DOLA Program Specialist (Program Assistant I)

Who can Apply

This opportunity is only open to residents of the State of Colorado.

About the Colorado Department of Local Affairs

The Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) serves as the primary interface between the State and local communities. The Department provides financial support to local communities and professional and technical services (including training and technical assistance) to community leaders in the areas of governance, housing, and property tax administration. While all state governments provide such services through various Departmental structures, Colorado’s approach is unique in that these local community services are gathered into one Department of “Local Affairs,” which has a central focus on strengthening Colorado communities and enhancing livability.

Vision

The Department of Local Affairs is responsible for strengthening Colorado's local communities through: accessible, affordable, and secure housing; implementing property tax law; capacity building; strategic training, research, and technical assistance; and funding to localities.

Mission

Our mission is to help strengthen Colorado’s communities.

Why work for the Colorado Department of Local Affairs?

The work we do matters greatly. It matters to us and it matters to the citizens of the great state of Colorado. We love our communities and are passionate about supporting our communities. We value the diversity that Colorado offers. If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference in communities across the State, consider joining the dedicated people of the Department of Local Affairs. 

In addition, we offer a great location and great benefits, which include:

• Medical and Dental Plans

• Strong, secure, yet flexible Retirement Plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus pre-tax and ROTH 401K, and 457 plans

• Employee Wellness Programs

• Paid Life Insurance

• 11 paid Holidays per year plus Vacation and Sick Leave

• Short and Long-Term Disability Coverage

• RTD Eco Pass to all eligible State Employees

• Flexible work schedule options and hybrid work options

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

• Training opportunities

• Variety of Free discounts on services and products available through the State of Colorado's Work-Life Employment Discount Program

Please see the  Benefits Overview video for details on the benefits offered to employees.

The Division of Housing (DOH)The Division of Housing partners with local communities to create housing opportunities for Coloradans who face the greatest challenges to accessing affordable, safe, and secure homes. Working with the Colorado State Housing Board, the division supports a wide range of housing efforts, including affordable housing, rental assistance vouchers, homelessness, regulation of mobile home parks and factory-built structures, and home modifications for accessibility.

The Building Codes & Standards work unit exists to protect Colorado citizens by regulating diverse and unique aspects of the state’s residential and nonresidential construction industry in partnership with local governments, the federal government, other state agencies, and the private sector.

Specifically, this work unit regulates the construction of factory-built structures, sales (sellers, dealers, retailers) of manufactured homes,installation of manufactured homes (pre-1976 mobile homes, HUD homes, modular homes) in Colorado, construction of all site-built hotels, motels, and multi-family structures in any local jurisdiction that does not have a building department; and foundation inspections for manufactured homes, tiny homes, and factory built structures in jurisdictions where no building department exists.

This work unit registers/certifies manufacturers, sellers, installers, and independent installation inspectors. Design/construction plans must be reviewed and approved by this work unit, and inspections conducted and passed before a built structure may be certified. This work unit also inspects and certifies the installation of manufactured homes before occupancy and conducts audits.

This position provides technical support to the Building Codes & Standards program and is the primary point of contact for interested parties (manufacturers, installers, sellers, building contractors, third-party agencies, and consumers) with respect to registration, plan reviews, inspections and complaints. This position reports to the Program Manager and also supports the Director of the Office of Regulatory Oversight.

The primary duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to:

• Provides technical and professional program assistance.

• Assists administrators and other professionals within the work unit.

• Interprets, explains, and applies basic principles, rules, regulations, policies, precedents, guidelines, and objectives specific to work assignment.

• Organizes and establishes work processes to ensure efficient, effective, and elegant delivery of program services.

• Implements rules, regulations, policies, and other guidelines prescribed by management to achieve program objectives.

• Serves as a liaison between the work unit staff, and program clientele.

• Establishes and maintains constructive and cooperative working relationships.

• Resolves problems, answers questions, provides information, and advises others on technical program issues or matters.

• Analyzes, evaluates, develops, and implements work processes to achieve program efficiency and deliver needed services effectively.

• Organizes and establishes work processes to provide support to management, ensuring the delivery of designated services.

• Meets with and advises clientele to resolve conflicts with interpretation of rules, regulations, policies, and processes.

• Interprets and communicates work procedures and department policies to staff.

• Prepares responses to program specific questions.

• Researches, analyzes, compiles, and prepares data for consideration and presentation by executives and committees.

• Prepares reports, memos, letters, financial statements and other documents, using word processing, spreadsheet, database or presentation software.

• Prepares reports of findings.

• Researches and reports technical data on program activities. 

•  Utilizes Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, Power Point, DCIS, PCDCIS and other computer programs to enter, track, and retrieve data.

• Assists staff in documentation of written consumer complaints for the work unit & programs.

• Maintain records and follow up with issues found in the new or renewal applications.

• Audit analysis of assigned registrations to ensure compliance with policy and administrative rules.

Class Code & Classification Description

H4R1XX Program Assistant I

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Experience Only:

Four (4) years of relevant experience in reviewing documents for compliance and providing technical assistance, including interpreting rules and regulations for customers.

OR

Education and Experience:  A combination of related education in business administration, business management, public administration, closely related field (as determined by an HR professional)  AND reviewing documents for compliance and providing technical assistance to customers.  Education and experience as described above must equal Four (4) years.

