Department Information
This position is not part of the classified personnel system; applications will be accepted from Residents and Non-Residents of Colorado.
Incumbent will be required to live in and complete work for CDE within Colorado.
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.
CDE strives to incorporate five core values that we uphold in our work internally and externally. If you come to CDE, be prepared to incorporate Integrity, Equity, Accountability, Trust, and commitment to Service in what you do.
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.
A wide salary range is posted for this position, and any job offer is based upon a salary analysis to comply with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. The salary analysis considers relevant experience, education, certifications, and state seniority relative to others performing substantially similar work. While most salary offers are made within the posted range, occasionally an offer is made below or above the posted range based upon this salary analysis.
The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness. The State is resolute in non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities.
Description Of Job
Position Summary:
The Director of Human Resources serves as a strategic leader responsible for designing, implementing, and continuously improving a comprehensive human capital strategy that enables the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) to achieve its mission and strategic priorities.
This position is a subject-matter expert in the personnel system, the Colorado Constitution and Revised Statutes, State Personnel Board Rules, Director’s Administrative Procedures, universal policies, technical guidance, federal employment laws, auditing, compliance, and operations.
This role leads the transformation of Human Resources from a compliance-driven, and transactional model to a trusted, proactive, data-driven, and service-oriented strategic partner. The Director ensures alignment between talent strategy, organizational effectiveness, and operational execution, while fostering a culture grounded in accountability, equity, service, trust, and continuous improvement.
The Director serves as a key advisor to executive leadership and plays a critical role in shaping workforce strategy, strengthening leadership capacity, modernizing HR systems, and ensuring a high-performing and inclusive organizational culture.
Key Duties And Responsibilities
Executive and Cross-Divisional Leadership (30%)
- Serves as a member of the executive leadership team advising on human capital strategy, organizational effectiveness, and workforce planning.
- Acts as a strategic thought partner to division leaders to align talent decisions with agency priorities and long-term goals.
- Leads through influence across divisions to drive coherence in talent practices, workforce planning, and organizational culture.
- Designs and oversees a comprehensive job classification framework across classified and non-classified roles, ensuring clarity in role expectations, career progression, and alignment to organizational needs, staffing models, and long-term workforce sustainability.
- Develops and implements a strategic compensation philosophy and structure aligned to market competitiveness, internal equity, and state constraints.
- Builds leadership capacity across the agency by coaching leaders, strengthening managing practices, and promoting accountability and performance.
- Fosters a culture of trust, service, and high-quality outcomes, ensuring alignment with CDE values and leadership competencies.
- Serves as a connector across teams to remove barriers, improve collaboration, and strengthen internal systems.
Strategic Planning and Workforce Strategy (25%)
- Develops and implements a comprehensive, multi-year human capital strategy aligned to CDE’s strategic plan and operational priorities.
- Leads workforce planning efforts, including staffing models, succession planning, and talent pipeline development.
- Designs and implements strategies to recruit, retain, and develop a high-quality and diverse workforce.
- Uses data and analytics to identify workforce trends, forecast needs, and inform decision-making.
- Ensures talent strategies support both immediate operational needs and long-term organizational sustainability.
HR Systems, Operations, and Continuous Improvement (20%)
- Establishes clear, consistent, and accessible HR processes and service-level expectations, while measuring and reporting on responsiveness, quality, and internal client satisfaction to ensure accountability and continuous improvement.
- Leverages emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and automation tools, to improve HR processes, increase efficiency, and enhance service delivery.
- Implements, develops, and maintains data visualization tools (e.g., dashboards, reports) to communicate workforce insights, track key metrics, and support and inform decision-making across leadership.
- Oversees all core HR functions, including talent acquisition, employee relations, performance management, compensation, benefits, compliance, and safety.
- Leads modernization and optimization of HR systems, processes, and service delivery models to improve efficiency and user experience.
- Establishes clear service standards and accountability measures for HR operations.
- Drives continuous improvement efforts to streamline processes, reduce administrative burden, and increase organizational effectiveness.
Organizational Culture, Leadership Development, and Employee Experience (15%)
- Builds and sustains trust in HR through transparent communication, consistent practices, responsive service, and high-quality delivery across all levels of the organization.
- Leads initiatives to strengthen organizational culture, employee engagement, and overall staff experience, using feedback and data to identify trust gaps and address root causes.
- Designs and implements leadership development and performance management systems aligned to CDE’s values and competencies, ensuring clarity, accountability, and meaningful feedback.
