CDOC - Associate Warden (Sterling)

State of Colorado; Sterling (CO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PERA Defined Benefit or PERA Defined

Medical and dental health plans

11 paid holidays + vacation and sick

Job summary

State of Colorado, Colorado Department of Corrections, is seeking an Associate Warden at Sterling Correctional Facility to provide daily oversight of facility operations and leadership across housing, security, and offender services. The role ensures safe, secure, humane operations and supports successful reentry of offenders.

The position requires strong leadership, budget management, and policy implementation experience, with emphasis on performance management and safety.

Qualifications

• Ten years of relevant experience in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Public Administration or a related field.
• Combination of education and/or relevant experience totaling ten years accepted.

Responsibilities

• Provide daily administrative/operational management over facility program areas.
• Oversee budget development and adherence, contingency planning, and staffing patterns.
• Direct supervision, mentorship, and performance documentation for staff.
• Oversee emergency operations planning and incident command duties.
• Ensure COPD compliance and offender classification processes align with policy.
• Oversee offender classification and placement into restrictive housing when needed.
• Lead hiring, disciplinary actions, and scheduling for management staff.
• Promote staff development and organizational growth.
• Take appointing authority responsibility for the Warden as delegated.
• Conduct daily inspections of buildings, grounds, and programs.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Staff supervision

Policy implementation

Crisis management

Communication

Strategic planning

Tools

Incidence Command Protocols

Performance Management

Job description

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference and builds greater public confidence in good government, consider joining the dedicated people of the State of Colorado. Our professionals strive to support state government and the citizens of Colorado. Customer service is a key component for every position in state government as is the focus on ideas and ways to redesign the delivery of services in making state government more effective and efficient.

In addition to a great agency and rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:

• Distinctive career advancement opportunities throughout the state system;
• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined;
• Contribution Plan plus 401K and 457 plans. Member Contribution Rates. Correctional Officers I-IV qualify as "Safety Officers" and are eligible for increased PERA benefits;
• Medical and dental health plans;
• Short and long term disability coverage;
• Paid life insurance;
• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave;
• Wellness program, tuition reimbursement, training opportunities and more;
• Visit State of Colorado Employee Benefits. for more information;
• This position is compensated on a bi-weekly pay cycle.

Who May Apply:

A residency waiver has been granted for this announcement. Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.

Job Location:

Sterling Correctional Facility

The resulting eligibility list may be used to fill future vacancies at this location.

The Colorado Department of Corrections is recruiting for a dynamic leader to provide supervision and oversight of facility operations. In support of the CDOC mission, vision, and value statements, the Associate Warden will provide daily administrative/operational management over facility program areas, to include housing, security, group living, offender services (education, food service, programs, physical plant operations, etc.). Position ensures safe, secure and humane operations, upholding public safety and successful reentry of offenders.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Implement departmental policy and directives; assists in the development of management plans, strategic plans, and procedures to follow management directives as they relate to facility operations;
• Collaborate with management staff in the development and oversight of the facility's budget, ensures managers adhere to allocated budget, and assists in the development of contingency and supplemental requests;
• Direct supervision of assigned staff. Assess needs and develop staffing patterns, approve leave requests, prepare/sign performance documentation, provide effective direction, mentorship and feedback to others;
• Oversee the development of the facility emergency operations plan;
• Serve as Incident Commander; assigns subordinate staff to positions as required in the Incident Command structure, monitors exercises, and assures that actual incidents are documented appropriately;
• Monitor the Code of Penal Discipline (COPD) and offender classification process by ensuring the facility is operating within departmental policy, initiatives, and appropriate offender management to capacity concepts;
• Provide oversight of the classification system at the facility to ensure offenders are appropriately classified, and reviewed for reclassification, off grounds clearance, special status reviews, and placement into Restrictive Housing;
• Supervise professional level management staff through performance management, evaluation of performance, initiates the hiring and disciplinary process, and assigns work schedules and job assignments;
• Provide effective leadership to facility personnel and implements strategies which promote staff development and growth;
• Assume the Appointing Authority responsibility for the Warden as delegated;
• Conduct daily inspection of buildings grounds, activities, and programs area;
• Other duties as assigned.