Ensure that the 'Work Experience" section of the application is complete and contains all relevant work experience related to the position that you are applying for. This information will be used to help determine compensation for the position. 

Applicants must upload their unofficial college transcripts that include the student name, college name, courses completed and/or degree with date conferred with this application, in order to receive credit.

Under the Job Application Fairness Act (SB 23-058), applicants may redact information from certifications and transcripts that identify their age, date of birth or dates of attendance from an educational institution.

Required Competencies 

• Ability to create accessible documents and technical content that follows plain language guidelines with accessibility in mind. 

• Ability to work collaboratively with stakeholders and provide technical assistance 

• Ability to make connections across sectors and organizations to meet goals 

• Strong attention to detail

• Effective analytical and problem-solving skills 

• Effective verbal and written communication skills

• Ability to prioritize and organize work to accommodate and meet the changing needs of the Department and meet deadlines

• Ability to work independently

• Experience with Google Suite

• Excellent interpersonal skills

• Strong organizational skills

• Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, or similar word processing and spreadsheet software.

• Ability to effectively collaborate with internal and external customers

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the regulation of state statutes and/or applications ?

• State of Colorado Government experience working with regulatory programs or in case management

• Experience reviewing complaints and identifying potential legal violations

• Experience interpreting rules and regulations

• Experience supporting multiple programs 

• Experience handling customer complaints and inquiries

• Experience providing technical assistance

• Salesforce database management

• Experience working collaboratively on a team.

• You MUST be a Colorado resident (at the time of application) to apply for this position. 

• Pre-employment criminal and financial background checks will be conducted as part of the selection process. 

• Applicants must be legally eligible to work in the United States to be appointed to this position. DOLA uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. DOLA does not sponsor non-residents of the United States.

Only complete applications submitted by the closing date for this announcement will be given consideration. Failure to

submit properly completed documents by the closing date of this announcement will result in your application being

rejected.

Applicants may submit a resume, cover letter/letter of interest detailing how their experience and background address the stated minimum and preferred qualifications/competencies of the job and attach to the online application. Applications left blank or marked “See Resume” will not be accepted. Please address every requirement for the position with your experience in your application.

The application may include the following documents that MUST be uploaded at the time of application:

• A resume (this is not a substitute for the online application demonstrating work history)

• Cover letter / letter of interest

• Transcripts (if using education to meet the minimum qualifications)

• DD214 (member-4 form) from applicants that may be eligible for veteran’s preference

Current and former employees (transfers, voluntary demotions, and reinstatements) are required to participate in the comparative analysis process through this job posting.

Applications will be reviewed to determine if you meet the Minimum Qualifications (MQs) for the position. Applicants that meet MQ’s will be included in the Comparative Analysis process. Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted through a comparative analysis which may include, but is not limited to, a suitability screening, training and experience review, eSkills Assessment, oral assessment, written performance assessment or it may include a review of your application and your responses to any supplemental questions by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to assess and rank applicants. Be sure your application specifically addresses the requirements as listed in the minimum qualifications. Address your specialized experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the position duties, required competencies and preferred qualifications in order to establish an eligible list for referral to the hiring manager for final consideration.

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. 

DOLA 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 a reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to Melissa Bellew, DOLA ADA Coordinator at [email protected].

Email Address: All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be conducted via email. Include a working email address on your application; one that is checked often as time sensitive correspondence such as exam information or notification will take place via email. Please set up your e-mail to accept messages from "state.co.us" and "[email protected]" addresses. It is your responsibility to ensure that your email will accept these notices and/or review your junk mail and spam filtered email.

Biweekly Pay: As of July 1, 2023, all DOLA new hires, including transfers of current state employees and reinstatements of former state employees, will be placed on the biweekly pay schedule. This means you will be paid every other Friday for a total of 26 pay periods over the course of a year. Biweekly pay is also lag pay, meaning you will be paid two weeks after the end of each pay period. Please click here for more information about the move to biweekly payroll.

Technical Assistance: If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) please contact 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 first, ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files, and second, close the document before you attempt to upload (attach) it.

Appeal Rights: An applicant who has been removed from consideration during the selection or comparative analysis process, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board and/or request a review by the State Personnel Director. A standard appeal form is available on the State Personnel Board website,https://spb.colorado.gov/forms-and-filing. If you appeal, your appeal must be submitted in writing on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative, and received at the following address within ten (10) days of your receipt of this notice: Colorado State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director, Attn: Appeals Processing, 1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver, CO 80203. Fax: 303-866-5038. Phone: 303-866-3300. Email address: [email protected]. The ten-day deadline and these appeal procedures also apply to all charges of discrimination. Refer to Chapters 4 and 8 of the State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, 4 CCR 801, for information about the appeals process. The State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures are available atspb.colorado.gov. 

For questions related to this job posting, please reach out to Yolanda Roberts via email at [email protected].

Benefits

The State of Colorado offers permanent employees a variety of benefits including medical, dental, life and disability

insurance, as well as a comprehensive leave program. Please click the following link for detailed information:

www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/benefits

Please note that each agency's contact information is different; therefore, we encourage all applicants to view the full, official job announcement which includes contact information and class title. Select the job you wish to view, then click on the "Print" icon.