DCPHR Legislative Director - Policy Advisor VI - Policy/Stakeholder Engagement

About the Position: This position serves as the staff authority for all of DCPHR’s legislative work and is responsible for legislative tracking, triaging legislative issues for DCPHR leadership, overseeing legislative and policy communications across the division, providing consultation to programs regarding advancing policy initiatives and strategic goals, developing legislative analyses, decision items, budget requests, fiscal notes, talking points, briefing documents, etc., monitoring legislative committees, serving as a liaison and a resource with division staff and stakeholder groups, representing the division’s interest with inter-governmental and intra-governmental groups and agencies, including state legislators, maintaining oversight of the division’s legislative and regulatory policy implementation and supporting special projects, including research projects. This position identifies actions that need to be completed by each division program area, provides technical assistance and support, and ensures timely action by all program areas. This position leads and implements short-term and long-term projects to support the division with its policy and legislative efforts. This position implements the direction and strategy determined by executive leadership, department leadership, division leadership and the Department’s Legislative Affairs Unit. This position coordinates and manages these functions within the division and supports the development of material for the Division Director and Deputy Director. 

• As the delegated Staff Authority, advise the DCPHR Division Director, Deputy Director, division leadership, and department leadership on complex policy, policy implementation, and stakeholder relations issues related to DCPHR. 
• Provides leadership and support for the legislative process. Independently and timely reviews legislation and tracks bills introduced throughout the legislative session to assess relevance and division impact. 
• Works with the CDPHE Legislative Affairs Unit (LAU) to request amendments, positions of support or opposition, or other engagements. 
• Support the Division Director, Deputy Director and division leadership in advancing and advocating before the legislature, federal, state or local agencies or other forums as needed. 
• Liaises, advocates and defends division proposals before the legislature, and other federal, state or local agencies or other forums, as needed and approved by division and department leadership. 
• Serves as a conduit for communication between division staff and the LAU. 
• Represents DCPHR interests in cross agency discussions regarding key policy discussions, closely collaborating with the DCPHR Director, Deputy Director, department leadership and Governor's Office.
• Develops responses to legislative questions from legislators, the Governor’s Office, advocates, and others, as appropriate.
• Elevates legislative challenges and issues to DCPHR Division Director, Deputy Director and division leadership, as appropriate.
• Drafts bill language that supports DCPHR’s position on a bill, as approved by CDPHE leadership and the Governor’s Office. 
• Provides support and consultation to DCPHR programmatic leadership regarding the legislative process and legislation impacting the division. 
• Coordinates with program and fiscal staff to analyze the fiscal and operational impacts of proposed legislation. 
• Positively influences and guides DCPHR programs and program leadership regarding legislative actions and strategy. 
• Coordinates the division’s response to federal requests for comments, including providing guidance for staff to prepare and submit comments. 
• Directs the implementation of program modifications and process improvements to comply with changes in statutory and regulatory policy. 
• Monitor deadlines to ensure compliance with statutory obligations, such as legislative requests for information and required annual reports. 
• Analyzes public health policy trends to inform DCPHR strategy and program implementation. 
• Researches best practices and successful projects/policies in other states and literature reviews to inform future projects and policies. 
• Develops factsheets, talking points, briefing documents, FAQs, and other materials related to relevant legislation.

• Advise the Division Director, Deputy Director, division leadership, and department leadership on stakeholder relations issues related to DCPHR. 
• Develops and implements plans to engage stakeholders for legislative or other policy and programming initiatives, in accordance with the overarching stakeholder engagement strategy. 
• Serves as spokesperson in external forums, particularly those with or involving elected officials, as approved by the DCPHR Division Director and department leadership. This may include federal, state, local and community efforts including workgroups, coalitions, and standing committees. 
• Develops and maintains relationships with members of local, state and national agencies, community organizations and various program stakeholders. 
• Articulates purpose, identifies stakeholders, determines methods of engagement, provides briefings, listens to stakeholder input, documents the suggestions made, makes recommendations based on these suggestions. 
• Communicates actions taken to stakeholders as the project progresses. 
• Summarizes and reports results of engagement. 
• Uses problem-solving skills to identify innovative solutions to address division needs and issues. 
• Remains abreast of the current literature on stakeholder engagement and assesses its applicability to DCPHR’s work. 
• Provide support for regulatory rulemaking, as needed.

