Director of Statewide Performance (internal candidate only)

Colorado for All 

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. 

Colorado For All - Colorado Employee Reflections

Mission of Governor’s Office of Operations: To empower state agencies to build a culture of operational excellence and bold innovation driven by continuous performance improvement.

Promotional Opportunity 

This announcement is open only to eligible individuals currently employed within the Office of Operations within the Office of the Governor. The announcement is for transparency purposes only to comply with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. 

An intended candidate currently employed within the Office of Operations within the Office of the Governor has been identified.

Position Title: Director of Statewide Performance

Department: Governor’s Office of Operations and Cabinet Affairs 

FLSA Status: Exempt

Full Time, 40 hrs/week

Term Limited: The position is funded through December 2026

Organizational Relationships: The Director of Statewide Performance (Director) is housed in the Governor’s Office of Operations and Cabinet Affairs and reports to the Deputy Chief of Staff for State Agency Operations & Cabinet Affairs (Deputy Chief of Staff). The person in this position directly supervises a team of 3-6 Operations Advisors, the Operations Data Analyst, and the Operations Coordinator. This person also works collaboratively with executive leaders and staff across both the Governor’s Office and state agencies. 

Expected Annual Travel:  Occasional in-state and out-of-state travel.

Summary of Functions: The Director of Statewide Performance oversees the statewide performance management system, including the development and execution of high-priority goals and strategic plans for each Department under the Executive Branch. The person in this position leads the Governor’s Office of Operations alongside the Deputy Chief of Staff to organize the executive branch to deliver on policy priorities, implement initiatives to improve agency operational performance, and address operational challenges across the State as they arise. The Director also supports the Deputy Chief of Staff in other responsibilities, including representing the Deputy Chief of Staff in various internal and external meetings, assisting with day-to-day Cabinet operations, and other responsibilities as assigned. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

The individual in this position will work directly with agency leadership and staff to implement the Governor's policy and operational initiatives, including:

• The operationalization of the Governor’s priorities by coordinating with State Agencies and facilitating cross-functional teams within executive branch agencies, community stakeholders, and/or vendors, as needed, to execute on the initiative;

• Maintaining the State’s performance management system in compliance with the SMART Act, including:

  • The Governor’s Dashboard (see https://dashboard.colorado.gov/);

  • The State’s performance management guidelines;

  • Coaching State agencies on setting strong performance metrics; and

  • Monitoring goal progress and resolving barriers.

• Helping to oversee the Operations team’s professional development portfolio, including courses offered to state employees, leadership training programs, and employee recognition awards;

• Overseeing the work of the Operations Advisors,  including maintaining a project pipeline, making recommendations on priority projects, conducting regular reviews and retrospectives to improve team performance, and monitoring the execution of projects.

• Ensuring that the Executive Leaders are adequately briefed on all key issues regarding Department performance and other priority issues as needed;

• Scoping each initiative or project, including identifying who needs to be involved, identifying key project outcomes, and creating project plans; 

• Assisting the Deputy Chief of Staff in their daily responsibilities, including acting as their representative as needed, and ensuring they are briefed on key state issues; 

• Supporting the management of the Governor’s Cabinet, including supporting the annual review process, monthly check-in meetings, and coordination of bi-annual cabinet retreats.

Essential Skills: 

Minimum Qualifications:

The incumbent in this role will demonstrate the following attributes:

• Strong analytical skills, with a sound understanding of statistics and ability to identify and use data to inform decisions and to make recommendations.

• A skilled project leader, who has a demonstrated ability to mobilize and motivate teams around shared goals, to set direction and approach in a complex and ever-changing environment, to make difficult decisions, and to deliver tough messages with grace.

• Strong organizational skills, and self motivation to follow-up on projects, information, and issues until resolved.

• Empathetic and creative problem solver able to listen, understand, and lead various decision makers at all levels of state government in an emotionally intelligent manner.

• Enthusiastic about the power of performance management, data, and information to drive action toward positive outcomes.

• Possesses the political savvy to coach agency leaders, as well as the team of advisors, on how to connect the expectations of the public to the work of government.

• Able to understand employee motivations and concerns, as well as to rally teams around common goals; able to advise senior executives across state government on the same.

Minimum Education/Experience: At least eight (8) years of relevant experience. This may be exclusively work experience OR a combination of higher education, training, and work experience. 

• Eight (8) years of professional experience in a related field 

OR 

• A bachelor's degree and four (4) of relevant work experience 

OR

• An associate degree and six (6) years of relevant work experience 

Preferred Qualifications:

• A degree in political science, public policy, business administration, organizational effectiveness, or another related field. 

• Previous experience in government or business administration, project management, process improvement, data analytics, customer service, or another related field. 

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)

• 12 paid holidays per year

• Medical and dental plans

• State paid life insurance policy of a minimum of $50,000 or 1x annual salary

• 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.

Inclusion and Belonging

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 Senior Human Resources Director) at [email protected].