Department Information

• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
• Medical, dental, and vision plans
• State paid life insurance policy
• Choice of 2 retirement plans (defined benefit or defined contribution)
• Optional 401(k) and 457 plans
• State paid short-term disability coverage
• Additional optional life and disability plans
• Credit Union membership
• Training and professional development

Description of Job

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) ensures the delivery of a comprehensive, community-informed, data-driven, high-quality, and equitable early childhood system that supports the care, education and well-being of all Colorado's young children, their families and early childhood professionals in all settings. CDEC provides access to collaborative, coordinated, quality early childhood programs and support to children, families, and early care professionals in an effort to best prepare Coloradans for future success. CDEC works with many partners, including parents, schools, child care providers, Early Childhood Councils, counties, Community Centered Boards, early intervention service providers, family resources centers, county human services, county public health, businesses, community organizations, and other stakeholders to provide high-quality early childhood and family support programs.

Division of Early Childhood Workforce: This division is dedicated to providing infrastructure and leadership for recruiting, retaining, and growing the early care and education workforce. The division is responsible for supporting both ongoing and temporary initiatives to support the continuous growth and development of the early childhood workforce including the Professional Development Information System (PDIS), Early Childhood Professional Credential (ECPC), Regional Coaching Network, Recruitment and Retention Initiatives, Training and Instructional Design, and the Expanding Quality in Infant Toddler Care (EQ) Initiative. The division develops, delivers, and empowers relationship-based learning opportunities directly and through multiple partners across the state.

This is a new, term-limited position funded through a philanthropic grant called, the Innovate Financial Systems to Build Capacity For Increased Compensation and Benefits, this grant is funded through June 30, 2027. This grant will allow states to innovatively build systemic and structural capacity to support sustainable and equitable early childhood education (ECE) workforce compensation (wages and benefits) increases from the Early Educator Investment Collaborative (EEIC). Via this funding opportunity, The EEIC will support partnerships among fiscal/budget agencies and program agencies to engage in efforts to catalyze transformative change for ECE workforce compensation.

• Grant and Project Management Oversight Program Administrator Oversight
  • Manages the Department of Early Childhood’s early childhood compensation pilots under the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) Planning Grant, CCDF funding, and any future funding streams.
  • Provides oversight and leadership to ensure that the program is achieving its intended outcomes and that policy and resources are used in the most coordinated, strategic, and data-driven ways to ensure the success of the program across the birth-five, mixed-delivery system.
  • Regularly participates and communicates with PDG B-5 and CDEC Leadership about state, local and regional early childhood workforce initiatives related to compensation and benefits.
  • Serves as the primary point of contact and staff authority for oversight and management of compensation and benefits strategies within the Division of Workforce and other Divisions within the Office of Program Delivery (OPD).
  • Manages contracts and vendors for PDG Planning initiatives that support compensation of Colorado’s early childhood workforce
  • Provides oversight and leadership to ensure that the program is achieving its intended outcomes and that policy and resources are used in the most coordinated, strategic, and data-driven ways to ensure the success of the program across the birth-five, mixed-delivery system.

• Program and Model Development
  • The position will liaise with other state agency partners to create new recommendations for supporting early childhood workforce access to new funding streams for professional development, developing benefits cliff mitigation opportunities, and co-creating new policies with other agencies to increase compensation and improve access to affordable benefits for the early childhood workforce.
  • Support the EEIC Advisory Council set up to support grant strategy implementation.
  • Design and implement targeted technical assistance for community partners as it relates to any new compensation and benefits opportunities.
  • Maintains a plan for implementation of compensation and benefits strategies to support increased wages and support for the early childhood workforce.
  • Research other states’ innovative compensation and benefits approaches and evaluate their feasibility in Colorado.
• Manage Early Childhood Workforce Partnerships and Technical Assistance
  • Engages with state and community partners to align early childhood workforce efforts and provide opportunities for cross-sector learning and sharing of best practices
  • Interprets statutes and state contract and fiscal rules to provide guidance to the contracted partners and responds to inquiries.
  • Provides extensive technical support, expertise, coaching, and troubleshooting to contracted partners through site visits and other means.
  • Develop and implements reporting and evaluation structures to meet relevant reporting requirements.
  • Develops forms, policies, and procedures for contracted partners to ensure consistency across the state and compliance with program requirements.
• Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Education and Experience Requirements:
Eight (8) years of relevant professional experience in Early Childhood Education leadership such as a director or family child care provider, Finance/Accounting, Contract Management and Monitoring, Grant Management and/or Project Management.
OR
A Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in a field of study related to early childhood, public policy, and/or communications.
AND,
Four (4) years of professional experience in Early Childhood Education leadership such as a director or family child care provider, Finance/Accounting, Contract Management and Monitoring, Grant Management and/or Project Management.

