CWCB Administration and Operations Section Chief (Management)

State of Colorado

Denver, CO

JOB DETAILS
SALARY
$105,720–$135,600 Per Year
SKILLS
Accounting, Administrative Procedures, Administrative Skills, Analysis Skills, Budget Management, Budgeting, Business Administration, Coaching, Communication Skills, Compensation and Benefits, Conflict Resolution, Conservation, Contract Creation, Contract Management, Cross-Functional, Customer Support/Service, Data Analysis, Data Collection, Data Management, Deductive Reasoning, Dental Insurance, Detail Oriented, Diversity, Documentation, Driver's License, Economics, Environmental Sciences, Financial Planning, Financial Policies, Financial Strategy, Flexible Spending Accounts, Funding, Government, Human Resources, Identify Issues, Inductive Logic, Interpersonal Skills, Leadership, Lean Manufacturing, Medical Records, Mobile Devices, Multicultural, Multitasking, Natural Resources, Needs Assessment, Negotiation Skills, Office Management, Operational Strategy, Operations, Operations Management, Operations Processes, Organizational Skills, Performance Management, Policy Analysis, Policy Development, Presentation/Verbal Skills, Problem Solving Skills, Process Improvement, Procurement Management, Proposal Development, Purchasing/Procurement, Regulations, Resource Management, State Government, Strategic Planning, Team Lead/Manager, Water Supply, Web Design, Writing Skills
LOCATION
Denver, CO
POSTED
3 days ago

CWCB Administration and Operations Section Chief (Management)

Salary

$105,720.00 - $135,600.00 Annually

Location

Denver Metro, CO

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

PDA 00066 06/2026

Department

Department of Natural Resources

Division

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Opening Date

06/05/2026

Closing Date

6/22/2026 5:00 PM Mountain

FLSA

Determined by Position

Type of Announcement

This position is open only to Colorado state residents.

Hiring Pay Rate

Employees new to State Government will be paid on a bi-weekly basis.

FLSA Status

Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.

Department Contact Information

Patrick.gerity@state.co.us

Salary Note

Although the full salary range for this position is provided, appointments are typically made at or near the range minimum.

Primary Physical Work Address

This is a Hybrid position - Work is primarily performed from a home office, however the work requirements of the position require the selected candidate to report to the office at 1313 Sherman Street - Denver, CO a minimum of 1 day a week for meetings, trainings and projects as directed by the supervisor.

How To Apply

Please submit an online application for this position at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado. Reach out to the Department Contact to apply using a paper application, including any supplemental questions. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by the appropriate Human Resources office before the closing date and time listed.

  • Description
  • Benefits
  • Questions

Department Information

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

Are you interested in investing in a career that makes a difference?

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 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

For more detailed information, please visit State of Colorado Employee Benefits

The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) exists to establish water policy as directed by statutes to address Colorado's water issues. The CWCB is governed by a 15 member board that includes governor-appointed representatives from each of the eight major river basins, the City and County of Denver and several state agencies. Since nearly all of Colorado's water originates within its boundaries but is shared with other downstream states, the CWCB works to protect and assure that Colorado maintains its ability to fully use its allocation of the water under various agreements and court decrees. However, the development of those resources increasingly must focus on the wise use of water in recognition of future drivers like population growth that put pressure on state waters. The major "units" (sections) of the CWCB related to water supply planning, interstate and federal water issues including water information, instream flow and natural lake level protection, watershed and flood protection, grants, water project financing and agency budgeting, accounting and administrative support.

The purpose of the work unit within CWCB is to administer and manage the daily administrative operations of the division through information exchange, budget formulation and analyses, funding, planning, accounting, and operations management.

For more information about the Colorado Water Conservation Board, please go to https://cwcb.colorado.gov/.

Description of Job

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

The purpose of this position is to provide leadership, management and vision for effective and efficient operations of the CWCB, including long range budgeting and strategic planning for the agency's growth, ensuring the integration of CWCB's various funding programs, tracking and improving the division's performance, and streamlining internal office functions.

Specific duties Include:

CWCB Financial Strategic Planning: Manages budget, procurement and accounting staff to develop and recommend short- and long-range financial planning objectives to the CWCB, its Director and Deputy Director. This position supports and makes recommendations to the Director and Deputy Director by collecting data and developing analyses to evaluate and determine the fiscal needs of the division and its programs and recommends resource allocations to meet the division's mission and goals and objectives of Colorado's Water Plan.

