:

A cover letter and resume must be submitted with the application for consideration. Your cover letter and resume must provide sufficient detail about your background and experience to allow the screening panel to properly assess your experience in the required elements, including your experience and achievements.  

The State of Colorado/Office of the Governor offers a generous benefits package including:

• Annual leave accrued at 13.33 hours per month (4 weeks a year)

• Sick leave accrued at 6.66 hours a month (10 days a year)

• 11 paid holidays per year

• Medical and dental plans

• State paid life insurance policy of $50,000

• Choice of 2 retirement plans

• 401K and 457 plans

• State paid Short Term Disability coverage

• Additional optional life and disability plans

• Credit Union Membership

• RTD pass

• Training and professional development

To learn more about State of Colorado benefits visit: https://www.colorado.gov/dhr/benefits.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

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. 

ADAAA Accommodations

The Office of the Governor 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 Staffing Coordinator (the Director of Human Resources) at [email protected].

Conditions of Employment

Applicants must pass a thorough background check prior to employment.