Operations Specialist - Term-Limited.

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

Medical and dental plans

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is seeking an Administrator III to lead branch operations, coordinate grant lifecycles, and drive process improvements across multiple chronic disease programs in Colorado. This role supports efficiency in contracting, procurement tracking, and program implementation under HPCDP.

The position emphasizes data-driven decision making, cross-team collaboration, and delivering operational excellence within a state government framework.

Qualifications

• Six (6) years of relevant experience in project management, contract or grant administration.
• Experience with coordinating administrative lifecycles from initiation to closeout.
• Ability to perform process improvement and workflow mapping.
• Strong operational technical assistance and customer service skills.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate branch operations and manage grant lifecycle from initiation to closeout.
• Lead process improvement and standardize operational procedures.
• Provide operational knowledge and technical assistance to staff and partners.

Skills

Project coordination

Contract administration

Procurement tracking

Workflow mapping

Quality improvement

Customer service

Education

Public Administration or related degree

Tools

Excel

Google Sheets

Monday.com

Project dashboards

Job description

Department Information

This posting is only open to current residents of the State of Colorado.

About Cdphe

At the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, we are charged with protecting Colorado’s health and environment – a responsibility that affects every person and every community in the state. CDPHE is distinctive because we bring public health and environmental protection together under one agency, recognizing that healthy people depend on healthy places. Our teams prevent diseases and injury, respond to emergencies ranging from E.coli outbreaks to global pandemics, reduce air pollution, protect water quality, regulate health facilities, manage environmental hazards, perform advanced laboratory testing, provide birth and death records, and implement health promoting programs. We turn science and data into action, set statewide standards, and work alongside local public health agencies and community partners to meet Colorado’s most pressing health and environmental challenges. Working at CDPHE means applying your expertise to complex, consequential work that can improve lives across the state.

Our mission captures this broad portfolio of work: to advance Colorado’s health and protect the places we live, learn, work, and play. Our vision is a healthy and sustainable Colorado where current and future generations can thrive. Achieving the mission and vision takes bold action, talented people, broad partnerships, and a commitment to serving every Coloradan.

Important Information

• TERM LIMIT: This position is term-limited and funding cannot be guaranteed beyond either June or September, 2031. The incumbent in this position must be willing and able to resign on this date or when funds run out, whichever comes first.
• The referral list generated by this position announcement may be used to fill multiple position vacancies and may be extended.
• Hybrid work options may be available at the supervisor’s discretion and based on business needs. The position will be based at 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South, Denver, CO 80246.

CDPHE Offers

CDPHE offers a comprehensive benefits package and the opportunity to build a meaningful career in public service. Benefits include:

• Medical and dental plans.
• Colorado PERA retirement options, including defined benefit plan or defined contribution plan.
• Optional 401(K) and 457 retirement plans.
• Employer-paid life insurance.
• Short- and long-term disability coverage.
• Potential flexible working arrangements
• 11 paid holidays per year and generous paid time off.
• Free parking and access to RTD bus lines.
• Tuition assistance.
• Employee wellness programs.
• Professional development opportunities.
• Career opportunities throughout Colorado state government.

Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program .

Description Of Job

The Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention (HPCDP) Branch in the Prevention Services Division (PSD) reviews, plans, designs, implements, and evaluates public health interventions for chronic diseases and related risk factors to advance health and racial equity and improve health-related quality of life for all Coloradans. Particular emphasis is placed on evidence-based practices, data-driven and evidence-informed decision-making, capacity building, partnerships, and the integration of program efforts to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The statewide chronic disease programs within the HPCDP Branch include Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, Comprehensive Cancer Control, Colorectal Cancer Control, Diabetes Prevention and Management, Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, Healthy Eating and Active Living, the Cancer, Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Disease Grants Program, and the Tobacco Education, Prevention and Cessation Grants Program.

We are aware that many chronic diseases share the same systemic causes: tobacco use, lack of access to nutritious foods, built environments that support physical activity, social connectedness, and poverty and economic instability. These systemic injustices, along with additional risk and protective factors, are shared across many of the outcomes we address. Colorado For ALL means working toward a Colorado where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. It means we support the basic human rights of our neighbors regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, education level, disability, socio-economic status, or any other visible or invisible identity.

The Operations and Project Management Unit provides branch-wide operational coordination, implementation support, workflow management, and process improvement support for grantmaking, contracting, and program implementation activities across multiple chronic disease prevention programs and funding streams. Operational implementation activities are centralized within this unit to improve operational consistency, workload distribution, standardized implementation processes, and coordination throughout the full grant and contract lifecycle, including solicitations, negotiations, operational tracking, and closeouts.

What You Will Do

This position serves as the operational resource and coordinator of operational workflows and timelines for the assigned branch programs. The position structures, maps, and guides staff through the end-to-end operational lifecycle of grantmaking and contracting, ensuring administrative consistency, efficiency, and program effectiveness. This role combines expertise in grantmaking, contracting, project coordination, and quality improvement to eliminate administrative coordination burdens, improve workflow consistency and analyze and adapt operational processes, and support branch-wide operational standardization.

