Director of Field Services

****This position can delay start date until summer to complete current contracts***

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 as compared to others doing 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.

Work Environment:**This position is full-time and is eligible for a hybrid (office/remote) flex work environment**

• Office hours are typically Mon-Fri, 8:00 am-5:00 pm
• Extended hours during the evening or the weekend may be required by business needs.
• LIGHT/Office environment:
• Required to sit, view a computer screen, and utilize a keyboard and mouse for extended periods of time.
• 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.
• Occasional travel within Denver Metro/Downtown for Meetings/Training.
• Frequent travel within Colorado (50% of time) with a focus on the Central, North Central, North East, South Central, and Southeast regions of the state at least 50% of time per month.
• A Remote (Home) office is required.
• Ability and willingness to travel to work locations monthly.
• The ability to pass a background check.

Position Summary:

Join a team of passionate, career educators who are dedicated to improving student outcomes across the state. As a member of the Field Services team, you’ll be working in the heart of education across Colorado, spending significant time as a leader in the field building strong partnerships, while working with districts and schools to address their unique challenges with innovative and effective solutions. Join us in building a brighter future for Colorado students!  

This region will be primarily focused on the North Central, Central, East, East Central, South East and South Central regions of the state with rural district leadership skills, as this role will be required to attend in-person leadership meetings in these regions on a monthly basis.      

****This position can delay start date until summer to complete current contracts****

The final salary is anticipated to fall within the posted salary range, however could be higher or lower depending on the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other qualifications of the preferred candidate while considering internal equity.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Directs and drives the progress and implementation of Field Service’s team priorities, including required Reduced Academic Calendar requests and School Safety Accreditation Reports while delivering essential leadership and district operations support to district and BOCES leaders across the state. 
• Leads as a service agent and liaison between the Department and the districts/BOCES within regional service areas assigned and throughout the state. 
• Leads critical information sessions and supports the successful compliance of statutory deadlines at BOCES and other regional superintendent meetings and conferences on a consistent basis across the state. 
• Leads discussions and presents department initiatives, policies and practices – particularly in the areas of accountability, performance and support, state assessments, educator talent, exceptional student services, school and district transformation, organizational effectiveness, teaching and learning, and other content from CDE to district and BOCES leaders. 
  • Gathers, analyzes and synthesizes district needs, concerns, and proposed solutions through these meetings to inform CDE senior leadership, including the Commissioner, and future action. 
• Collaborates deeply with and facilitates effective two-way communication between the field, the Communications Unit, Commissioner’s senior leadership team, and the Department as a whole. 
• Leads and guides direct support to district leadership and BOCES executive directors to ensure CDE initiatives and statewide policies and legislation are implemented effectively across the state and helps districts solve complex  issues around them. 
• Facilitates connections between rural districts/BOCES and CDE's Office of Special Education to support the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Colorado's Exceptional Children's Education Act.  
• Builds trusting and effective relationships with diverse stakeholders and partner organizations across the state by consistently listening to strengths and challenges in the field, following through, demonstrating transparency and being reliable in a way that directly reflects the department's core values. 
• Collaborates with the Director of Rural Services to drive the Department’s process for the implementation of state educational priorities (C.R.S. 22-5-122) for the BOCES 1345 funding allocation and the successful execution of the objectives of the Commissioner’s Rural Education Council.
• Collaborates across the Division to implement the Statewide System of Support, in order to provide resources, support, guidance and professional learning opportunities to improve school and district performance.
• Leads, models and creates partnerships with other CDE divisions to broker services with districts and schools to support their continuous improvement efforts.  
  • Shares district feedback to CDE staff and helps CDE make connections across departments to identify resources and supports necessary to address districts’ needs.
• Leads the field services team to identify and create new opportunities to advance the department's strategic initiatives to improve student outcomes throughout the state, in collaboration with other CDE units and offices.
  • Evaluates and determines successes and growth opportunities for Field Services based on the needs of the field to create, develop and facilitate school improvement services in collaboration with other CDE offices, particularly for rural districts, districts not identified on the accountability or those early identified on the accountability clock.
  • Leads the field services team in exploring and publicly elevating district bright spots, in order to help share meaningful success stories and strategies from the field.
  • Develops and provides management and leadership support for school and district leaders to guide implementation strategies and action planning, particularly for rural districts, districts not identified on the accountability or districts early identified on the accountability clock.
• Facilitates the use of state assessment, accountability and other data in: supporting the development of state required Unified Improvement Plans (UIPs); facilitating data discussions with superintendents, boards, leadership teams, principals, teachers, and community members to understand and evaluate student achievement; developing and measuring improvement goals – particularly for historically underserved student populations such as poverty, special education students, and minorities; providing training to help districts, schools, and BOCES make data-driven decisions for instruction/curriculum/resource allocation; and providing direct information to districts and schools on the appropriate use of assessment and accountability data. 
• Delivers and communicates coherence to district and school staff in implementing the multiple state policies and initiatives with a close connection to the Communications team and Executive Director of Field Services and Support. 
• Anticipates and collects districts’ needs and makes strategic connections to technical assistance and resources at the department and with external partner organizations. 
• Responds to ongoing taxpayer questions (emails, phone calls, etc.) and provides support to them in navigating the public K-12 education system. 
  • Collect themes from these requests and share with CDE senior leadership to inform CDE action.
• As needed and in coordination with other CDE units, maintains a collaborative and supportive relationship with all CDE units, divisions, and leaders. Support CDE units in getting their message and information out to districts in a positive, productive, and accessible way.
• Supports, as needed, CDE leadership in creating resources and interventions for struggling districts and schools in collaboration with the Associate Commissioner of School Quality and Support Division.
  • Collaborates across the Department with Information Management Services, Communications, Accountability, Exceptional Student Services (Office of Special Education), School and District Transformation, Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Unit, and other CDE Offices to ensure efficient and effective data collection and reporting as well as delivery of key information to districts/BOCES. 
• Special Projects as needed.
• Other duties as assigned

MINIMUM EDUCATION  AND EXPERIENCE  REQUIREMENTS: 

• Master's Degree or other equivalent experience: 
  • Minimum of 10 years experience in public schools in a district level (or BOCES) role supporting and implementing district operations, instructional administration, management and/or organizational leadership; 
  • Must include experience with state accreditation requirements, state assessments, budgeting, school law, finance and legislative matters 
  • Highly Preferred: Minimum 3 years experience as a district administrator in a rural setting (superintendent or BOCES executive director experience strongly preferred, but not required) 

 

Note: Candidates residing in the North Central, Central, East, East Central, South East and South Central regions of the state with rural district leadership skills are strongly encouraged to apply, as this role will be required to attend in-person leadership meetings in these regions on a monthly basis.      

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 travel (percentage 50 %)
• Work extended schedule per business needs
• Report to work location per business needs

Complete Applications must include:

• Completed Online Application: Required - Submitted through our ATS.
• Cover Letter: Required - Copy and Paste into the Supplemental Questions (11,000 character limit, aprx. 3 pages) 
• Resume: Required - Copy and Paste into the Supplemental Questions (11,000 character limit, aprx. 3 pages)

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 to hr@cde.state.co.us.

Salary : $115,000 - $120,000