CDOC - Legislative Coordinator (Colorado Springs)

Colorado Department of Corrections; Colorado Springs (CO); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement benefits

Health plans

Disability coverage

Life insurance

Holidays & leave

Tuition reimbursement

Training opportunities

Job summary

Colorado Department of Corrections is seeking a seasoned Legislative Liaison to coordinate internal legislative and governmental relations, track and analyze legislation, and provide timely responses to lawmakers. You will support hearings, prepare reports, and collaborate with the Governor’s team to advance the department’s policy priorities.

This role requires strong written and verbal communication, extensive knowledge of Colorado’s legislative process, and the ability to work under tight

Qualifications

• Eight (8) years of professional experience in legislative tracking, government relations, policy analysis, or legislative liaison work.
• A combination of related education and/or experience equal to eight years.

Responsibilities

• Serves as CDOC’s internal legislative and governmental relations coordinator.
• Tracks legislation accurately, attends hearings with SMEs, reviews fiscal notes, and prepares SMART Act presentations.
• Acts as an information resource for legislators regarding agency operations affecting budget and staffing.

Skills

Legislative tracking

Government relations

Policy analysis

Legislative liaison

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Political Science/Public Administration/Public Policy/Criminal Justice/Communications

Tools

Legislative tracking software

Job description

Department Information

Department Information

This position is open to Colorado state residents.

This posting may be used to fill future vacancies at this location.

In addition to 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.

Description Of Job

This work unit exists to foster strategic partnerships with diverse groups in a politically sensitive environment while also managing internal or external developments impacting the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) to balance stakeholder interests with those of the Department.

This position directs the Colorado Department of Corrections’ (DOC) legislative monitoring and implementation process and provides additional lobbying support to the Legislative Liaison when appropriate. This position will also ensure optimal information exchange, collaboration and retention within the Department of Corrections and across to external stakeholders.

Primary job duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to

• Serves as CDOC’s internal legislative and governmental relations coordinator.
• Ensure that legislation is tracked accurately, committee hearings are attended by appropriate SME’s, reviews fiscal notes for clarity and creates annual SMART Act presentation and the departmental legislative implementation process.
• Acts as an information resource for legislators regarding agency operations that impact department budget and staffing, as well as programs and public policy that may serve or be detrimental to the Department through correspondence responses.
• Works with the Governor’s legislative team to submit position requests for pending legislation following consultation with the Legislative Liaison and Legislative Director.
• Works with Department personnel to track the submission of required legislative reports and ensures these are timely received, reviewed and posted online in accordance with statute.
• Monitors and attends legislative hearings to capture questions asked by legislators while ensuring that responses to these questions are responded to by SME’s and delivered back to the General Assembly in a timely manner.
• Monitors and reviews all legislation introduced, and tracks these through the session.
• Alerts legislative liaison immediately if any amendments are introduced or new hearings added and receive overflow lobbying as needed.
• Functions as a departmental resource on hearing schedules, legislative processes and other matters of interest to the Department, advising DOC Executive Staff on hearings and calendar developments in the General Assembly that affect the Department’s operations.
• Develops and maintains open communications across the Department and with counterparts in the Governor’s office.
• Works as part of a team with the Legislative Liaison and Legislative Director to discuss amendment language and legislative language concerns with sponsors and advocacy groups.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for questions from legislators and will work with SME’s to provide responses.
• Performs as the central knowledge base for the department regarding which bills are introduced, which impact DOC, and status of any hearings on these matters.
• Responsible to keep legislative team apprised of changes in hearing schedules and will collaborate with the budget director and budget analysts to ensure accurate and timely tracking/linking of information and decisions related to decision items, budget amendments, emergency supplementals and other budget requests.
• This position will attend all Legislation on the Inside meetings and provide relevant report-outs on these meetings during executive team discussions.
• Responsible for maintaining the Legislative Dashboard on the external website and for keeping the information presented therein, accurate, timely and educational.
• Other duties as assigned.

Residency Requirement

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

Class Code & Classification Description

H1Q5XX Liaison V

Minimum Qualifications

• Eight (8) years of professional experience in legislative tracking, government relations, policy analysis, or legislative liaison work
• A combination of related education in Political Science, Public Administration, Public Policy, Criminal Justice, Communications, or a closely related field and/or relevant experience as defined above equal to eight (8) 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.

