Senior Program Manager

The Office of Economic Development and International Trade ("OEDIT") works to foster a positive business climate that encourages quality economic development through support of local and regional economic development activities throughout the State of Colorado. A comprehensive slate of programs within OEDIT's divisions work together to offer economic development services for all Colorado businesses - new and expanding, traditional and emerging, small and large - including retention programs to ensure continued competitiveness of Colorado's economic base, and job training to keep Colorado's workforce the best in the nation. The Business Funding & Incentives Division within OEDIT administers a variety of financial incentives and collaborates with partners throughout the State to create a positive business climate that encourages dynamic economic development and sustainable job growth for Coloradans.

NOTE: This posting is open only to individuals on a promotional list of the listed department. The posting is for transparency purposes only to comply with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. Applications from individuals not on the department promotional list will not be accepted.

This position will manage and recommend strategy for the State's Enterprise Zone Program and the Regional Tourism Act (RTA) program but will also contribute to other programs within the Business Funding & Incentives Division. The Senior Program Manager serves as a primary point person for program stakeholders, including regional Enterprise Zone administrators, businesses and business representatives, and the general public. The Senior Program Manager ensures that program reporting occurs on a timely basis, maintains program information on our website and through other channels, and provides customer support for the program application system in Salesforce. This position will work with leadership to improve processes and to evaluate program performance and suggested modifications.

Note that the RTA program will be waning in terms of workload in the coming years; however, there will always be a minimum amount of compliance with ongoing program requirements established through each unique RTA resolution.

This position will also be responsible for interpreting statutes to design applications, program guidelines, Salesforce systems, and establishing and managing other foundational needs for relevant programs. This includes drafting agreements with Enterprise Zone administrators and Regional Tourism Act stakeholders. This will involve close collaboration with other members of the Business Funding & Incentives team, other OEDIT Divisions, the OEDIT procurement team, Commissioners on the Colorado Economic Development Commission, other State agencies, including the Department of Revenue and the Office of Information Technology, and external business partners and stakeholders.

Duties are as follows:

• Communicate with applicants and the public to provide program information and support.

• Develop, maintain, and improve program guides and webpages.

• Work with the Salesforce team and other relevant staff to maintain and update a functioning application system and database.

• Support local Enterprise Zone administrators in implementing the program through tools, information, and the application system.

• Work with local Enterprise Zone administrators to promote the Enterprise Zone program.

• Respond to legislative and public information requests under tight deadlines. Which typically includes pulling reports and analyzing data.

• Manage meeting preparation including logistics and compiling materials, and present to the Economic Development Commission where their approval is required.

• Understand and manage all RTA resolutions and associated documents/agreements to ensure that all RTA projects are in compliance with reporting/resolution requirements and maintain positive working relationships with diverse stakeholders.

• Manage Enterprise Zone decennial two-year redesignation process, including the design and management of a GIS mapping tool and a robust stakeholder process. There is a current re-designation cycle underway for 2024-2025.

• Present Enterprise Zone policies and projects for approval by the Colorado Economic Development Commission.

• Any other task related to managing both the Enterprise Zone Program and RTA.

Other projects and program responsibilities to be determined by Business Funding & Incentives division leadership.

COMPETENCIES

• Stakeholder Management - Participates in and leads where relevant cross-functional and stakeholder team; works to engage others in implementing programs and creates collaboration; takes charge as appropriate of groups and situations; provides exceptional responsiveness and follow-up to outreach.

• Planning - Can identify or foresee issues or opportunities and works with the Special Projects & Rural Funding Director and the Business Funding & Incentives Director to frame strategic questions and make recommendations on how to deploy resources in alignment with strategic priorities.

• Project Management - Plans, directs and monitors projects and programs, consistently creating high-quality results. Clearly articulates project purpose, defines priorities and expectations; provides clear directions and explanations so that all participants have mutual shared understanding. Anticipates and plans for contingencies and assures that projects are on schedule and completed successfully.

• Attention to details is important to ensure strong execution.

• Communication - Understands others; clearly articulates key points when writing and speaking; actively listens; effectively interprets non-verbal communication and truly hears what a wide variety of people are trying to say; accurately assesses personal styles and adjusts own style of communication to optimize personal effectiveness.

• Analytical - The ability to collaborate with partners and to perform program management functions such as contract oversight, budgeting, results metrics, reporting requirements, and spreadsheet analysis to support these functions.

• Results Driven - Drives for successful results; makes things happen and conveys a sense of urgency; sets aggressive goals and works hard to achieve these goals; moves tasks and assignments toward closure; invests considerable effort to ensure goals are met in a high-quality manner. Problem solver.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

The Senior Program Manager must have the demonstrated capability to implement a strategic vision utilizing a strong understanding of the economic development needs across the state. As such, the following qualifications are sought:

• Ability to understand and articulate to others via verbal and written communications relevant funding and incentive programs and their potential impacts for community and economic development strategies.

• Ability to understand and train others on application systems and other databases.

• Flexibility and willingness to modify approaches based on feedback from stakeholders and or leadership

• Knowledge of Colorado's communities and regional economic needs and backgrounds.

• Experience in drafting formal documents, including contracts and statements of work.

• Exceptional interpersonal, public relations, oratory and presentation skills.

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail; strong oral and written communication skills; problem solving acumen; demonstrate personal integrity, confidence, and tact/diplomacy as well as flexibility.

• Effective interaction with businesses, communities, local governments, and other decision-makers during conversations or meetings.

• Passion for public service and the state of Colorado.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• An equivalent combination of 12 years post-secondary education and experience in program, policy, or project management or a related field.

Salary Range: $75,000 - $85,000 Annually

This position is considered non-classified, which means the position is not part of the Colorado State Personnel System. Therefore, the individual appointed to this position is considered at-will, and is not covered by the State Personnel Rules or the State Classification System. However, this position does come with the same benefits (retirement, insurance, etc.) as every other State employee, and with the same opportunities, pride and passion that comes with working for the great State of Colorado. Even though employment is at-will, non-classified positions have protections against discrimination and retaliation in state and federal employment laws. "At-will" employment means that either the employee or the State may terminate the employment relationship at any time for any reason or no reason, with or without notice or cause, as long as no federal or state law is violated.

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.

Benefits

The State of Colorado/Office of the Governor offers generous benefits to full-time employees including:

• Annual leave accrued at 13.33 hours per month

• Sick leave accrued at 6.66 hours a month

• 11 paid holidays per year

• Medical plans - choice of Cigna or Kaiser; several plan options (including High Deductible Health Plan with HSA); most plans offered with significant state contribution towards premium

• Dental and vision plans

• Flexible spending accounts

• State-paid life insurance policy of $50,000

• Choice of 2 retirement plans (defined contribution or defined benefit) with generous state contribution

• Optional 401(k) and 457 plans for additional retirement savings

• State-paid short-term disability coverage

• Additional optional life and disability plans

• Access to the Colorado State Employee Assistance Program

• Membership opportunity with the Credit Union of Colorado

• RTD (transit) EcoPass

• Training and professional development

To learn more about State of Colorado benefits, please visit: https://www.colorado.gov/dhr/benefits

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

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.

To learn more about the "State of Colorado For All", visit our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion website.

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 Director of Human Resources: jennifer.salvatore@state.co.us

Application

Your application 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.

Due to the large volume of resumes we receive, we do not acknowledge receipt of each application and are unable to give status updates. If a strong match is found between your qualifications and the requirements of the position, a member of the recruiting staff will contact you to further discuss the career opportunity.