- Partners with Communications and leadership to ensure clear, consistent messaging and promotes inclusive practices that advance equity, belonging, and access to opportunity for all employees.
Policy, Compliance, and Risk Management (10%)
- Develops, updates, and ensures implementation of HR policies in alignment with state and federal requirements and CDE priorities.
- Manages employee relations matters and leads workplace investigations, ensuring compliance with applicable policies, procedures, and legal requirements.
- Provides strategic oversight, management, and ensures statutory compliance for specialized HR programs, including ADA/ADAAA interactive processes and reasonable accommodations, Workers’ Compensation claim management and safety initiatives, Labor Relations and collective bargaining adherence, and the management of Unemployment Insurance claims and appeals.
- Ensures consistent and equitable application of policies, procedures, and employment practices.
- Implements comprehensive knowledge of State Personnel Board Rules, Department of Personnel & Administration (DPA) processes, and is Personal Services Contracts (SPCP) certified and compliant with Statement of Work (SOW) requirements, including state-compliant SOW approval procedures.
- Adheres to and advises on rules and regulations pertaining to classified policies and hiring processes.
- Partners with legal counsel and leadership on risk mitigation and compliance strategies.
- Supports audit readiness and ensures appropriate documentation and internal controls.
- Provides strategic oversight of HR compliance by engaging in key internal and external forums, monitoring legislative and regulatory developments, and directing the implementation of policy and practice changes to ensure organizational compliance.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Builds and leads a high-performing HR team known for responsiveness, strong customer service, consistency, fairness, and effective relationship management across divisions.
- Establishes clear goals, performance expectations, and development plans to support team growth and accountability.
- Ensures the HR team delivers both operational excellence and strategic impact in support of organizational priorities and strategic impact.
Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions Of Employment & Appeal Rights
MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
Education And Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.
And
- Minimum of Five (5) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in human resources, talent management, or organizational leadership.
Qualifications And Conditions
- Demonstrated ability in HR functions through transparent communication, consistent decision-making, high-quality service, and by strengthening employee confidence in HR as a trusted partner and advisor.
- Strong knowledge of employment law, compliance, and public sector HR practices.
- Demonstrated experience designing or managing compensation structures, job classification systems, or workforce frameworks in complex organizations.
- HR certification (SHRM-SCP, SPHR, or equivalent)
- Demonstrated ability to use data visualization tools (e.g., dashboards, presentations) to translate complex information into clear, actionable insights.
- Experience leveraging AI or emerging technologies to improve workflows, analyze data, or enhance organizational effectiveness.
- 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
- Master’s degree in a related field.
- Experience in the public sector or education systems.
- Familiarity with Colorado state personnel systems and processes.
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 to the office or other meeting locations.
- Work extended schedule per business needs
- Report to work location per business needs.
- Incumbent will be required to obtain the State of Colorado Statewide Personnel Certification Program (SPCP) certification in Job Evaluation and Personnel Services Contracts within 12 months of hire.
Work Hours and Location:
- This position is full-time (at least 40 hours per week), Monday-Friday.
- This position is hybrid, allowing a flexible work arrangement of both home and in-office work.
Work Environment:
- Extended hours during the evening or the weekend may be required by business needs.
- A home office is required for remote office work.
- Required to report to the work location as required, which will vary based on business needs.
- 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 (for event setup, such as all-staff events and holiday parties.
- A driver's license is not required; however, the employee is required to independently obtain and determine the means to commute to the office.
Supplemental Information
Complete Applications Must Include
- Completed Online Application: Required - Submitted through our ATS .
- Cover Letter: Attached to the online application
- Resume: Attached to the online application
- Transcript: Required if using education to meet MQs - Attached to the online application and meeting requirements as described under "College Transcripts".
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 a 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 may result in your application being removed from consideration.* *
- Resumes and Cover Letters WILL NOT be reviewed for minimum qualification screening.
FOR CURRENT OR FORMER EMPLOYEES OF THE STATE OF COLORADO:
Per the requirements of the Step Pay Program implemented on July 1, 2024, any State employee must be paid a rate that is equal to or greater than the appropriate step pay rate within their classification’s pay range based on completed years in their current class series as of June 30.
All current and former State employees must ensure that your entire work history within the State Classified System, including at Institutions of Higher Education, is indicated in your application so that your time-in-series can be calculated accurately.
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.
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 t o hr@cde.state.co.us .
