Director of Communications

State of Colorado; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental coverage

Paid leave and holidays

PERA retirement

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Job summary

Office of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman is seeking a Director of Communications to lead strategic and operational communications for the agency, ensuring accurate, accessible information about services and priorities. The role reports to the Chief Executive Officer and oversees media relations, public information, outreach, and digital communications.

The Director will advise executive leadership, manage communications risk, and represent the agency with media, government entities, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, public administration, or related field.
• At least seven years of progressive experience in communications or public affairs.
• Experience producing clear content for websites, social media, reports, and publications.
• Media relations experience and responding to inquiries.
• Knowledge of Colorado Open Records Act and public records requests.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and collaborate across partners.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement short- and long-term communication strategies.
• Advise leadership on media inquiries, messaging, and engagement.
• Manage media relations, interviews, and materials.
• Coordinate responses to Open Records Act requests.
• Expand outreach to youth, families, and partners.
• Create accessible content for website, newsletters, social media, and reports.
• Lead major agency publications, including annual report.
• Provide staff with communications training and guidance.

Skills

Media relations

Strategic communications

Public records requests

Content creation

Crisis communications

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications/journalism/public relations/public administration

15 years experience if no degree

Job description

Agency: Office of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman

Position: Director of Communications

Status: Full-Time

FLSA: Exempt

Location: Denver, Colorado, Hybrid

Reports to: Child Protection Ombudsman (Chief Executive Officer)

Salary: $100,000 - $110,000 annually [$8,333.33 - $9,166.67 monthly]

• Salary placement within the range will be based on qualifications and experience.

Lead with purpose. Make a difference for Colorado’s children and families.

About the Office

The Office of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman (CPO) is an independent state office established in statute to provide oversight of Colorado’s child protection system. The CPO serves as a neutral forum for people to raise concerns about child protection services and provides credible, system-level insight to state leaders. Through complaint review, investigation, and analysis, the CPO identifies patterns and recommends improvements that strengthen fairness, accountability, and outcomes for Colorado’s children, youth, and families. Housed within the Colorado Judicial Branch, the CPO operates independently from the agencies it reviews.

Agency Values

• Integrity – Transparent, impartial, and consistent
• Collaboration – Change through shared knowledge and partnership
• Equity – Systems responsive to diverse experiences and needs
• Curiosity – Continuous learning and reform
• Independence – Autonomy from the agencies reviewed

Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman Agency Website

The CPO is seeking an experienced communications professional to serve as its Director of Communications. As the agency’s senior communications professional, the Director provides strategic and operational leadership for internal and external communications and ensures information about the CPO’s services, priorities, and work is accurate, consistent, and accessible.

The Director independently manages the agency’s communications function and serves as its subject‑matter expert and advisor on media relations, public information, outreach, messaging, publications, digital communications, and public records. As a member of the CPO leadership team, the Director advises executive leadership on communication needs, opportunities, and risks and represents the agency with the media, government entities, community partners, and other external audiences.

This is a non‑case‑carrying position that currently has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

What You Will Accomplish

• Develop and implement short‑ and long‑term communication strategies that strengthen public awareness, outreach, and the CPO’s internal and external communications.
• Serve as a trusted communications advisor to the Ombudsman, Deputy Ombudsman, and agency leadership on emerging issues, media inquiries, public messaging, communication risks, and opportunities for engagement.
• Manage the CPO’s media relations, including responding to inquiries, developing media materials, coordinating interviews, and preparing agency representatives for media engagement.
• Coordinate timely and legally compliant responses to Colorado Open Records Act requests in collaboration with agency leadership and legal counsel, as appropriate.
• Expand the CPO’s outreach and education efforts for youth, families, care providers, community partners, rural communities, and the Colorado General Assembly.
• Develop clear, accurate, and accessible content for the CPO’s website, newsletters, social media, reports, briefs, and other communication platforms.
• Lead the development and publication of major agency communication products, including the CPO’s annual report.
• Manage the CPO’s Youth Voice Collective and develop youth‑focused communications, outreach activities, and opportunities for young people to engage with the agency.
• Establish communication protocols, messaging resources, and style guidance that support consistent and effective communication throughout the agency.
• Provide CPO staff with communication training, guidance, and support for public‑facing materials, presentations, outreach, and media interactions.

The successful candidate will be an experienced communications professional who can independently manage a broad communications function while serving as a trusted advisor to executive leadership. You will bring strong judgment, excellent writing and editing skills, and the ability to respond thoughtfully to sensitive, high‑profile, or rapidly developing matters.

What you will bring

• Experience developing and implementing organizational communication strategies while managing multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines.
• Media relations experience, including responding to inquiries, coordinating interviews, developing media materials, and preparing organizational leaders for media engagement.
• The ability to translate complex or sensitive information into clear, accurate, and accessible content for diverse audiences.
• Knowledge of and experience working with the Colorado Open Records Act, including coordinating or responding to public records requests.
• Experience managing communications across websites, social media, reports, publications, and other digital or print platforms.
• The ability to exercise independent judgment and discretion when handling confidential, sensitive, high‑profile, or time‑sensitive matters.
• The ability to collaborate effectively with executive leadership, colleagues, government entities, community partners, media, and other external audiences.

Reports To

Child Protection Ombudsman (Chief Executive Officer)

Work Environment

This is a hybrid leadership position based in Denver, Colorado. Periodic statewide travel is required.

The role requires resilience, professionalism, and the ability to respond thoughtfully to urgent or sensitive matters while maintaining focus on long‑term organizational effectiveness and agency priorities.

Minimum Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, public administration, or a closely related field and at least seven years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public relations, public affairs, journalism, or a closely related field.
  • Candidates without a bachelor’s degree must have at least 15 years of relevant professional experience.
• Experience developing organizational communication strategies and managing multiple projects, platforms, priorities, and deadlines.
• Experience producing, writing, and editing clear and accessible communications for diverse audiences, including websites, social media, reports, publications, and other digital or print materials.
• Media relations experience, including responding to inquiries, developing materials, coordinating interviews, and preparing organizational leaders for media engagement.
• Knowledge of and experience with the Colorado Open Records Act, including coordinating or responding to public records requests.
• The ability to exercise independent judgment when handling confidential, sensitive, high‑profile, or time‑sensitive matters and to collaborate effectively with internal and external partners.

Experience That Strengthens Your Application

• An advanced degree in communications, journalism, public relations, public administration, public policy, or a related field.
• Communications or public affairs experience in government, the public sector, a public‑accountability organization, or an independent oversight, investigations, or ombudsman setting.
• Knowledge of Colorado’s child protection and child‑serving systems and the laws, policies, and public issues affecting them.
• Experience with Colorado General Assembly budget processes or communicating complex policy, legislative, or systemic issues to public officials, community partners, media, or other external audiences.
• Experience managing communications involving sensitive, high‑profile, or rapidly developing matters.

Benefits and Equal Opportunity

The position includes a comprehensive State of Colorado benefits package, including medical and dental coverage, paid leave and holidays, retirement through Colorado PERA, and eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. The Office of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to full inclusion and reasonable accommodations.

Click here for information on employee benefits.

Conditions of Employment

• This is a national recruitment open to applicants residing in the United States.
  • The selected candidate must reside in Colorado within the first 30 days of employment, preferably within 100 miles of Denver. Relocation assistance or reimbursement is not provided for this position.
• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal and personal background check.
• Employment is also contingent upon successful completion of the Colorado TRAILS background check process.

Application Deadline: Friday, October 16, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. MST.