Job Description

OPEN TO STATE OF COLORADO RESIDENTS ONLY

This position will have remote workplace options available but will still be required to report to the listed address or other CPW offices at the discretion of the supervisor and based on business need.

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 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
• 10 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 .

COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE (CPW) Our Mission is to perpetuate the wildlife resources of the state, to provide a quality state parks system, and to provide enjoyable and sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities that educate and inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado's natural resources.

The Policy and Planning Branch serves CPW, the Parks and Wildlife Commission, and members of the public by providing legislative and policy development and analysis, informing management decisions through public involvement and social science research and providing expertise for agency resource and park planning efforts. The work products of this branch are critical elements in the development and revision of parks and wildlife-related regulations, policies, programs, natural and cultural resource conservation planning, property and strategic planning activities. By effectively involving both internal and external stakeholders in policy and planning activities, this branch assures that the best information is available for CPW and Commission decision-making and that this information is reflective of the needs, concerns, and preferences of the constituents CPW serves.

This position will be responsible for statewide coordination of and representation for CPW on energy development activities in Colorado. This position directly influences policy and procedures of CPW and is the senior authority on energy development and impacts to wildlife as a result of energy development in the state. This position represents CPW during rulemaking processes and procedures by state and federal agencies related to energy development. The position creates, reviews, and provides testimony to commissions and legislature on regulatory and rulemaking matters involving energy development and wildlife.


This position will be responsible for statewide coordination to implement the requirements in SB 24-212 and will coordinate with Colorado Parks and Wildlife management, regional energy liaisons, and field staff for model code development, technical support, project reviews, best management practices, high-priority habitat mapping designations and updates, communication and coordination with the Department of Natural Resources Executive Director’s Office (DNR-EDO) and other divisions including but not limited to the Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC), and the Colorado Energy Office (CEO).

Specific duties of this position include:

 

Renewable Energy Program Management

Coordinates CPW’s renewable energy program, using data-driven, evidence-based science to establish best management practices (BMPs) to avoid, minimize and mitigate impacts of renewable energy projects to parks, wildlife and outdoor recreation. This position will lead the implementation of SB 24-212 for the development of statewide BMPs and habitat mapping, serve as lead on efforts with ECMC including the development of renewable energy model codes, and will work with the CEO on the planned renewable energy siting report. It will coordinate with CPW executive management, regional energy liaisons, and field staff to provide technical support, project reviews, best management practices, high-priority habitat mapping designations and updates, communication, and coordination with DNR-EDO and other divisions, ECMC, and CEO. One of the primary roles of a statewide energy lead would be coordination with those aspects of energy development that ECMC regulates, with additional work on federal and state policy work.

Energy and Carbon Management Commission Coordination 
Serves as CPW’s Senior Authority regarding parks, wildlife and outdoor recreation management and energy development under the jurisdiction of the ECMC including oil and gas, geothermal, and carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). This position will be the agency lead in rulemaking matters with the ECMC Commission including annual High Priority Habitat map updates, any oil and gas rule changes, geothermal rules, carbon capture sequestration and storage rules, Cumulative Impact rules and any other rulemakings that the ECMC undertakes that involve CPW. This position will be responsible for coordinating and ensuring program compliance of the SB181 Compensatory Mitigation Statewide Committee and will assist ECMC staff with their annual Cumulative Impacts Report and prepare the annual CPW Compensatory Mitigation Report for CPW’s Executive Management Team (EMT) and ECMC Commission. Communicates frequently with the Assistant Director of Policy and Planning and, when necessary, the EMT and Director’s office on any rulemaking matters that impact CPW.

Policy Development
This position is responsible for providing subject matter expertise to inform policy development and implementation related to the nexus between renewable and nonrenewable energy and CPW’s jurisdiction managing parks, wildlife and outdoor recreation opportunities. In addition, this position will help coordinate information exchange and engagement with state, local, and federal agencies and external stakeholders that is critical to the energy program at CPW. This position will be the lead and coordinate agency comments and response to legislative proposals that have a nexus with CPW’s parks and wildlife programs and energy development in Colorado. This position will represent CPW on interstate working groups and committees on energy and wildlife issues. This position may serve as the CPW lead on energy-related statewide and national-level federal land management planning efforts that impact Colorado’s wildlife and parks resources, such as Resource Management Plans, Forest Plans, and other federal planning processes required by the National Environmental Policy Act. In order to fulfill these and other duties, this position will collaborate and work closely with regional energy liaisons and field staff.

