School Finance Executive Director

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.
Position Summary:
This position serves as the School Finance Executive Director. This position provides strategic leadership and direction for the School Finance Unit. The position provides oversight and direction for School Finance and Fiscal Support and Reporting. Specifically, this position will be heavily focused on supporting the implementation of the new School Finance formula, including making presentations to the legislature, the State Board, superintendents, and business officials and supporting the work necessary to update systems and data protocols to include the new formula. As such, it will require technical knowledge of School Finance, be able to work in detailed and complex spreadsheets, and support system development for an automated calculation tool. 

Major Duties and Responsibilities:
A. Provide strategic leadership and direction for the School Finance Unit. Lead the program to provide professional and technical support related to operational areas of school districts, charter schools and BOCES. Inform strategic direction of the division within CDE. Develop and lead key areas of work related to school finance and fiscal support and reporting. 
B. Coordinate with the School Finance Program Director to develop appropriate internal processes for School Finance calculations, including cross training and quality assurance reviews. Provide and support detailed, technical analysis on the implementation of the new school finance formula, including trends related to enrollment and certain per pupil funding amounts, and how district total program funding is being used at the school level.
C. Review, recommend and implement efficient, effective, streamlined and timely processes for the department and districts in relation to school district fiscal activities. Collaborate with other units and offices within the department to ensure cross-departmental efficiencies and minimize impacts to districts and BOCES.  Collaboration could include other state agencies or stakeholder groups.
D. Set program goals and objectives, establish priorities, manage resources and develop concepts and approaches, review project progress and results; make management decisions.
E. Supervise personnel including hiring, determining workload and delegating assignments, monitoring and evaluating performance and initiating corrective or disciplinary actions while maintaining a positive work environment, promoting team building, providing appropriate opportunities for professional development and shared vision and decision making. Work to facilitate and support the department's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts and our vision of a respectful, ethical and collaborative work environment.
F. Serve as an active and contributing team member to the department's implementation, monitoring, and support processes related to public school finance and school district fiscal activities. Provide information and reports to and represent the team as applicable before internal CDE leadership, State Board of Education, the General Assembly, the Office of the State Auditor, federal agencies and other external partners and stakeholders as necessary. Presentations will include the following at a minimum: Present the Certification of State Share payments to the State Board of Education in August, January, February, and potentially in April; Testify at the Legislative Audit Committee on the School District Fiscal Health Analysis Report annually; Provide updates and responses for Joint Budget Committee Briefing, Joint Budget Committee Hearing annually and the SMART Act hearing; Present at various conferences and meetings including Colorado Association of School Executives, Colorado Association of School Business Officials, Superintendents Conferences, BOCES Association Meetings, Rural Alliance Meetings.
G. Work collaboratively with other units in the department. Provide analyses related to state, district and school expenditures, including how these expenditures relate to student achievement. Develop and enhance revenue and expenditures reporting that can be utilized by stakeholders to compare districts. 
H. Monitor and provide analyses of possible legislative and external impacts related to public school finance and other district fiscal operations. Assist in the implementation of legislation as necessary and the development or revision of rules for new or revised legislation. Provide support to school districts, schools, and other entities through proper and timely notification and explanation of legislative impacts and inclusion in rule making process with clear and timely communication efforts and responses and ample notice for implementation.
I. Work to form a strong partnership between CDE School Finance Unit and the school business officials.  Chair the Financial Policies and Procedures Advisory Committee, including oversight of the agenda, preparation of slides, and presentation of information.
J. Prepare and deliver professional development for school districts, charter schools, BOCES, and other individuals and organizations regarding school district financial operations including the coordination and preparation of related training materials and presentations.
K. Other duties as assigned.MINIMUM EDUCATION  AND EXPERIENCE  REQUIREMENTS: 

Bachelor's degree in policy, economics, accounting, finance, or business or other related field and 8 years of commensurate professional experience

Advanced degree (Preferred)

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
Strong leadership, management and organizational skills. 
Demonstrated experience in public sector program implementation, management, and policy development including ensuring program compliance with Colorado Statutes and promulgating program rules.
Experience with school finance policy,  and legislation, and regulations. 
Ability to do presentations for a variety of audiences, including policy makers, superintendents, educators, CFOs, and business officials. Knowledge and experience with school district business and financial practices and procedures. 
Experience with policy analysis and related recommendations, provide costing analysis, and communicate findings effectively. 
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
Experience supervising professional staff. 
Models integrity and character in behavior, leadership, decision-making and work ethics.
Experience in managing multiple programs and/or projects at the same time. 
Ability to design and conduct research and report on findings. 
Strong demonstrated skill with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint. (Required) Skill with Access (Preferred).Complete Applications must include:

• Completed Online Application: Required - Submitted through our ATS.
• Resume: Required 

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 : $135,000 - $145,000