DNR Executive Director's Office Budget and Policy Analyst IV.

State of Colorado; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and Dental plans

Flexible Spending Accounts

Health Savings Accounts

11 paid holidays

Remote-work options

Career advancement opportunities

Job summary

Colorado Department of Natural Resources seeks a professional-level Budget and Policy Analyst for the Executive Director’s Office. The role develops and defends the department’s annual budget, advises leadership on spending priorities, and coordinates budget narratives and documents for legislative review.

You will shape budget initiatives, oversee cross-division processes, and ensure compliance with state budgeting requirements while supporting strategic fiscal planning for Colorado’s natural

Qualifications

• Professional-level budget and policy analysis.
• Ability to develop and defend annual budgets and related documents.
• Experience advising executive leadership and fiscal personnel.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of the Department’s annual legislative budget request and oversee related budget processes.
• Provide conceptual and technical guidance on budget items and funding proposals.
• Advise senior leaders on spending priorities, methodologies, and policy implications.
• Oversee budget narratives, schedules, and documentation for accuracy and compliance.
• Monitor and defend budget positions in interactions with the Governor’s Office and General Assembly.
• Direct budget processes within the Executive Director’s Office and coordinate across divisions.

Job description

Department Information

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

Consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. It's our mission to manage and conserve Colorado's natural resources for the benefit of people today - and tomorrow. That means we have to balance development with conservation so the state we all love provides similar opportunities for our children and their children.

We invite you to explore our website at https://dnr.colorado.gov/about-us to find out more about the work we do to manage Colorado's natural resources for today - and tomorrow. 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.

In addition to offering rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:

• Medical and Dental plans
• Strong, flexible retirement plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus pre-tax and Roth 401K and 457 plans
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• Employee Wellness programs
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Accounts
• 11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave
• Flexible work schedule options and remote-work options
• Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system
• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Department of Natural Resources, Executive Director's Office

The Executive Director’s Office (EDO) within the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) exists to manage and supervise the activities of the Divisions within DNR in the development, preservation, and enhancement of Colorado’s natural resources for the benefit and enjoyment of its citizens – both now and in the future. EDO combines and manages the administrative, operational and performance functions of all DNR divisions, including the EDO.

The Executive Director’s Office (EDO) budget unit develops, defends, implements, and oversees the Department’s approximately $500 million annual operating budget, as well as state and federal stimulus funds, in accordance with executive and legislative budget processes to ensure accountability for all funds related to the various programs of the Department. This includes providing detailed fiscal analyses of proposed legislation and ballot measures that affect DNR programs and divisions. The unit also leads formal department-level planning processes through the preparation of the Department’s annual Long Range Financial Plan, Performance Plan, and associated reporting requirements for performance metrics, and annual SMART Act hearings.

Description Of Job

This position provides professional-level budget and policy analysis; develops budget documents and fiscal procedures necessary to implement the Department’s annual budget; directs expenditures to ensure management objectives are met within Long Bill and legislative appropriations; and advises the Budget Director, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Director, Division Directors, and division fiscal personnel on spending and revenue issues. This position is a subject matter expert that employs and designs various analytical and statistical techniques to identify policy issues and recommend changes as required by changing budget, economic, and programmatic needs.

Legislative Budget Development

Role

This position has a significant leadership role in the development of the Department’s annual legislative budget request, with an emphasis on water-related issue areas and oversight of the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the Division of Water Resources. As part of this process, the position:

• Provides conceptual and technical guidance to assigned divisions on the development and submission of potential budget requests, as well as evaluating potential alternative solutions for proposed budget initiatives;
• Conducts a critical review of proposed decision items, budget amendments, and supplementals by analyzing expenditure patterns and justifications to obtain funding for new programs and to address programmatic problems;
• Advises the DNR leadership team on budget initiatives, available alternatives, consistent methodologies in support of the Department’s budget initiatives;
• Works with assigned divisions to ensure approved budget items are appropriately detailed and fully defensible;
• Offers recommendations on the prioritization of all Department budget initiatives using a consistent, rational ranking methodology;
• Monitors divisions progress in developing budget narratives, schedules, and other supporting documentation to ensure accuracy and compliance with OSPB instructions and deadlines; and
• Oversees all responses to information requests that affect assigned divisions or common policy areas from the Governor’s Office, Joint Budget Committee, and General Assembly, as well as any public materials required for Department’s annual legislative budget and SMART Act hearings.

Executive Director’s Office Finance Manager

This position serves as the finance manager for the DNR Executive Director’s Office, with oversight of the division’s personal services and operating budgets, as well as the EDO share of all common policy allocations. This involves:

• Maintaining detailed budget models to support accurate projections, tracking monthly and other periodic data on expenditures and encumbrances;
• Advising the Budget Director and EDO leadership team on any proposed actions or potential issues with a budgetary impact, as well as identifying and recommending appropriate solutions to avert or alleviate any budget problems while allowing division operations to continue.
• Establishing and directing all EDO budget processes, including the division’s participation in the development of the annual legislative budget request, as well as the preparation of all budget schedules and budget documents related to EDO’s portion of the request.
• Acting as the EDO budget representative to the Governor’s Office and the General Assembly with responsibility for defending the division’s position to these entities and negotiating a resolution of any policy differences.

Oversight of Assigned Central Operating Appropriations

This Position Serves As DNR’s Subject Matter Expert On Assigned Central Operating Appropriations Including Vehicle Lease Payments, OIT Common Policy And Real-time Billing, Capitol Complex Leased Space, And The Department’s Leased Space Portfolio. The Position Has The Authority To Establish Processes And Influence Management Decisions For These Operating Budget On a Department-wide Basis, Which Includes

• Establishing and implementing a department-wide process for the strategic development, implementation, and oversight of assigned central appropriations and associated management policies;
• determining the appropriate cost allocations for every division in the Department and monitoring expenditures within established budgets to ensure the appropriations are being managed appropriately;
• conducting detailed analyses of departmental common policy needs and developing the necessary legislative budget requests to secure any additional resources required;
• analyzing the impact of proposed policies and initiatives on the department’s resources needs in these areas, advocating effectively for DNR’s positions on these policies, and negotiating the resolution of any policy issues;
• representing the department in statewide planning efforts in these areas (e.g. the electrification of the state fleet, reducing the state’s physical footprint, other reimagining state government and/or greening government initiatives).

Oversight of State/Federal Stimulus and “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” Funds

Responsibilities

This position is responsible for overseeing and administering the obligation and expenditure of the administrative allowances associated with all state and federal stimulus funds, as well as any funds the Department receives through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act