Director of Transition and Special Projects (Term Limited)

This position is open to current Colorado residents only.

At the direction of the Deputy Executive Director of Operations and Strategy, the Special Project Manager will provide leadership in developing and executing the Department’s gubernatorial transition plan informed by the current CDHS Transition Team. The Special Project Manager collaborates across teams to support resources, policies, and strategic initiatives to achieve these goals. The Special Project Manager will also satisfy the need to ensure oversight of ongoing critical incident operational and change management needs, and ensure the training of end users of the Critical Incident management system. This temporary arrangement preserves senior-level expertise within the Department while maintaining fiscal responsibility through a part-time, hourly structure.

Primary Job Duties:

Gubernatorial Transition Management

• Drive Transition Operations: Serve as the primary operational lead for the gubernatorial transition, managing day-to-day planning, project tracking, accountability structures, and timeline execution under the guidance of agency leadership.

• Facilitate Cross-Functional Collaboration: Act as the central point of contact to coordinate workstreams, resolve issues, and ensure seamless communication and information flow among internal divisions, offices, and external stakeholders.

• Support Executive Decision-Making: Coordinate critical deliverables, decision-making processes, and meetings, while preparing high-level briefings, status updates, and strategic recommendations for executive leadership.

• Mitigate Risks and Solve Problems: Proactively identify operational barriers, gaps, and risks across transition activities, developing and implementing swift solutions to maintain momentum.

• Ensure Business Continuity: Foster a collaborative, responsive team environment that aligns incoming transition initiatives with ongoing, everyday agency business needs and priorities.

• Execute the Transition Project Plan: Take ownership of the established transition project plan, driving all scheduled workstreams, tracking milestones, and ensuring the successful, on-time completion of all defined operational goals. 

• Manage Information Distribution and Deadlines: Establish and oversee efficient workflows for the timely distribution of critical transition materials to internal and external parties; proactively follow up with stakeholders to ensure all key deadlines and prioritized plan events are met.

• Facilitate Executive Onboarding: Support the onboarding process for incoming leadership by serving as an informational resource and providing subject-matter expertise on transition protocols, agency structures, and institutional knowledge.

• Navigate Specialized Personnel Systems: Provide specialized guidance and technical expertise regarding the unique hiring, classification, and structural requirements associated with Amendment S and Senior Executive Service (SES) positions to ensure compliant, seamless leadership placement.

• Provide executive leadership and strategic oversight to the Critical Incident and Emergency Management (CI/EM) team to ensure continuity of operations during the Chief Legal Officer (CLO) transition.

• Preserve interim CLO capacity by directing critical incident and emergency management operations, allowing for continuity and stability during leadership transitions.

• Orchestrate urgent and high-stakes responses to critical incidents with internal and external stakeholders, including the Executive Director’s Office, CDHS Communications, Office Directors, facilities, and the Governor’s Office.

• Ensure timely, accurate, professional, and customer-focused communication related to critical incidents at all organizational levels and with external partners.

• Govern all operational standards by ensuring comprehensive knowledge of regulatory requirements, federal notification mandates, emergency management protocols, and industry best practices related to critical incident response.

• Oversee the creation, analysis, and dissemination of critical incident dashboards, reports, and status updates to support operational awareness, compliance, and executive decision-making.

• Mitigate organizational risk by directing the identification, troubleshooting, and implementation of contingency plans related to critical incident reporting processes and technology platforms.

• Champion and direct cross-divisional collaboration with facilities, divisions, and stakeholders to mandate consistency and improvement in utilization and effectiveness of critical incident reporting technology and processes.

• Authorize and execute updates to Critical Incident policies and procedures based on operational trends, regulatory changes, stakeholder feedback, and best practices.

• Establish cross-functional adherence by directing coordination with stakeholders before, during, and after critical incidents to ensure proper training, accurate reporting, timely follow-up, and adherence to established procedures.

• Drive continuous improvement by mandating and overseeing the monitoring and evaluation of CI/EM operational processes, reporting trends, and stakeholder feedback to identify opportunities for increased organizational readiness.

Minimum Qualifications:

Years of Experience:

Ten (10) years of relevant experience which includes a combination of the following experience: Government Operations & Interagency Collaboration; Organizational Change & Continuous Improvement; Executive Communications & Decision Support; Risk Management & Regulatory Compliance; Critical Incident & Crisis Management; Cross-Functional Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement; Executive Leadership Support; Strategic Planning & Project Management; Executive Transition & Operations Management.

