Director of Transition and Special Projects (Term Limited)

Department Overview

This role is exclusively open to residents of Colorado. It operates within the Office of Operations and Strategy of the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), which ensures efficient administrative and technical support to help the agency fulfill its mission of enabling families to thrive.

Work Arrangement

The position functions on a part-time basis, Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 12 PM, with a hybrid setting allowing up to two days per week onsite at the Denver office. These arrangements may be subject to change.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the operational aspects of the gubernatorial transition, coordinating daily planning, project tracking, and accountability measures under agency leadership guidance.
• Serve as the central coordinator, facilitating collaboration and communication among internal teams and external partners to ensure smooth transition workflows.
• Assist executive leadership with decision-making by organizing critical deliverables, managing meetings, and preparing strategic updates and high-level briefings.
• Identify operational risks and barriers early, implementing effective solutions to maintain progress during transition activities.
• Ensure business continuity by integrating incoming initiatives with everyday agency priorities within a collaborative team environment.
• Manage the execution and tracking of the transition project plan, driving workstream progress and meeting defined operational objectives on schedule.
• Oversee information flow and ensure deadlines are met by distributing critical transition materials promptly to relevant stakeholders.
• Support the onboarding of new leadership by providing expertise on protocols, organizational structure, and institutional knowledge.
• Advise on specialized personnel systems, including compliance with Amendment S and Senior Executive Service hiring requirements.
• Provide executive guidance to the Critical Incident and Emergency Management team during leadership transitions to maintain operational stability.
• Lead high-stakes responses to critical incidents by coordinating with internal and external parties including executive offices and government stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate and professional communication on critical incidents at all organizational levels, complying with regulatory and emergency management protocols.
• Develop and distribute critical incident reports and dashboards to support oversight and executive decisions.
• Mitigate organizational risks by troubleshooting incident reporting systems and promoting consistent use of incident management technologies.
• Update policies and procedures related to critical incidents based on evolving operational trends and stakeholder input.
• Ensure proper training, accurate reporting, and adherence to protocols across divisions in handling critical incidents.
• Drive continuous process improvements within critical incident and emergency management operations through evaluation of performance metrics and feedback.

Qualifications

Applicants must have ten years of relevant experience encompassing government operations, interagency collaboration, organizational change, executive communications, risk management, crisis management, project management, and executive transition. Alternatively, a combination of education and equivalent experience totaling ten years is acceptable.

Preferred qualifications include proven leadership in managing organizational initiatives and executive transitions, strong strategic project management skills, effective communication with senior executives, expertise in emergency and critical incident management, and familiarity with government compliance and personnel systems.

Conditions of Employment

• Applicants must reside in Colorado at the time of application and maintain residency throughout employment.
• Background checks including criminal and professional verification will be conducted.
• Applicants with prior disciplinary termination within state employment must disclose such history and provide explanations and employee numbers to be considered.

Selection Process

Employment history and qualifications will be evaluated based on detailed documentation provided within the official State of Colorado job application. Cover letters and resumes will not substitute for described experience. Part-time experience will be prorated accordingly. Supplemental questions, if provided, must be answered thoroughly to proceed in the selection stages.

Additional Information

The position preserves senior-level expertise in a fiscal-responsible, hourly part-time structure, supporting continuity and stability during leadership and incident management transitions.