Program Specialist - EPS II - HYBRID

Department Information

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This position is only open to Colorado state residents.This position will have hybrid workplace options available but will still be required to report to the listed address at the discretion of the supervisor and based on business need.

Although the full salary range for this position is provided, appointments are typically made at or near the range minimum.

Be BOLD and make a real difference...

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities

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.

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Our tobacco-free campus offers free parking and is conveniently located near RTD bus lines, Glendale City Set, and the Cherry Creek bike path. In addition to a great location and rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:

• Employee wellness programs and facilities
  
• Extensive internal professional development opportunities on a wide variety of subjects
  
• Bike to work programs, including access to storage lockers and bike racks
  
• Distinctive career advancement opportunities throughout the State system
  
• Strong, yet flexible retirement benefits including a choice of the PERA Defined Benefit Plan or the PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus optional 401K and 457 plans
  
• Medical and dental health plans
  
• Paid life insurance
  
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
  
• 11 paid holidays per year plus generous personal time off
  
• Mentoring program with opportunities for mentors and mentees
  
• Tuition assistance for college level courses including Master�s degree programs
  
• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, and a variety of employee resource groups
  

Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, go to: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service

Description of Job

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The Work Unit

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Air Pollution Control Division (APCD) protects the health and well-being of people across Colorado by enforcing the state's air pollution laws and improving the quality of the air they breathe. The APCD handles air-related permitting and inspections of Colorado's regulated entities and proposes new regulations under existing state laws. The APCD created the Community Air Protection and Engagement Unit, within the Community and Partnership Program, to advance environmental justice through implementation of our mission. This unit coordinates closely with CDPHE’s Office of Environmental Justice (EJ) and APCD’s Communications Unit.

What you will be doing

This position supports the APCD implementation of key environmental statutes (HB21-1266, HB22-1244, and HB21-1189). This position plays a key role in supporting the work of the CPP Program to implement these, amongst other key statutes, particularly by advancing and improving environmental and public health outcomes for disproportionately impacted communities through air permitting, compliance and enforcement, and policy. This position works closely with APCD staff and leadership, numerous APCD programs, and other CDPHE environmental divisions. Key duties of this position include overseeing project operations related to primary statutes that the division must execute. This position supports administrative processes and budget development and implementation, in coordination with APCD’s fiscal team, leadership, CDPHE Office of EJ, and others as appropriate, to ensure meetings are productive for community members and organized according to rulemakings or related requirements. This position provides consultation on the intersection of community data and compliance and enforcement actions, contributing subject matter expertise to rulemaking processes, facilitating/assisting/supporting direct community engagement with and research about disproportionately impacted communities, and skilled coordination and collaboration with relevant Subject Matter Experts within CDPHE.

Job Duties:

Program Evaluation, Administration, and Reporting* Track outreach activities, evaluate program effectiveness, and prepare reports on key metrics such as reach, impact, and engagement.

• Provide feedback and recommendations to APCD leadership for continuous improvement.
  
• Ensure compliance with grant timelines and deliverables by creating internal tracking systems and coordinating with program staff.
  
• Develops budgets for rulemakings and other public participation and community outreach events, initiatives, and priorities, and submits documentation to APCD fiscal team after coordinating with APCD subject matter experts and leadership as appropriate.
  
• Collects and monitors meeting public feedback using a variety of tools (such as pre- and post-event surveys, registration forms, etc.) to keep meetings effective, productive, accessible, and inclusive - including assessing and using feedback from disproportionately impacted communities to improve future public outreach and participation opportunities.
  

Technical Project Support (Compliance and Enforcement, Permitting, Data Modernization, and Engineering)* Provides strategic and administrative support for technical teams across compliance, enforcement, permitting, engineering, and data modernization programs.

• Coordinates cross-functional project planning, facilitates timely execution of project deliverables, and ensures technical information is shared effectively across teams.
  
• Assists with the development, implementation, and tracking of process improvements and modernization initiatives that support both internal operations and public-facing services.
  