Special Projects and Assignments
As needed, lead special projects or assignments on behalf of CPW regarding energy development and planning. This position may support energy and policy work on other CPW, ECMC, and DNR initiatives and federal planning efforts statewide as workload allows.
Other duties as assigned.   Minimum Qualifications
Ten (10) years of relevant experience in interpreting and applying state, county, and local codes, ordinances, and land use regulations, providing written and verbal testimony and/or presentations, policy understanding, and policy interpretation, private or public wildlife consultations, ecosystem or wildlife impact assessments, and technical writing and communications related to natural resources and/or energy development, or an occupation closely related to the work assigned to this position.

OR

A combination of related education (e.g., Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in public or environmental policy, political science, environmental law, natural resources management, wildlife biology, ecology, environmental sciences, natural resource management, engineering, public or non-profit administration , or a closely related field and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to ten (10) years.
Substitutions

• Additional appropriate experience will substitute for the degree requirement on a
  year-for-year basis.
• Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.

Preferred Qualifications

• Current or former State experience relevant to this position.
• Current or former Colorado Parks & Wildlife work or volunteer experience
• Technical Knowledge:
  • Knowledge and experience with Colorado oil and gas regulations, land use policies, renewable energy policies, and best management practices for energy development activities
  • Knowledge or experience with federal land management and planning processes
  • Knowledge and experience synthesizing peer-reviewed scientific research involving energy development and wildlife resources to develop regulatory and policy recommendations.
  • Experience in technical writing and communications to develop reports, presentations, policy recommendations, and agency guidance documents 
  • Experience working with and leading diverse stakeholders in land use and energy development (NGOs, industry, federal, state, and local governments, etc.)
• Education:
  • Relevant master’s degree or other relevant advanced degree
• People and project skills:
  • Experience in high-level strategic planning and forward-looking approaches to achieve organizational goals while navigating complex interests and considerations
  • Experience coordinating with diverse technical experts and other stakeholders
  • Experience providing expert testimony and facilitating discussions, negotiations, and consensus-building
  • Strong analytical skills (e.g., capable of working with large data sets)

Required Competencies

• Technical Knowledge:
  • Proficiency with Google and Microsoft office suites/products
  • Knowledge or experience with SB 19-181, SB 24-212, county land use processes, federal NEPA planning and project review processes, CPW's Statewide Wildlife Action Plan, wildlife impact consultations, wildlife impact mitigation strategies (mitigation hierarchy), and other land use policies and regulations
• Communication:
  • Must be able to quickly synthesize complex, multi-disciplinary legal and scientific materials, and provide well reasoned analyses and recommendations for agency’s executive management team and parks and wildlife commission
  • Experience presenting verbal and written information to internal and external audiences in a clear and concise manner
  • Strong writing skills and experience drafting briefing papers, reports, and policy/regulatory recommendations
• People and project skills:
  • Excellent organizational and time management skills

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a Colorado resident at time of application
• Must possess and maintain a valid state of Colorado driver's license when operating a State vehicle.
• Must be able to travel to support public and/or Commission meetings and other CPW events around the state as needed.
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify their application from the current position. (Please Note: Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with DNR).

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 ([email protected]), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) 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; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.

The Assessment Process

• All applications received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed by an HR Specialist against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement. 

• 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 will be a structured application review by Subject Matter Experts.

• Resumes, cover letters and other attachments are  not considered as part of initial reviews, therefore,  it is important to document in your application your education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications as outlined in the job announcement .  

• Please thoroughly answer all supplemental questions (if listed) since question responses may be evaluated for content, writing ability, spelling, grammar, and effective communication. 

• This recruitment may involve additional testing and/or exams to arrive at the top group for interviews.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

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 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 [email protected]
 
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 accommodation, please contact our Benefits Specialist at [email protected] 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 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.

 

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. 

Job Tags

Remote job, Holiday work, Full time, Temporary work, Local area, Outdoor, Flexible hours,

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