OR

A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to eight (8) years. Occupation related to Early Childhood Education leadership such as a director or family child care provider, Finance/Accounting, Contract Management and Monitoring, Grant Management and/or Project Management.

• Additional appropriate experience will substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis.
• Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.

• State experience relevant to this position
• Experience managing multiple high-stakes projects with multiple deliverables simultaneously.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication and public speaking skills, including group facilitation skills.
• Ability to relate to diverse stakeholder groups, develop audience-appropriate messages and adapt strategies to various audiences including executive sponsors, team members, department heads, customers, vendors, and staff
• Experience leading projects with a team of peers and facilitating review and approval workflows with leadership outside of the division, including process improvement skills
• Ability to create change management tools such as communication plans, sponsor roadmaps, project plans, etc., to effectively manage change.
• Experience with compensation and benefits policies, or the economics of the early childhood field resulting in uncompetitive wages.
• Experience with cost modeling, grant/pilot project planning, and project implementation.
• Experience with early childhood, benefits, tax, and/or workforce development policy.
• Experience with program evaluation techniques, and managing partners to conduct evaluation efforts.
• Professional experience with budget development, performance monitoring and management, and financial reporting
• Knowledge of state legislative and regulatory policy processes including state fiscal rules and procurement policies
• Knowledge of federal program requirements including reporting, administration, and procurement guidelines
• Knowledge of workforce development principles, with an emphasis in early childhood workforce development
• Early Childhood Experience - Familiarity with the Department of Early Childhood, early childhood programs, and/or early childhood education
• Public Sector Experience - Experience working in local, state, or federal government
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative, team-oriented, often virtual work environment.

• Excellent computer skills with desktop and mobile office productivity applications, Microsoft products (Excel, Word), Smartsheet, and Google Suite

• Master’s Degree in Early Childhood, Education, Human Development, Adult Learning, Public Policy, Leadership or a related field.
• Experience building champions among leadership
• Active listening skills
• Knowledge of Human-Centered Design, Universal Design and Liberatory Design Principles

• A pre-employment criminal background check will be conducted as part of the selection process as this position is deemed to have direct contact with vulnerable persons. Felony convictions, convictions of crimes of moral turpitude, or convictions of misdemeanors related to job duties may disqualify you from being considered for this position. Should your background check reveal any charges or convictions, it is your responsibility to provide the CDHS Background Unit with an official disposition of any charges.
• Travel - Occasional travel is required up to 5-10% of the time and may require travel in adverse conditions or overnight stays.
• This position is term-limited with funding through June 30, 2027. A waiver of retention rights will be required to be signed upon acceptance of offer.

Supplemental Information

Complete Applications must include the following documents:

• A complete CDEC Application for Announced Vacancy (please submit online using the green 'APPLY' button at the top of this announcement)
• A complete Supplemental Questionnaire (The questionnaire is part of the online application. You will be prompted to answer them as you are completing your online application.)
• A cover letter that describes your interest in this position, how your experience aligns with the minimum and preferred qualifications of this position. Cover letters must be uploaded as an attachment to your online application. Cover letters will not be accepted after the closing date and time of the announcement.
• If you are using education to qualify, a copy of your official or unofficial transcript showing that your degree has been conferred and the name of your school, or your NACES accreditation. Please submit this as an attachment to your online application.
• If you are a veteran, a copy of your DD214. Please submit this as an attachment to your online application.

Your application will be reviewed against the minimum qualifications for the position. If your application demonstrates that you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be invited to the comparative analysis process, which is described below.

Comparative Analysis Process

The comparative analysis process will consist primarily of a review of applications against the minimum and preferred qualifications of this position. Applications will be reviewed in comparison to all others in the applicant pool in order to identify a top group of candidates who may be invited for a final interview. Depending on the size of the applicant pool, additional selection processes may be utilized to identify a top group of candidates. Applicants will be notified of their status via email.

Failure to submit properly completed documents by the closing date will result in your application being rejected.

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.