• Supports integration of environmental justice and community engagement considerations into technical processes and documentation.
  
• Maintains organized systems for document management, inter-team communication, and leadership reporting related to technical workflows.
  
• Prepares written summaries, briefings, and project timelines to help leadership, technical staff, and external stakeholders remain aligned and informed.
  

Support Community Engagement and Outreach Efforts

In collaboration with APCD Community Air Protection and Engagement staff, support community engagement sessions and outreach efforts for the APCD permitting, compliance and enforcement, and policy/rulemaking development programs. Establishes meeting goals; coordinates meeting logistics with outreach staff for effective community meetings; partners with SMEs to prepare presentations for meetings that are in plain language, accessible, and readily understood by members of the public; and educates SMEs on the reasons why specific practices are necessary.

Other Duties as Assigned

Attends meetings, serves on task forces or teams, completes projects, and performs other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

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Residency Requirement:

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

An applicant may meet the minimum qualifications for this job in one of two ways: They may qualify through their work experience alone or through a combination of education and work experience.

Experience Only:

Six (6) years of experience in public health, environmental justice, environmental science, and/or air quality research, project coordination, project communications, and/or community outreach and engagement.

OR

Education and Experience:

A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in public health, environmental justice, environmental science, and/or air quality research, project coordination, project communications, and/or community outreach and engagement equal to six (6) years

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

In addition to the minimum requirements, the successful candidate in this position will have the following experience:

• Previous State Service related to the work assigned to the position
  
• Experience applying the principles of environmental justice and equity in project design and implementation
  
• Experience managing or supporting coordination on complex projects, including overseeing contractors
  
• Experience engaging and collaborating with diverse stakeholders, including community and governmental partners
  
• Experience facilitating and organizing public meetings or public facing communications
  
• Experience interpreting and executing statutory requirements
  
• Knowledge of fiscal management and contract monitoring processes
  
• Experience creating plain language materials based on technical, scientific, and health-based information
  
• Experience interpreting and presenting research results to a wide variety of audiences
  
• Strong analytical and organizational skills, with keen attention to detail
  
• Ability to identify and creatively resolve issues while exercising appropriate judgment, including knowing when to elevate issues
  
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with partners and leadership.
  

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• A pre-employment background check will be conducted as part of the selection process.
  
• TRAVEL: 8-10 hours quarterly for in-person community meetings and stakeholder engagement (Overnights may be required for meetings held outside of the Denver Metro/North Front Range area.)
  

Appeal Rights: (Updated)

An applicant who has been removed from an employment list or removed from consideration during the selection process may request a review by the State Personnel Director.

As an applicant directly affected by the results of the selection or comparative analysis process, you may file a written appeal with the State Personnel Director.

Review of the completed, signed and submitted appeal will be timely on the basis of written material submitted by you, using the official appeal form signed by you or your representative. This form must be completed and delivered to the State Personnel Board by email at dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the Department’s action.

For further information on the Board Rules, you can refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov/board-rules.

Supplemental Information

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A complete application packet must include:

• Completed State of Colorado application.
  
• RESUME
  
• COVER LETTER
  
• Answered supplemental questions.
  
• If using education to qualify for this position a copy of your transcripts (unofficial acceptable) or diploma must be provided with application. (if either are unavailable please email the department contact for this posting, listed above)
  
• If using work experience to qualify for this position, please provide an adequate description in the work experience section of the application. Do not write "see resume".
  
• If you are a veteran, a copy of your DD214 attached to your colorado.gov/jobs application.
  

The Selection Process:

• All applications that are received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications proceed to the next step.
  
• Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process.
  
• Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position may be a structured application review, which involves a review of the information you submit in your application materials by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) against the preferred qualifications.
  
• A top group, up to six candidates, will be invited to schedule an interview with the hiring manager.
  

E-Verify: CDPHE uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

ADAAA Accommodations:

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. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment 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 Coordinator at cdphe.humanresources@state.co.us or call 303-692-2060, option 5.