Hearing Officer - Part Time

About Our Job

With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver (CCD) means seeing yourself working with purpose — for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver. Click to find out about all the amazing benefits and reasons to work for CCD!

What We Offer

The City and County of Denver offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. The starting salary range for this position is $80-100 / hour, based on education and experience.

Location

The department schedules 8-10 hearings per month (likely on two dedicated days of the month) depending on the appeal demands of the department. The hearings are distributed to the Hearing Officers depending upon availability and capacity. Most hearings are held virtually, but there may be times when you are required to be in person.

What You’ll Do

BUILDING COMMUNITY : Denver Community Planning and Development is responsible for visionary city planning and ensuring safe, responsible, sustainable building. CPD regulates planning, zoning, development and maintenance of private property in Denver. We're working hard to make Denver a great place to live, work and play! Visit .

Community Planning and Development seeks On-Call Hearing Officers to conduct administrative show cause hearings and appeal hearings on behalf of the Manager of Community Planning and Development. Hearing Officers evaluate evidence and recommend decisions on matters brought to hearing by ordinance, by department order, or by interested parties. This position acts in accordance with the provisions of the law to hear claims arising out of violations of the Denver Revised Municipal Codes, Building Code and Zoning Code. The number of appeals requested, and hearings are based on the alleged lack of compliance of property owners.

The Hearing Officer is responsible for ensuring due process of the law by presiding over the full range of administrative law hearings to settle legal disputes or to establish a prima facie case for a privilege established by ordinance. The Hearing Officer is also responsible for evaluating the relevance of presented evidence and testimony and importance of statutes and case law theories, concepts, and principles to settle disputes and recommend decisions and orders.

The Hearing Officer shall, as directed by the Manager of Community Planning and Development, utilizing independent professional discretion, hear disputes arising out of violations of D.R.M.C. Chapter 3, and sections 2-281 through 2-294, , 10-138 through 10-141, 12-19, 48-43, 56-106, 57-41 through 57-46; on claims arising out of violations of the Building Code and Zoning Code undertaken by and through Community Planning and Development; and shall cause a record to be made of the testimony and other evidence presented. The Hearing Officer shall furnish a written decision(s) in each case.

Key responsibilities will include :

Hear and evaluate testimony under oath to determine case facts and maintain order and decorum : dispose of expressed objections; permit questioning and cross-examination of witnesses; ensure due process.

Manage pre-hearing conferences to control the docket; exchange information and evaluate proposed evidence; consider expert witnesses’ testimony, determine issues; conduct discovery; rule on preliminary motions.

Meet with municipal officials, appellants or their representatives to explain rights and obligations and discuss hearing rules and procedures.

Writes timely and well-crafted recommended decisions that completely and properly record the evidence establishing prima facie needs, comply with standard format for decisions, and reflect excellent writing skills.

Examine case records and official files and ensures that all documents and exhibits are fully documented in the record.

Conduct legal research to fully address all legal arguments.

Perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

Contacts with the public or employees where explanatory or interpretive information is exchanged, defended and / or gathered and discretion and judgment are required. Communication with a quick turnaround is imperative and the position will work with staff to schedule hearings.

We value diversity of ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, sexual identity, gender, religion, language, ability, and experience and exemplify this through the makeup of our team at all levels. You'll be right at home here if you cultivate strong relationships and push yourself, your work, the people around you and Denver to the next level.

Our ideal candidate has some or all the following experience, skills, and characteristics : ​

Ideal candidate will have sensitivity to diversity of constituencies - is mindful, courteous and respectful of the diversity of backgrounds and cultures of the persons participating in or attending hearings

Five years of experience as an attorney at law in active practice in the courts of the State of Colorado

Preferred experience in at least one or more categories below :

Land Use, including Zoning, Planning and Construction

Administrative Quasi Judicial hearing experience, including pro se self-representation

Understanding of legal principles (defenses) unique to municipalities.

Construction / Building law

Municipal law

Ability to keep schedules / flexibility in scheduling

Excellent written and oral communication skills

Required Minimum Qualifications

Education requirement : Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree or Bachelor of Laws Degree

Experience Requirement : Three (3) years of experience as an attorney at law

Education / Experience Equivalency : No substitution of experience for education is permitted

License / Certifications : By position, requires admission by the Supreme Court to practice law in Colorado at the time of application

Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment

Application Deadline

To be considered for this position, you must include the following on your job application (upload the attachment(s) to the Resume / CV section on the My Experience tab) :

Cover Letter and Resume, highlighting any experience you may have in the following areas :

Land Use, including Zoning, Planning and Construction

Administrative Quasi-Judicial hearing experience, including pro se self representation

Understanding of legal principles (defenses) unique to municipalities.

Construction / Building law

Municipal / Zoning law

Work Sample - Hearing Decision or Enforcement Order

Please submit your application as soon as possible and no later than January 16th, 2025, at midnight to ensure consideration.

About Everything Else

Job Profile

CL2333 Hearing Officer Hourly

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click .

Position Type

Oncall

Position Salary Range

142,312.00 - $241,931.00

Starting Pay

80-100 / hour, based on education and experience

Agency

Community Planning & Development

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Salary : $142,312 - $241,931