OR

Education and Experience:

A combination of education and experience in a combination of Government Operations & Interagency Collaboration; Organizational Change & Continuous Improvement; Executive Communications & Decision Support; Risk Management & Regulatory Compliance; Critical Incident & Crisis Management; Cross-Functional Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement; Executive Leadership Support; Strategic Planning & Project Management; Executive Transition & Operations Management,  equal to ten (10) years. 

Executive Operations & Transition Management – Demonstrated experience leading complex organizational initiatives, executive transitions, or large-scale operational projects while ensuring continuity of business operations.

Strategic Project & Program Management – Proven ability to develop, execute, and monitor project plans, manage competing priorities, meet critical deadlines, and deliver results in high-pressure environments.

Executive Leadership Support & Communication – Experience preparing executive briefings, strategic recommendations, reports, and presentations, with the ability to communicate effectively with senior executives and external stakeholders.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Stakeholder Collaboration – Ability to build collaborative relationships, facilitate communication across multiple divisions and agencies, and successfully coordinate diverse stakeholder groups.

Critical Incident, Emergency Management & Business Continuity – Experience directing emergency operations, critical incident response, continuity of operations (COOP), crisis management, or organizational resilience initiatives.

Risk Management & Sound Decision-Making – Demonstrated ability to identify operational risks, resolve complex problems, develop contingency plans, and make timely, well-informed decisions under changing conditions.

Regulatory Compliance & Government Operations – Knowledge of government operations, personnel systems, applicable laws, regulatory requirements, policy development, and administrative governance, including executive personnel processes such as SES or Amendment S (preferred).

Analytical & Organizational Skills – Strong ability to analyze complex information, monitor performance metrics, develop executive dashboards, prioritize work, and manage multiple high-profile initiatives simultaneously.

Organizational Change & Continuous Improvement – Experience leading process improvement, organizational change initiatives, policy development, and implementation of operational best practices to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Leadership & Adaptability – Demonstrated leadership, professionalism, accountability, sound judgment, and the ability to thrive in fast-paced, politically sensitive, and rapidly changing environments while managing high-priority special projects.

• This position requires State of Colorado residency at the time of application (unless otherwise identified in the posting), and residency within the state throughout the duration of employment in this position.

• Standard Background ALL CDHS employees (non-direct contact): CBI name check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), and drug screen (commercial Driver’s license) 

• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must:
  1.  Disclose that information on the application 
  2.  Provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position. 
  3.  Provide the employee number from the applicant’s prior State employment.  Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.

Employment history is calculated on a full-time basis (40/hrs per week). Part-time employment is calculated on a prorated basis to determine qualifications. Be sure your application specifically addresses your qualifications, experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the position and minimum requirements. 

• Preferred Qualifications & Competencies:

  • Relevant years of state service experience.

You may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director if your application is eliminated.  You will find the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it on the State Personnel Board website.

• You or your representative must sign and submit the official appeal form for review.  

• You can find the official appeal form here. 

• You must deliver the official appeal form to the State Personnel Board:

  • By email ([email protected]), or

  • Postmarked in US Mail to(1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203, or 

  • Hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or

  • Faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.

Contact the State Personnel Board for assistance:

• At (303) 866-3300, or

•  Refer to the  Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, within the Rules webpage.

The Assessment Process

For additional recruiting questions, please contact [email protected]. 

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, join the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS). Our professionals strive to design and deliver high quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well-being of the people of Colorado. Each of us is committed to contributing to a safe and accessible CDHS. In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401(k) and 457 plans

• Medical and dental health plans

• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account

• Paid life insurance

• Short- and long-term disability coverage

• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave

• State of Colorado Employee BenefitHub Resource Center

• Employee Wellness program

• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more

• Remote work arrangements for eligible positions

• *Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

• We believe in a people-first approach: We prioritize the needs, well-being, and dignity of the individuals, families and communities we serve. We commit to respect, fairness and access in every decision, policy and interaction. We engage client voices and experiences in the development and implementation of the services we provide.

• Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.

• We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.

• Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.

• We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.

• Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.

CDHS is committed to a Colorado for 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. 

This includes completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or performing 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 [email protected].

The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer.

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.

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 1) ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files and 2) close the document before you attempt to upload (attach) it.