Principal Policy Advisor (Transparency Posting)

Together, we innovate for a stronger Colorado

The work of employees at the Governor's Office of Information Technology (OIT) is challenging and diverse because the needs of agencies, customers and Coloradans constantly evolve. But our focus never changes: improve the lives of all Coloradans through innovation and collaboration. We're building one of the nation's leading government IT organizations by reimagining how we support agencies, building first-of-their-kind applications, and creating an inclusive, collaborative culture, together. Join us in the important work of providing equitable access to services.

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IMPORTANT NOTE: Please review your application to ensure completion. For the most equitable applicant experience, OIT’s hiring team considers only the contents of your application to review your qualifications. Please do not include any attachments (such as resume or cover letter) with your application as these items are not used by OIT’s hiring team.  

Transparency Posting: This announcement is for transparency purposes only, to comply with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. A current resource has been identified for this position. 

Do you want to make our beautiful state even better and more accessible? At OIT, we’re delivering for Coloradans every day through the tech that powers the services they rely on. The Principal Policy Advisor plays a crucial role in ensuring the alignment of the department's technology initiatives with relevant laws, regulations, and policies. 

You will monitor OIT’s existing policies; facilitate the process of creating new policies; facilitate the process to ensure timely changes are made to existing policies; assess the impact of policies and their effectiveness and alignment with newly adopted legislation and regulations; and collaborate with internal stakeholders to help support compliance and advocate for the department's interests. 

Some of the key responsibilities of the role include:

Analyzing proposed policies and standards to assess their potential impact on the department's operations and strategic goals.

Analyzing and monitoring existing policy, rule and standards for necessary updates resulting from the adoption of legislation or regulations. 

Preparing clear and concise summaries and reports on policy developments for internal stakeholders.

Managing internal staff inquiries and communications regarding the processes in policy creation, policy changes and policy retirement. 

Collaborating with legal counsel and subject matter experts to create clear departmental compliance with all relevant policies and standards.

Facilitating the development and implementation of new internal policies and procedures to support compliance efforts.

Supporting the department's interests in internal and external policy discussions and forums.

Managing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure OIT compliance with open records laws.

Staying abreast of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies impacting the technology sector.

A wide salary range is posted for this position and any job offer is based upon a salary analysis to comply with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. The salary analysis considers relevant experience, education, certifications, and state seniority as compared to others doing substantially similar work. While all offers are compliant with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, there is no guarantee an offer will be at the top of the posted range based on the salary analysis. 

This is a skills-based job announcement. The required minimum qualifications and/or education (if substituting for the proven experience, knowledge, and skills), are as follows: 

Minimum Qualifications:

A minimum of five (5) years of demonstrated full time professional experience performing legal research and analysis; working in a legislative or public policy environment; or work closely related to the job duties. 

Experience working with elected officials at the local, state, and federal level and/or Colorado counties.

Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis, but cannot completely substitute for these qualifications. 

Training or Certification related to the work assigned to the position will be assigned credit towards substitution for experience and/or education, but cannot completely substitute for these qualifications. 

If the minimum qualifications include a degree requirement, additional appropriate paid or unpaid experience will substitute for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

Preferred Qualifications:

Candidates with a demonstrated ability to interpret Colorado statutes and translate them into operational policies and standards will be given strong preference.

Prior government affairs experience working in the areas of Information Technology (IT), Accessibility, Cyber Security, or Broadband are preferred but not required.

Juris Doctor (JD) or Master’s or doctorate degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Political Science, Law, Public Health, Environmental Health, or closely related degree  is strongly preferred but not required.

Ability to research, analyze and assess regulations and recommend potential actions.

Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication, and public speaking skills.

Ability to translate and communicate complex topics in a variety of forums, tailoring communications to effectively fit and influence the target audience.

Conditions of Employment:

OIT employees must comply with any screening procedures in place at state agency locations where they might perform work. 

A pre-employment background check will be conducted as part of the selection process. Post-employment background checks will be required for specific agencies as business needs dictate, which may include a polygraph exam, fingerprint-based criminal history search, reference checks, and a drug test.

This position may require travel within the specified geographic area, and to locations across the state as needed. 

If this posting indicates “remote from anywhere in CO” in the title, periodic reporting to the primary state work location designated for the position is required. All remote work must be performed in Colorado. 

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.

We know it's important to support each other, and that means having a healthy balance of work and personal time. Visit our benefits to learn more about some of our great offerings that allow us all to have fulfilling lives. 

Visit our How to Apply webpage to learn more about our application process and what to expect after you apply.

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 Governor's Office of Information Technology 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 ADA Coordinator at [email protected] or call (303) 764-7900.

This posting may be used to fill multiple vacancies based upon business need. 

The Governor's Office of Information Technology does NOT offer sponsored Visas for employment purposes.