Description

Colorado Department of Education – What We Do 
The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) provides leadership, resources, support, and accountability to the state's 178 school districts, 1,888 schools, over 53,000 teachers, and over 3,200 administrators to help them build capacity to meet the needs of the state's approximately 905,000 public school students. In addition, CDE provides structural and administrative support to the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind and the Charter School Institute.

As the administrative arm of the State Board of Education, CDE is responsible for implementing state and federal education laws, disbursing state and federal funds, holding schools and districts accountable for performance, licensing all educators, and providing public transparency of performance and financial data.

CDE is a values-based agency that serves students, parents, and the general public by protecting public trust through ensuring adherence to laws, strong stewardship of public funds, and accountability for student performance.

Why Work For CDE
The work we do is rewarding and impacts the students, families, educators, and communities across Colorado. Our leadership also promotes a culture that puts families and self-care as a priority. Along with meaningful work and an environment that puts employees first, the state also offers rich benefits that intend to make us an Employer of Choice!
The following is a summary of the benefits we offer:

• Flexible work schedules and flexible workplace options that may include flexible working hours, working from home, working in the office, and/or a hybrid working environment.
• Premier medical, dental, vision, and dependent life insurance options. All with a generous employer contribution keeping employee costs as low as possible.
• Employer-paid short-term disability and life insurance
• Up to 160 hours of Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML)
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals
• Retirement through the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) www.copera.org
• Employer-paid RTD Eco Pass (certain restrictions may apply)
• Paid professional development opportunities

Why CDE Wants You

• You can envision the future of technology for child nutrition programs and develop a roadmap to get us there.
• You can build and maintain strong relationships with technology vendors and stakeholders.
• You love where you live, and live where you work #ColorfulColorado 
• You have 7 years under your belt of relevant or transferable skills, knowledge, or abilities in Experience, Or Education, Or Both! 

Description of Job

Work Environment:

• Office hours are typically Mon-Fri, 8 am-5 pm
• Extended hours during the evening or the weekend may be required by business needs
• Some travel required within Denver Metro/Downtown for Meetings/Training 
• Some travel Within the State of Colorado may be required by business needs
• Some out-of-state travel to conferences may be required by business needs
  
• A Remote (Home) office is required
• Required to report to the work location per business needs
• Essential Functions (ADAAA)
  • LIGHT/Office environment:
    • Required to sit, view a computer screen, and utilize a keyboard and mouse for extended periods of time
    • May be required to lift and move up to 10 lbs of force frequently or 20 lbs occasionally 
    • Required lifting, bending, stooping, pushing, walking, etc.
    • Light work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree
  • DL Required: Required to safely operate a motor vehicle (OR State of Colorado Fleet motor vehicle/Colorado DL required) to complete travel requirements.
    

Position Summary:
The School Nutrition Unit uses an information technology system, the Colorado Nutrition Portal, to fulfill operational and regulatory responsibilities and provide internal and external customers with a user interface to manage child nutrition program data, applications, claims for reimbursement, and monitoring reviews. This position will manage and be the staff authority for CDE School Nutrition’s technology infrastructure, including the Colorado Nutrition Portal. This position will serve as the technology subject matter expert and business analyst, leading internal technology focus teams. This position will also manage vendor contracts, relations, product testing, and implementation throughout a project lifecycle. This position will oversee business requirements, change management processes, day-to-day compliance with contracts and deliverables, and project management, including developing and tracking project schedules, developing and managing communications plans, risk plans, performance monitoring, and reporting. Since the unit’s technology infrastructure is focused heavily on collecting programmatic data, this position will support data management activities to ensure data accuracy and accessibility. This position provides expert consultation and recommendations to unit leadership and other state agencies regarding technology priorities. All expert consultation and recommendations are based on well-established principles. This position also exists to design processes, protocols, and procedures for School Nutrition Unit technology and data functions.

The final salary is anticipated to fall within the posted salary range, however could be higher or lower depending on the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other qualifications of the preferred candidate while considering internal equity.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

•    This position serves as the CDE School Nutrition staff authority and subject matter expert in the following areas:

• School Nutrition Unit technology infrastructure including determining technology needs, gaps and opportunities. 

• Develop, implement and maintain a sustainable plan for all internal processes and procedures, including processes for testing, ticketing and enhancement design. Streamline internal processes, when necessary.

• Lead research, design, selection and implementation of technology solutions to support internal and external federal school nutrition program operations, innovation, and quality improvement.

• Develop technology solution objectives, requirements, statements of work, and support development of technology budget. 

• Develop requirement specifications using clear and concise language. Document business functions, process flows and maintain current documentation of detailed workflow diagrams, narratives, and intersections between various user groups. Organize, update and maintain system user manuals and tech specification documents.

• Act as the primary contact and liaison between CDE IMS and vendor technical staff and unit programmatic subject matter experts, bridging the gap between technology and programmatic language. 

• Serve as the subject matter expert for contract requirements. Oversee the vendor contract ($300,000-$500,000) including day-to-day vendor contract compliance, performance monitoring, adherence to deliverables and timeline, dispute resolution, documentation, and plan for contract closeout. 

• Provide expertise on contract amendments, including executing contract amendments in collaboration with the CDE procurement team.

• Oversee policy and procedure design for internal conduct and practices using school nutrition technology systems, including the process for change requests, enhancements, new technology, testing, and messaging and instruction for external audiences. 

• In collaboration with leadership, provides oversight and support for technology grants. Oversees grant management to ensure project goals and objectives are achieved and oversees grant reporting.

