Chief Policy and Research Officer - Colorado Department of Higher

Chief Policy and Research Officer

Colorado Department of Higher Education

POSTING DATE: March 15, 2023

COMPENSATION: $115,000 - $125,000/annually

CLOSING DATE: Open until Filled

DESCRIPTION OF JOB:

The Chief Policy and Research Officer (CPRO) is a senior officer in the Colorado Department of Higher Education

(CDHE) who provides leadership in developing, executing, and sustaining the Department’s policy agenda informed by

robust research. Aligned to the Governor’s Wildly Important Goals (WIGs) and the Department’s Strategic Plan, the

CPRO will collaborate across teams to support resources, policies, and strategic initiatives to achieve these goals. The

CPRO will lead the Data, Research, and Policy (DRP) team at CDHE and drive greater transparency and accountability of

the Department’s priorities and policy initiatives. The CPRO is responsible for surveying the national landscape for new

postsecondary innovations and best practices grounded in robust analyses. Additionally, the CPRO is responsible for

assessing and reporting on the progress and success of the Department’s strategies and policy initiatives. Additionally,

the CPRO coordinates and contributes to the preparation and submission of state-level reports related to higher education

enrollment, attainment, and performance.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

 Leads in the development of higher education policy options informed by robust research and evidence-based

decision-making through collecting, analyzing, and reporting of relevant data on a variety of postsecondary

student success measures for a variety of student populations.

 Assists in the strategic planning, implementation, and accountability process of the Department and measures

performance and progress towards goals and priorities;

 Assists in cross agency collaboration on achieving goals and priorities, especially among the education and

workforce ecosystems;

 Oversees, in collaboration with the Data, Research, Policy, and Policy (DRP) team, the collection, storage,

analysis, and dissemination of data, statistics, and other information related to postsecondary education in

Colorado;

 Oversees and contributes to the generation of reports which support research and policy development for the

Department, Colorado Commission of Higher Education (CCHE), and postsecondary education and advises

Department staff on research design and data use to support their policy initiatives;

 With the DRP team, ensures accuracy and integrity of the information, data and reports generated from the

SURDS collection process and adheres to FERPA, HB03-1175, and other student right to privacy mandates;

 Oversees compliance with Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, Title IV & VII of the Civil Rights Act of

1964, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, by directing the submission of data to the National

Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) and to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System

(IPEDS);

 Contributes to use of innovative technologies to ensure the Department uses cutting-edge tools and practices

to achieve goals;

SUPERVISORY DUTIES:

 Supervision of division personnel (approximately 7 FTE);

 Assigning of staff duties and responsibilities;

 Support of staff development and training, continuing professional development, and employee performance

appraisal.

OTHER DUTIES & Responsibilities

Performs other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience

 Seven years of experience in education policy, research, and/or information management required. Knowledge of

postsecondary education policy and policy trends;

 Knowledge of public boards, state agencies, and government and higher education data processes;

 Demonstrated ability to work with a wide variety of stakeholders – board members, campus personnel, legislators,

and the general public;

 Knowledge of state and federal privacy laws and rules, federal data reporting requirements, and related regulatory

activities;

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

 A master’s or terminal degree in public policy, higher education, public administration, data science or related field

earned from an accredited college or university.

 Experience working with higher education systems, public governing boards, and managing professional staff.

BENEFITS:

 The Colorado Department of Higher Education offers benefits for this position which include medical, dental, vision, and life

insurance available to the employee and eligible dependents on a cost share basis between employee and the Department.

 Disability insurance is provided at no cost to the employee.

 Paid leave time is accrued at 14 hours per month for vacation leave and 10 hours per month for sick leave. There are 11

paid holidays in a calendar year.

 Employees of the State of Colorado do not contribute to Social Security, but contribute to Colorado Public Employee

Retirement Association (PERA)

Consistent with the State's Universal Policy on Flexible Work Arrangements, CDHE permits Flexible Work Arrangements

(FWA) and this role qualifies for FWA participation. However, FWA is evaluated and granted by the appointing authority at

their discretion based on business need, the nature and function of the work performed, and employee performance.

Employees of the State of Colorado must be authorized to work in the United States and be residents of Colorado. The

Department of Higher Education does not assist with relocation expenses.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES:

To be considered for this position, candidates must possess the minimum qualifications listed above and submit the following: Cover

letter and resume. Submit your completed application materials to:

[email protected]te.co.us

Or:

Colorado Department of Higher Education

Attention: Human Resources

1600 Broadway, Suite 2300

Denver, Colorado 80202

This position is not governed by the selection process of the classified personnel system and is not part of the classified state

personnel system.

Application Deadline: Position will remain open until filled. Application review begins immediately and position start is immediate.

Employment is contingent on successful completion of a criminal background check.

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 Higher 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 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 Human Resource Director, Cindy Langan, at [email protected]te.co.us or call 720.264.8575.