Key Responsibilities

• Branch Operations and Grant Lifecycle Coordination
• Process Improvement and Operational Standardization
• Operational knowledge and Technical Assistance

Residency Requirement

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

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

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

Class Code & Classification Description

H1B3XX Administrator III

NOTE: An applicant may meet the minimum qualifications for this job in one of two ways: They may qualify through their work experience alone or through a combination of education and work experience.

Experience Only

Six (6) years of relevant experience as in project management, contract or grant administration, procurement tracking, operational administration, workflow coordination, or business process improvement. Experience should include at least two (2) of the following core skill areas:

• Coordinating, tracking, or managing administrative project lifecycles, contract routing, purchasing requests, or vendor agreements from initiation through closeout.
• Assembling, auditing, or verifying project packages, scopes of work (SOWs), or budget documents for accuracy, proper formatting, and compliance with organizational standards.
• Applying process improvement or quality improvement techniques (such as workflow mapping, standard operating procedures, or checklist development) to streamline administrative procedures or reduce processing delays.
• Providing operational technical assistance, customer service, or guidance to internal teams or external partners to help them navigate administrative processes or system requirements.

Or

Education And Experience

A combination of related education with a degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Health, Project Management, Healthcare Administration, Social/Behavioral Sciences, Communications, Finance, or a related field, and/or relevant experience in project management, contract or grant administration, procurement tracking, operational administration, workflow coordination, or business process improvement equal to six (6) years.

Experience should include at least two (2) of the following core skill areas:

• Coordinating, tracking, or managing administrative project lifecycles, contract routing, purchasing requests, or vendor agreements from initiation through closeout.
• Assembling, auditing, or verifying project packages, scopes of work (SOWs), or budget documents for accuracy, proper formatting, and compliance with organizational standards.
• Applying process improvement or quality improvement techniques (such as workflow mapping, standard operating procedures, or checklist development) to streamline administrative procedures or reduce processing delays.
• Providing operational technical assistance, customer service, or guidance to internal teams or external partners to help them navigate administrative processes or system requirements.
• You must substantiate that you meet the minimum qualifications when filling out the Work Experience section of the application. Failure to do so will result in the application not moving forward in the hiring process. “See resume” will not be accepted. Resumes are considered supplemental information and are not considered in the initial evaluation. In addition, part-time work will be prorated when determining whether minimum qualifications are met.**
• If using education to qualify for this position a copy of your transcripts (unofficial acceptable) or diploma must be provided with application. Transcripts must be attached to your colorado.gov/jobs application.**

Preferred Qualifications

• Grant & Contract Lifecycle Coordination: Professional experience coordinating the operational lifecycle of contracts, grants, task orders, or purchase orders, including tracking milestones, timelines, and year-end closeouts.
• Operational Quality Control & Package Verification: Demonstrated detail-orientation in performing pre-routing quality reviews on draft scopes of work (SOWs), project budgets, and contract amendments to catch formatting, arithmetic, or compliance errors before final submission.
• Process Improvement & Workflow Optimization: Experience analyzing administrative workflows, mapping business processes, or utilizing quality improvement tools (e.g., Lean, PDSA cycles, or SOP/template creation) to eliminate bottlenecks and administrative delays.
• Operational Technical Assistance & Customer Support: Strong customer service orientation with experience translating complex procurement, fiscal, or administrative guidelines into clear, plain-language guidance for colleagues and partners.
• Digital Tools & Multi-Tasking Under Deadlines: Demonstrated proficiency using digital tracking tools (such as Excel, Google Sheets, Monday.com , or project dashboards) to manage high document volumes, track processing milestones, and maintain organization under tight fiscal deadlines.

Conditions Of Employment

• Residency Requirement Options:
• This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.
• A pre-employment background check will be conducted as part of the selection process.
• Hybrid work options may be available at the supervisor’s discretion and based on business needs. The position will be based at 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South, Denver, CO 80246.
• This position is term limited and funding cannot be guaranteed beyond 9/30/2031. The incumbent in this position must be willing and able to resign on this date or when funds run out, whichever comes first.
• TRAVEL: This position will travel 10% of the time, requiring approximately 1x per month to attend meeting requests from partners and to meet with organizations. Position may travel statewide, potentially out of state for training, conferences or meetings.

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.

The Selection Process

• All applications that are received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications proceed to the next step.
• Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position may be a structured application review, which involves a review of the information you submit in your application materials by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) against the preferred qualifications.
• A top group, up to six candidates, will be invited to schedule an interview with the hiring manager.

CDPHE does not provide visa sponsorship at this time. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

E-Verify

CDPHE uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

ADAAA Accommodations

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 Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment 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 ADAAA Coordinator at [e-mail] or call 303-692-2060, option 5.