• Analyze functional specifications and design documents working directly with internal program subject matter experts, sponsor organizations, vendors, and other stakeholders to ensure software functionality and technical design requirements are met. Ensure the level of documentation is appropriate for the need. 

• Design, document and maintain system operational processes.

• Evaluate business rules and develop test plans for all phases including functional, regression, integration, and user acceptance tests. 

• Develop assumptions to clarify design and requirements and identify risks of implementing/not implementing tasks/processes. 

• Prioritize deliverables and collaborate with internal program subject matter experts and other stakeholders to clarify requirements and coordinate user acceptance testing.

• Create testing scripts and instructions and coordinate quality assurance efforts with team members.

• Implement comprehensive management plans for technology projects and facilitate regular stakeholder meetings to ensure deliverables are met, gaps and opportunities are addressed, and all stakeholders are informed, and their needs are heard and addressed.  

• Gather requirements using interviews, document analysis, surveys, use cases, business analysis, and workflow analysis. Evaluate, document, and present options for satisfying project requests. 

• Identify business trends, assess the viability of projects, and develop high-level requirements and recommendations for School Nutrition leadership consideration. 

• Translate business and/or functional requirements into technical, system, and reporting requirements. 

• Serve as the liaison between state agencies and technology vendors; employ principles to actively build and maintain positive relationships between the CDE team, technology vendor, and other stakeholders.

• Serve as a contact for school food authority technology vendors to help answer questions regarding regulations. Support school food authorities to ensure technology systems in place meet state and federal requirements. Examples include, but are limited to household income applications, menu planning, and point-of-service software.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

OPTION 1: Experience Minimum Qualifications

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

OR

OPTION 2: Experience and Education Combination Substitution

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree in Information systems, Computer science, IT, or a field of study related to the work assignment will substitute for up to Six (6) years of the required experience, But not the specific experience listed below.
• Three (3) years of full-time specific experience in designing, developing, and implementing technology infrastructure, managing technology projects, creating documents, guidance, and training for end users.
  
  

OR

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
QUALIFICATIONS AND CONDITIONS: 
Qualifications for Success in the Position: 

• Four (4) years of professional experience in an occupational field related to the work assigned to the position
• Knowledge of creating documents, guidance, and training for end users
• Experience in Project Management with a focus in managing the implementation of software systems
• Demonstrated experience in designing, developing, and implementing technology infrastructure
• Work experience in quality assurance and/or change management
• Experience presenting complex information in lay terminology
• Evidence of collaborative experience
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail (proofing work, spelling, grammar, formatting, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to effectively balance quality of work and productivity expectations
• Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate with internal and external customers (e.g. school districts, other CDE units)
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and organize work to accommodate and meet the changing needs of the department and meet deadlines
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and exhibit a proactive approach to work
• Demonstrated ability to identify problems and recommend solutions prior to the standard being jeopardized
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, as well as, on a team
• Ability and willingness to travel

Preferred Qualifications (Preferred/Not Required):

• Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification
• Knowledge of state and federal child nutrition laws, rules and regulations

Conditions of Employment (Required):

• Must be willing and able to submit to the pre-screening process and pass a background check.
• Ability and willingness to independently determine, obtain means, and complete required commuting (5 %)
• Work extended schedule per business needs
• Report to work location per business needs
• Valid Colorado Driver's License Required: Required to safely operate a State of Colorado Fleet Motor vehicle to complete any required travel outside of the Metro area and outside of Colorado. 

Supplemental Information

Complete Applications must include:

• Completed Online Application: Required - Submitted through our ATS.
• Cover Letter: Required - Copy and Paste into the Supplemental Questions (11,000 character limit, aprx. 3 pages) 
• Transcript: Required if using education to meet MQs - Attached to the online application and meeting requirements as described under "College Transcripts".
• Licensure Verification: Required - Attached to the online application.
• References: Required - Attached to the online application.

College Transcripts: If you are using education to qualify, a legible copy of your official or unofficial college transcript(s) or a foreign credential evaluation report must be submitted with your application. Transcripts must show the name of the school and that a degree was conferred. Transcripts from colleges or universities outside of the United States must be assessed for U.S. equivalency by a NACES educational credential evaluation service. Failure to provide a transcript or foreign credential evaluation report may result in your application being rejected and you will not be able to continue in the selection process for this position.  

**Failure to submit a complete application as defined above by the announcement close will result in your application being removed from consideration.**

** Resumes and Cover Letters WILL NOT be reviewed for minimum qualification screening. 

Email Address:
All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be conducted via email.  Include a working email address on your application; one that is checked often as time-sensitive correspondence such as exam information or notification will take place via email.  Please set up your e-mail to accept messages from "state.co.us" and "info@governmentjobs.com" addresses. It is your responsibility to ensure that your email will accept these notices and/or review your junk mail and spam-filtered email.
 
Appeal Rights:
If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for the position, you may protest the action by filing an appeal with the State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director within 10 days from the date you receive notice of the elimination.
 
Also, if you wish to challenge the selection and comparative analysis process, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director within 10 days from the receipt of notice or knowledge of the action you are challenging.
 
Refer to Chapters 4 and 8 of the State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, 4 CCR 801, for more information about the appeals process. The State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures are available at www.colorado.gov/spb.
 
A standard appeal form is available at: https://spb.colorado.gov/ . 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 10 days of your receipt of notice or knowledge of the action: Colorado State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director, Attn: Appeals Processing, 1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver, CO 80203. Fax: 303-866-5038.  Phone: 303-866-3300. The ten-day deadline and these appeal procedures also apply to all charges of discrimination.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and Equal Employment Opportunity
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, a 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 Education 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 performing 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 hr@cde.state.co.us.