Professional work experience

• Professional work experience involves exercising discretion, analytical skill, judgment, and personal accountability and responsibility for creating, developing, integrating, applying, and sharing an organized body of knowledge that is uniquely acquired through an intense education or training regimen at a recognized college or university and equivalent to the curriculum requirements for a bachelor's or higher degree with major study in or pertinent to the specialized field. Professional work experience is not earned in entry level officer or clerical support positions.

Required Competencies

• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Knowledge and comprehensive understanding of theories, principles, and best practices of public administration, government relations, and communications;
• Strong leadership and organization skills;
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and be adaptable to changing assignments;
• Strong analytic thinking, research skills, and problem solving;
• Strong attention to technical detail;
• Ability to partner with professionals, consultants, stakeholders and staff, with sensitivity to their needs and priorities;
• Strong negotiation skills and the ability to find mutually acceptable solutions, building consensus through give and take;
• Effective interpersonal and relationship building skills;
• Ability to work effectively in both independent and team situations;
• Time and project management skills;
• 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

• Extensive professional experience as a Legislative Liaison for a state, local, or governmental agency lobbying on legislative issues in the State of Colorado or experience as a professional lobbyist at the state government level for a state, local government, governmental organization, or business.
• Extensive knowledge of the Colorado General Assembly and Colorado's state legislative process;
• Experience and knowledge working in a correctional environment.

Conditions of Employment

• Must be 21 years of age
• Possess a valid driver’s license. Drivers must maintain a valid, non-restricted Colorado driver’s license, obey traffic laws, and be able to safely operate a motor vehicle. State drivers are expected to maintain a safe driving record consistent with Colorado Division of Human Resources Universal Policy Driving Standards. Eligibility to drive a State-owned vehicle, includes holding a valid Colorado driver’s license within 30 days of employment or residency change and meeting specific driving record criteria. Serious traffic violations, including DUIs or reckless driving, can disqualify drivers for up to seven years. All State Vehicles are monitored by telematics for safe operation and employees have no reasonable expectation of privacy while using an agency State Fleet vehicle.
• Possess a high school diploma or GED
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination are required to:
• Disclose the details of the prior termination or resignation on the application.
• Explain why the circumstances of the prior separation should not disqualify them from the current position.
• Provide your employee number from your prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDOC.
• Have NO felony convictions, to include any actions defined in 5 U.S.C. 301; U.S.C. 509, 510; 42 U.S.C. 15601-15609. The CDOC shall not hire nor promote anyone who may have contact with an offender who has engaged in sexual abuse which includes acts, activity, and sexual behavior, in a prison or other institution as defined in 42 U.S.C. 1997; or has been convicted of engaging or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse, or has been civilly or administratively adjudicated to have engaged in the activity described in the above paragraph. The agency shall consider any incidents of sexual harassment in determining whether to hire anyone who may have contact with offenders or residents.
• Applicants must have valid U.S. work authorization at the time of application; DOC cannot provide H-1B sponsorship at this time.
• Successfully pass all modules of the six-week Colorado Department of Corrections Basic Training, to include English reading comprehension, relevant competency assessments and written/practical exams in Defensive Tactics.
• Possess the physical ability to successfully complete Defensive Tactics
• Lift arms above head and kick as high as own waist
• Stabilize another person to accomplish a controlled take down
• Use arms, palms of hands, shins, and feet to deliver blows
• Withstand impact (slow speed or with a safety bag) on own body from strikes/blows
• Swing a baton in a striking technique
• Rotate body 90 degrees with feet planted for striking with foot or using a defensive tactic;
• Get down on one or both knees and up again with multiple repetitions
• Will be exposed to Oleoresin Capsicum during Basic Training and will be exposed while on assignment
• Must be able to see and hear in order to observe, address and respond to potential breaches in safety and security
• Seize, hold, control or subdue violent or assaultive persons and defend oneself or others to prevent injury
• Demonstrate body agility, strength of all four limbs and the ability to walk and climb stairs consistently
• Work in situations involving assaultive behavior, physical control of another person and/or restraint situations
• Deal with individuals with a range of moods and behaviors, utilizing tactfulness and a congenial, personable manner
• Work with people of the opposite sex, diverse racial ethnic groups, mentally ill and emotionally disturbed offenders
• Communicate by talking, listening and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information, assignments
• Work in an environment with fluctuating noise and temperature (hot and cold) which may include working outdoors in inclement weather and/or concrete floor/wall work settings
• Willing and able to travel
• Willing and able to work various shifts, days, afternoons, graveyards (nights) which includes a rotating shift schedule
• TB (tuberculosis) screening is required of all new employees upon hire

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 .