• Ensures implementation of federal regulations and department standards for protecting the privacy or confidentiality of public health information created, maintained, or received within DCPHR. 
• Ensures DCPHR programs/IT systems have a data release and data retention and destruction policies on file. 
• Works with the CDPHE privacy officer and DCPHR programs to develop or draft memoranda of understanding and interagency agreements for contractual issues that involve HIPAA compliance or the sharing of protected health information. 
• Serves on the department’s Privacy and Security Board. Receives division reports for potential privacy breaches and reports them to the CDPHE privacy officer for resolution.

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:

Nine (9) Years of full time professional experience in legislative or regulatory development and analysis, stakeholder outreach, public administrative processes, performing legal research and analysis, experience in policy management, policy development and implementation, or experience pursuing administrative legal or enforcement actions.

A combination of related education in law, public health, public administration, political science or closely-related field and/or years of full time professional experience in legislative and regulatory development and analysis, stakeholder outreach, public administrative processes, performing legal research and analysis, experience in policy management, policy development and implementation, or experience pursuing administrative legal or enforcement actions or closely-related field that equal to nine (9) years. 

• A pre-employment background check
• Travel for meeting, legislative committee hearing, and stakeholder meetings and potentially out of state for conferences and may require overnight stays..
• Be expected to work and/or remain at their worksite in delayed start, early release, or closure situations.
• Be available in the event of an emergency, (e.g., bio-terrorist attack, chemical attack, disease outbreak or all hazards) and be required to report to work immediately at the regular or alternate location. During this time, travel restrictions may be in place.
• Be available in the event of the activation of the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) and be required to report to work immediately at the regular or alternate location. During this time, travel restrictions may be in place.

• Ability to actively, clearly, and concisely communicate complex information in written and spoken English, listen well, ask relevant questions, and give and receive clear and understandable instruction
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks, work efficiently within time constraints and deadlines, and handle stressful situations
• Ability to function both independently and in a team environment and, when necessary, to work more than eight hours in a day or to work on a holiday or weekend with little or no advance notice during the legislative session.
• Ability to work collaboratively across CDPHE, State government, other organizations to achieve results
• Experience interpreting statutes, regulations, guidance, policies, and legal documents, including those at the federal, state, and local level
• Experience with developing policy briefing documents, legislative materials, talking points, and fiscal notes
• Experience with policy negotiations 
• Experience working to build consensus with diverse stakeholders on regulatory proposals
• Implementation of program modifications in response to and in order to comply with changes in legislation, regulation and policy
• Experience with public health program operations in other states or in other federal programs
• Experience in the developing policies and procedures for boards and/or commissions
• Experience in creating compliance assistance documentation for the regulated community
• Experience in developing position papers analyzing impact of initiatives for internal staff, managers, and commission members
• Experience in identifying short- and long-term goals and develop strategies to achieve them, and coordinate with internal and external business partners.
• Experience in presenting numerical data effectively to others.

As an applicant directly affected by the results of the selection or comparative analysis process, you may file a written appeal with the State Personnel Director.

Review of the completed, signed and submitted appeal will be timely on the basis of written material submitted by you, using the official appeal form signed by you or your representative. This form must be completed and delivered to the State Personnel Board by email at dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the Department’s action.

For further information on the Board Rules, you can 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, atspb.colorado.gov/board-rules.

A complete application packet must include:

1. A complete application that documents your work history giving details of your qualifications, including how your experience aligns with the minimum and preferred qualifications when listing your work history.
2. A copy of your transcripts if you are using education to meet the minimum qualifications. (unofficial copy acceptable)
3. If you are a veteran, attach a copy of your DD214 to your application 

1. 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 by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) against the preferred qualifications. 
2. A top group, up to six (6) candidates, will be invited to schedule an interview with the hiring manager.

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, Dan McKenna, at daniel.mckenna@state.co.us or call 303-692-2060, option 5.