Performance Management and Process Improvement: This position establishes the division's vision, goals, and strategies for long-term and short-term process improvement. The position leads efforts to review and improve internal processes to increase operational efficiency, optimize customer service, and minimize waste. This position works with the division's leadership and staff to ensure that the processes achieve the division's goals.

Operations Management: Oversees the internal operations of the division, including budget, procurement, accounting, office resources management, website development and maintenance, and data management. This includes overseeing preparation of all agency contracts and compilation of CWCB budget statements. This position develops and implements long-term policies, procedures and strategies that ensure effective and efficient operation of the division.

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.

The Colorado Constitution, Article XII, Section 13 requires that applicants for state classified government jobs be residents of Colorado, unless this requirement is waived by the State Personnel Board. This announcement does not include a residency waiver.

Check out https://careers.colorado.gov/how-to-apply for a quick video on how to apply for State of Colorado and Department of Natural Resources jobs, as well as how to search for jobs.

Minimum Qualifications:

Ten (10) years of experience in water policy analysis, budget management and development, and legislative and policy analysis.

  • OR -

Bachelors degree from an accredited institution in business administration, natural resources management, environmental science, environmental policy, natural resource economics or field of study related to the work assignment.

AND

Six (6) years of experience in water policy analysis, budget management and development, and legislative and policy analysis.

Please note: The required experience must be substantiated within the work experience section of your application. Your resume will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications; only the work experience section of your application will be reviewed to determine this. "See Resume" statements on the application will not be accepted. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.

Substitutions:

  • Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis (Bachelors equals four years, Masters equals two years, Doctorate equals one year).

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Current or former State experience relevant to this position

  • Knowledge of Colorado's Water Plan

  • Work experience with state agencies and interstate commissions

  • Experience in Lean Management

  • Experience developing and managing budget models

  • Experience reviewing and organizing financial information

  • Strong communication skills (verbal and written)

  • Experience in program or project compliance

  • Proficiency with Google Suite

Required Competencies:

  • Ability to accurately understand policy framework and context for technical

work

  • Trouble shooting, problem solving, and critical thinking skills
  • Strong customer service skills
  • Ability to effectively communicate both orally and in writing
  • Strong analytical, and inductive and deductive reasoning abilities
  • Strong organizational and evaluation skills, with keen attention to detail
  • Strong interpersonal skills including coaching, conflict resolution, facilitation, and negotiation
  • Self-motivation
  • Ability to multi-task and identify systematic approaches to solving problems
  • Ability to demonstrate sensitivity and appreciation for diverse viewpoints as well as different communication and work styles in a multi-cultural and inter-generational environment
  • Ability to identify and creatively resolve issues while exercising appropriate judgment
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all partners
  • Ability to analyze data and provide recommendations
  • Ability to analyze and present information to colleagues in a way that enables good business decisions
  • Ability to work well independently as well as in/with a team

Conditions of Employment:

  • Colorado residency is required at the time of application.
  • Former employees of the State of Colorado MUST have concluded employment in good standing to be eligible for rehire.
  • A current & valid Drivers license is required for operating a state vehicle.
  • Must be willing and able to occasionally exert up to 20 lbs. of force to move objects

APPEAL RIGHTS:

It is recommended that you contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below to resolve issues related to your possession of minimum qualifications. However, if you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email, US Mail, faxed or hand delivered within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department's action.

For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board go to spb.colorado.gov or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Directors Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.

Supplemental Information

The Colorado Constitution requires all appointments and promotions in the state personnel system be made according to merit and fitness.

Check out https://careers.colorado.gov/how-to-apply for a quick video on how to apply for State of Colorado and Department of Natural Resources jobs, as well as how to search for jobs.

Applicant Checklist:

Complete Applications must include the following documents:

  • A complete online Application for Announced Vacancy
  • A cover letter that describes how your experience aligns with the minimum and preferred qualifications of this position. Cover letters must be uploaded as an attachment to your online application.
  • A current resume uploaded as an attachment to your online application
  • If you are using education to qualify, a copy of your official or unofficial transcript showing that your degree has been conferred and the name of your school, or your NACES accreditation. Please submit this as an attachment to your online application.
  • If you are a veteran, a copy of your DD214. Please submit this as an attachment to your online application.

The Assessment Process:

The Colorado Constitution requires all appointments and promotions in the state personnel system to be made according to merit and fitness. Your on-line application will be reviewed by a Human Resource Specialist and/or Subject Matter Expert to determine if you meet the minimum requirements for the position.

