Chief of the Office of Federal Funds and Strategic Initiatives

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

Office of the Governor: Colorado Governor Jared Polis is committed to building a Colorado For All, a place where everyone has an opportunity to succeed and live the Colorado way of life. Governor Polis is focused on lowering health care costs for hardworking Coloradans, transitioning the state to renewable energy sources, ensuring every Colorado child gets a quality education, making housing more affordable and available, improving public safety, and building an economy that works for everyone. The Office of the Governor's staff includes budgeting, communications and outreach, legal counsel, legislative liaison, operations, policy and research, and scheduling.

Department: The Office of Federal Funds and Strategic Initiatives (OFFSI)

The Governor’s Office of Federal Funds and Strategic Initiatives (OFFSI) works to maximize federal funding opportunities, effectively preserve and implement federal and stimulus funding, and execute strategic initiatives that build from cross-agency lessons from a coordinated response. The Office specifically works on managing and protecting funds received through the American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”), the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (“BIL” or “IIJA”) and the Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”), as well as other federal funds.

Through a cross-agency team of Strategy Officers and a network of local grant navigators, the Office operates as a convener of state agencies, local governments, and other entities to improve the drawdown of federal funds, promote funding opportunities, and protect existing federal funding distributions for Colorado while improving government systems to drive efficiencies and implement federal funding.

The Office also works closely with the Office of the Governor and executive branch agencies to coordinate state-level actions and responses to the changing federal environment. 

Transparency Posting 

The announcement is for transparency purposes only to comply with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. 

An intended candidate within the Office of the Governor has been identified for this position. 

Position Title: Chief of the Office of Federal Funds and Strategic Initiatives

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Organizational Relationships: This position is a member of the Governor’s senior team. Additionally, this position works closely and collaboratively with the Offices of the Governor and agencies implementing stimulus and federal funds.

Expected Annual Travel: Occasional in and out of state travel

Summary of Functions:

This position has supervisory responsibility for an office over 15 staff, and works closely and collaboratively with the Governor’s senior team, including Operations, Communications, Legislation and Policy, Office of State Budget & Planning, and Office of Legal Counsel. The position also works closely with the Office of the State Controller on compliance and implementation of federal funding.

This position serves as the head of the Office of Federal Affairs and Strategic Initiatives, an Office that is tasked with coordinating responses to the changes in the federal landscape, implementing stimulus funding, and maximizing the draw-down of federal funding, inclusive of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The position coordinates efforts across agencies and provides the Governor with recommendations necessary to make sound implementation decisions. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Management and Organizational Oversight:

• Leads OFFSI strategic planning, budgeting, and decisionmaking.

• Supervises office inclusive of direct staff and dotted line staff within agencies or other offices of the Governor.

• Directly manages four staff members: the Director of Implementation, the Director of Federal Affairs, the Director of Strategic Federal Funding Coordination, and the OFFSI Project Manager and Management Assistant.

• Oversees the management of OFFSI staff, including Strategy Officers embedded within agencies and additional staff supporting the work of the Office.

• Provides direction and coordination of additional staff involved in federal funds and strategic initiatives, including the Deputy Director of Operations and the Senior Communications Advisor for Federal Affairs.

• Creates transition plans for OFFSI that persevere the efforts of the Office into the next Governor’s Administration.

• Directly supervises the OFFSI operations team (3 FTE) responsible for implementing reporting and closeout of ARPA-SLFRF and State Stimulus funds

• Direct efforts to increase transparency of federal funding in Colorado though interactive public dashboards and legislative reporting

• Serves as primary point of contact and coordinates implementation of partnership with external funding organizations

• In partnership with the Deputy Chief of Staff for State Operations and Cabinet Affairs, lead preparation for and execution of gubernatorial transition efforts by state agencies

Governor’s Office Coordination and Implementation:

• Leads coordination efforts within the Governor’s Office between the Governor’s Offices of Operations, Communications, and Legislation and Policy, and Budget and Planning as it relates to the protection, implementation, and maximization of federal funding.

• Facilitates coordination with State agencies related to the protection, implementation, and maximization of federal funding, including combined efforts with the Attorney General’s Office.

• Facilitates senior staff level coordination around federal priorities, including legal, operational, and policy-related issues. 

Federal Funding Protection, Implementation, and Maximization: 

• Oversees efforts to develop methods for protecting existing federal funding received by Colorado and advocating for further opportunities for federal funding.

• Develops structures and processes for agencies to follow as they navigate compliance and reporting on existing grants, funding opportunities, grant terminations, new federal restrictions, and change federal guidance.

• In coordination with the Office of State Controller, ensures federal funding, particularly funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, are implemented with proper compliance structures and are closed out in a manner to protect the State from future audits.

• Oversees the implementation of stimulus funds, including those provided to Colorado as a part of the American Rescue Plan Act.

• Oversees coordinated efforts to draw-down federal funding, including ongoing efforts to protect funding received through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and the Inflation Reduction Act.

• Analyzes progress achieved against the Governor's economic goals, proposing changes as needed.

• Assesses efficiencies and inefficiencies of the office by identifying gaps and risks, and proposes solutions, strategies, tools, and resources. 

Skills and Competencies:.

• Ability to manage diversely situated teams across state government through uncertainty and complicated situations.

• Significant and demonstrable working knowledge of Colorado’s agencies and processes.

• Familiarity with federal and state policy and funding issues, including how to develop federal priorities on behalf of the State and implement federal programs. 

• Creative thinker capable of balancing competing demands and managing multiple constituencies. 

• Collaborative team partner capable of working across legal, policy, legislative, and operational teams. 

• Strong written and oral communication skills with the ability to effectively advocate for solutions.

Education/Experience:

10 years of work-related experience. 

• A minimum of 5 years related work experience managing implementation of complex programs. 
• Experience managing federal funding and developing frameworks for the implementation of federal funding.
• Experience overseeing a team.
• Experience managing an organizational budget.

Preferred Qualifications:

Advanced Degree in relevant field helpful but not required. 

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)

• 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].

Please submit an online application for this position at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado. Reach out to the Department Contact to apply using a paper application, including any supplemental questions. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by the appropriate Human Resources office before the closing date and time listed.