Class Code & Classification Description:

H1A4XX Program Management III

Minimum Qualifications:

Experience: Ten (10) years of relevant experience in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Public Administration or a related field to the work assigned.

- - OR - -

Education and Experience: A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Public Administration or a related field to the work assigned equal to ten (10) years.

Ensure that the 'Work Experience' section of the application is complete and contains all relevant work experience related to the position that you are applying for. This information will be used to help determine compensation for the position. "See resume" statements cannot be accepted in lieu of the "work experience" section of the application. Additional work experience will not be accepted after the job announcement close date for compensation purposes.

Required Competencies:

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to manage staff with diverse professional experience and qualifications;
• Strong knowledge and experience with Performance Management and Personnel; has the ability to assess and address staff deficiencies in line with the State Personnel Board Rules and Department Regulations;
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively and maintain a positive culture;
• Strong verbal and written communication and public speaking skills;
• Ability toeffectively manage in a complex, changingenvironment;
• Comprehensive operational knowledge ofinstitutional facilities;
• Ability to progressively manage a multiple programmatic governmental organization with efficiency, effectiveness, and elegance;
• Ability to provide innovation,implement and improve the operations through effective performance measures.
• Self-control, a strong sense of ability to work in stressful, potentially violent situations;
• Ability to remain alert, emotionally stable, and mentally resilient under pressure and observant throughout their shift;
• Tolerance to stress, confinement, and high-stakes interaction;
• Ability to read and comprehend the English language;
• Ability to effectively communicate fluently in English both verbally and in writing;
• Ability to create accessible documents and technical content that follows plain language guidelines with accessibility in mind.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Oversight of operations in a correctional institution to include experience in reviewing and overseeing staffing patterns and shift scheduling for essential posts. Experience in implementing strategies for the mitigation of overtime costs and staff fatigue.
• Experience in reviewing employee grievances to include providing written responses and developing plans of action for follow up;
• Experience in overseeing quality control and compliance processes in a correctional setting which could include; compliance program oversight, security auditing oversight, Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) auditing, and oversight of prison policy to include developing and reviewing facility implementation adjustments which align with Department standards;
• Supervising correctional supervisors, providing guidance regarding the performance management of correctional staff as outlined in PMP (Performance Management Program), Administrative Regulation 1450-02. Coaching and mentoring supervisors in a correctional setting;
• Gathers and submits information in responses to correctional litigation. Experience in the oversight of Use of Force reviews to include after action reviews, responding to offenderdisciplinaryappeals, answering offender classification appeals, review of offender grievance responses, and gathering information for the Attorney General's Office to assist in the Department's legal defense;
• Oversight of the essential services for incarcerated people in a 24 hour correctional operation, could include, laundry services / food services operations, physical plant and climate control operations / life safety program, and or clinical services;
• Oversight of emergency management coordination focusing on immediate response strategy and long term resolution in a correctional setting.

MPORTANT INFORMATION

The Assessment Process: Your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum Qualifications (MQ's). Applicants that meet MQ’s will be included in the Comparative Analysis process. Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted through a comparative analysis which may include, but is not limited to, a suitability screening, Online Assessment, oral assessment, written performance assessment or it may include a review of your application material and your responses to any supplemental questions by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to assess and rank applicants in order to establish an eligible list for referral to the hiring manager for final consideration.

Be sure the “Work Experience” section of your application is complete and specifically addresses your qualifications, experience, and accomplishments as they relate to the Description of the Job, Minimum Qualifications, Required Competencies and Preferred Qualifications as listed above. Resumes and “see resume” statements will not be accepted in lieu of the “Work Experience” section of the application. Failure to include adequate information or follow instructions by the closing date may result in your application not being accepted and/or may affect your score, rank or inclusion in the final pool of eligible applicants.