Upon meeting the minimum qualifications, the next phase of the assessment process may consist of a Structured Application/Resume Review. Utilizing your detailed on-line application, cover letter, resume and transcripts, the review is a comparative analysis against the listed required competencies, job duties and/or preferred qualifications in this announcement to determine technical competence, depth and breadth of experience and job fit in comparison to all other applicants for this position. It is imperative that you provide adequate detail on your application and cover letter to describe how you meet and/or exceed the requirements for this position. "See Resume" or "See Attached" will not substitute for the completed and detailed on-line application.

Comparative analysis factors to be assessed:

  • Technical Competence - Technical experience as it relates to the duties outlined in this job announcement.
  • Depth and Breadth of Experience - Experience that covers multiple areas outlined in this job announcement; varied and not one dimensional; and demonstrate progressively higher level of responsibility with a wide range.
  • Job Fit - Experience evaluated to determine how well your experience aligns with and meets the business needs of this position. Current/recent experience is preferred.
  • Upload additional pages if necessary to detail your experience and accomplishments. Failure to include adequate information or follow instructions by the deadline for application may result in your application not being accepted for this position and may affect your inclusion in future steps in the assessment process.

A 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 as compared to others doing substantially similar work. While all offers are compliant with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, there is no guarantee an offer will be at the top of the posted range based on the salary analysis.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

We are committed to increasing a "Colorado for ALL" of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of all backgrounds and abilities. The State of Colorado believes that a "Colorado for ALL" drives 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 Department of Natural Resources 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 dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us.

ADAAA Accommodations

Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request an accommodation, please contact DNRs Benefit Team at dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us at least five business days before the date that any accommodation will be required to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.

E-verify

The Department of Natural Resources participates in E-Verify in accordance with the program's Right to Work for all newly-hired employees. Employees are queried through the electronic system established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to verify identity and employment eligibility. You may complete section 1 of the I-9 form upon your acceptance of a job offer letter, but no later than your first day of employment and in addition, on your first day, but no later than the third day, you will are required to submit original documents to verify your eligibility to work in the U.S. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities at http://dhs.gov/e-verify

Toll-Free Applicant Support - Technical Help

If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV at 855-524-5627, Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). The Human Resources Office will be unable to assist with technical issues. Helpful hints: If you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application, ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files and close the document before you attempt to upload it.

The State of Colorado offers permanent employees a variety of benefits including medical, dental, life and disability insurance, as well as a comprehensive leave program. Please click the following link for detailed information: www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/benefits

Please note that each agencys contact information is different; therefore, we encourage all applicants to view the full, official job announcement which includes contact information and class title. Select the job you wish to view, then click on the "Print" icon.

01

The Colorado Constitution, Article XII, Section 13 requires that APPLICANTS for state classified government jobs be residents of Colorado, unless this requirement is waived by the State Personnel Board. There is no residency waiver for this announcement. Please confirm that you are a current resident of Colorado.

  • Yes
  • No

02

If you are using education to meet or substitute for qualifications, did you upload a copy of your official or unofficial transcript? (Your transcript is required as verification that you meet the requirements).

  • Yes, I have attached my transcripts.
  • No, I am not using college course work to meet minimum requirements for this position.
  • Not Applicable

03

Did you upload your résumé and cover letter to this on-line application?

  • Yes
  • No

04

Part, or all, of the assessment for this position involves a review of the information you submit in your application materials. This announcement requires a Cover Letter and Resume. Do not use "see resume" or "see attached" statements on your application. Resumes and Cover Letters WILL NOT be reviewed for minimum qualification screening or structured application reviews. Please acknowledge your understanding of notice and requirements:

  • I understand and acknowledge the requirements

05

This position is hybrid and requires you come into the office at a minimum of 1 day a week or as required by your supervisor. Future administrations could change the in-office requirements. Please acknowledge that you are able to work from the Denver office.

  • Yes, I will come to the office a minimum of one day per week or as required.
  • No, I am unable to work from Denver.

06

Please confirm that you understand the following questions will be used to evaluate your application and failure to respond to or inadequately respond to these questions may impact your application.

  • Yes
  • No

07

Briefly describe your experience managing a multidisciplinary team (e.g. accountants, budget analysts, contract administrators, and technical staff).

08

Describe your experience managing long-range financial planning and developing budget proposals for a government agency or large organization.

09

Describe your experience leading the review of draft legislation for fiscal or policy impacts.

10

Briefly describe your experience working on a process improvement initiative to increase operational efficiency in a public sector or similar environment.

Required Question

Employer State of Colorado

Address See the full announcement by clicking

the "Printer" icon located above the job title

Location varies by announcement, Colorado, --

Website https://careers.colorado.gov/

About the Company

S

State of Colorado