Employees who are rehired or reinstated within six months of their separation will return at either their previous pay rate if hired into the same class level or based on their time in the class series, whichever is higher. Those rehired or reinstated after six months' separation will be calculated using the same formula for new hires and promotions.

Please note that while this change in role may constitute a change in title and/or responsibility, salary adjustments are not guaranteed and may be influenced by factors such as internal pay equity, budget constraints, market benchmarks, or the individual’s current compensation level. Any changes to compensation will be determined separately and communicated accordingly.

If you have transcripts, a license or other relevant documentation regarding your qualifications, upload and attach copies to your application.

If an unofficial copy of transcripts is being submitted at the time of application, transcripts from colleges or universities outside the United States must be assessed for U.S. equivalency by a NACES educational credential evaluation service. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and must be included as part of your application materials. Failure to provide a transcript or credential evaluation report may prevent your application from moving forward in the selection process.

Under the Job Application Fairness Act (SB 23-058), applicants may redact information from certifications and transcripts that identify their age, date of birth or dates of attendance from an educational institution.

In order to process a background investigation, your application must include at least (10) ten years of the most current work experience unless experience related to the job for which you are applying is later than (10) years. Failure to provide this information could result in delays and/or elimination from the background investigation process.

Toll Free Applicant Technical Support: If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV technical support at 855-524-5627 Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). Helpful hints: if you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application first, ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files and second, close the document before you attempt to upload (attach) it.

Successful completion of a background investigation is required. Should applicant’s background reveal criminal charges, it shall be the responsibility of the applicant to provide the Department of Corrections with written/official disposition of any charges.

The CDOC is committed to a work environment free from illegal drugs and alcohol. Employees (see exception below) may use marijuana in their personal time but are prohibited from working while under the influence of any substance, including marijuana. A drug test will be administered to all new employees; employees must successfully pass. Random drug screening will occur throughout employment.

Exception: Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified employees are prohibited from the use of marijuana. Health care professionals must check their licensing requirements regarding marijuana use.

Appeal Rights: As an applicant who has been removed from consideration during the selection or comparative analysis process, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board and/or request a review by the State Personnel Director. A standard appeal form is available on the State Personnel Board website, https://spb.colorado.gov/forms-and-filing. If you appeal, your appeal must be submitted in writing on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative, and received at the following address within ten (10) days of your receipt of this notice: Colorado State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director, Attn: Appeals Processing, 1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver, CO 80203. Fax: [phone]. Phone: [phone]. Email address: [e-mail]. The ten-day deadline and these appeal procedures also apply to all charges of discrimination. Refer to Chapters 4 and 8 of the State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, 4 CCR 801, for information about the appeals process. The State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures are available at spb.colorado.gov.

After submitting an application, you should receive an email acknowledging your submission. If you do not get the email, please check to ensure you have actually submitted the application and typed the correct email address on the application.

Include a working email address on your application; one that is checked daily as time sensitive correspondence WILL take place via email. You may receive email notifications from a Colorado Dept. of Corrections employee or from this email address: [e-mail]. It is your responsibility to ensure that your email will accept these notices and/or review your junk mail and spam filtered email; if you do not receive correspondence soon after the closing date or if you have questions about this job announcement, please contact Jennifer LaDuke, at [e-mail].

SCHEDULED DATES OF POSSIBLE APPLICANT ASSESSMENTS (I.E., EXAMS, ORAL BOARDS, WRITTEN EXAMS) WILL NOT BE MADE UP. IF YOU FAIL TO SHOW AT THE APPOINTED DATE/TIME, MAKE-UPS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED.

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 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.

The Colorado Department of Corrections 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 Employee Relations Specialist, Kristen Lange, at [e-mail] or call 719-728-0270.

ALL DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FACILITIES AND BUILDINGS ARE TOBACCO FREE.

WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE PROTECTED CLASSES TO APPLY.