Adult Protective Services (APS) Associate Program Director

State of Colorado•Denver, CO

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

This position supports the APS Program Director in providing management and guidance to state staff for the APS program. This position oversees the APS Training Specialist, the Colorado APS (CAPS) Data System Team, and the CAPS Check Unit (CCU). The APS Associate Director serves as the strategic bridge between high-level policy and daily operations for Colorado’s Adult Protective Services program. In this role, the position supports division leadership in analyzing legislation, authoring rules, and shaping statewide best practices, while taking primary responsibility for operationalizing those policies through training and updates to the CAPS system and CAPS Check Unit. By providing strategic governance, budgetary oversight, and leadership to training, the CAPS data system team and the CAPS Check Unit (CCU), the Associate Director translates statutory and regulatory requirements into functional technical updates and operational workflows. Ultimately, this position ensures program integrity, data security, and operational compliance across all 64 counties, effectively transforming high-level policy goals into practical, real-world execution.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree (4 years) from an accredited institution in a field of study related to the work assignment (a degree in social work, human services, public policy, public administration, psychology, sociology, liberal arts, public health, organizational leadership, etc.)
Five years of professional experience in an occupational field related to the work assigned to the position, such as social services casework, or any field where a caseload is carried, policy writing, and implementation.
Standard background check and reference check required.
State of Colorado residency at the time of application (unless otherwise identified in the posting), and residency within the state throughout the duration of employment in this position.
Motor Vehicle Check, if the employee will drive a state-owned vehicle, either in an ongoing capacity while performing their normal day-to-day job duties OR on occasion for training/meetings/client visits/etc.
Must possess a valid, non-restricted Colorado Driver’s License or a non-restricted U.S. Driver’s License for positions within 30 miles of the CO state border.
Out-of-State Driver’s License holders must obtain a valid, non-restricted Colorado Driver’s License within 30 days of employment start date.
Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose that information on the application and explain why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify you from the current position. Provide your employee number from your prior State employment.
Human Resources Analyst will review the work experience/job duties sections of the online job application to determine whether your experience meets the minimum qualifications for the position.
Must complete the official State of Colorado online application.
Cover letters and resumes WILL NOT be reviewed during the minimum qualifications screening process.
Must specifically document your work experience and qualifications in the application form.
Do not use "see resume" or "see attached."
Must meet the minimum qualifications to continue in the selection process.
Part-time work experience will be prorated.
Document your work experience/job duties to the extent to which you possess the skills, education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications.
Answer all supplemental questions as your answers to these questions will be evaluated during this phase.
Provide at least 4-8 sentences for each supplemental question.
Answer the supplemental questions completely and thoughtfully.
We will rate your answers based on the content of your response and your writing skills (spelling, grammar, and clarity of your writing).

Nice To Haves

Experience in leadership roles supporting Adult Protective Services, especially within the Colorado APS system, and/or similar government-regulated work.
Experience with oversight over multiple roles and/or management of multiple functions.
Significant understanding of the needs of at-risk adults as well as County APS programs.
Experience leading program/process design and implementation and/or change management initiatives.
Experience developing and interpreting rules and regulations and/or participating in legislative processes, especially in Colorado.
Experience and proficiency with technology such as Google Workspace (including Google Forms, Sheets, and Docs), Microsoft Office Tools, Zoom, and/or CAPS.
Experience with and/or understanding of general purchasing and/or budget-related functions, especially within government-regulated environments.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including strong public speaking and facilitation skills.
Excellent time management skills and attention to detail.
Excellent customer service and stakeholder engagement skills with demonstrated successes in supporting collaborative initiatives involving multiple stakeholder types.
Relevant years of state service experience.

Responsibilities

Supporting the APS Program Director with establishing policy and best practice for the Adult Protective Services (APS) program to be implemented by county departments statewide.
Preparation of reports, guidance, and recommendations for the APS Program Director, AAPS Division Director, and the Department related to mistreatment and self-neglect of at-risk adults in Colorado; legislative initiatives; program quality and integrity; direction to the county departments related to performance and program compliance; rule development and updates; identification of new promising and best practices in the APS program; and training for county department APS staff.
Collaboration with other agencies and Department Divisions that play a role in the services provided to APS clients, including but not limited to county departments, Regional Centers, Health Care Policy and Financing, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and the Office of Behavioral Health within the Department of Human Services.
Establishing policy and best practices for the CAPS (Colorado APS Data System) Check Unit (CCU) to be implemented by the CCU supervisor and technicians, including overall CCU operations, quality assurance, legislative initiatives, reporting, budget, training for CCU staff and employers, and providing recommendations to the Division Director and the Department.
Analyzing legislative proposals and supporting Division and Office leadership in the development of policy impact analysis recommendations.
Providing strategic governance and operational oversight for the administration, security, and maintenance of the Colorado Adult Protective Services (CAPS) data and case management system.
Establishing the direction for and monitoring the performance of the internal APS data system team, which executes the hands-on system maintenance, security protocols, user access management, and help desk operations.
Serving as the ultimate product owner, holding final approval authority and prioritization management for all system enhancements and change requests supporting both the APS program and the CCU.
Governing the prioritization, policy alignment, and systemic analysis of data and reporting needs.
Providing high-level direction and oversight for translating statutory, regulatory, and policy changes into clear technical requirements, ensuring that automated screening tools and user interfaces align seamlessly with county and state workflow needs.
Overseeing system reliability, usability, and strict security protocols to safeguard confidential data while monitoring overall system health and prioritizing defect resolutions with developers.
Driving data-informed decision-making by directing the deployment of automated reporting structures and leveraging aggregate data, system utilization metrics, and outcome analytics to evaluate and enhance overall program performance statewide.
Developing and monitoring work plans, writing performance reviews for direct reports, and reviewing performance reviews for the remaining FTE.
Writing position descriptions, hiring staff, coaching and mentoring staff, and developing performance improvement plans, when necessary.
Delegating appropriate assignments and tasks.
Providing supervision of contract and/or temporary staff, when employed.
Ensuring that the APS Section staff are managing their tasks and communicating concerns with this position.
Providing supervision of contract and/or temporary staff or oversight of internships supporting the program, as designated/applicable.
Reviewing recommendations from the CCU supervisor related to performance incentives, flex time and flex place, and other activities designed to minimize vacancies within the CCU.
Providing strategic leadership and operational direction in alignment with the Program Director for all staff in the section, to include strategic planning, workload management, operational decisions, and coaching for improved performance.
Monitoring county program compliance with APS statutory and regulatory requirements.
Developing tools and data reports to assess program compliance.
Conducting program assessments and evaluations and recommending actions to address issues, up to and including corrective action.
Coordinating with the Administrative Review Division (ARD) to ensure quality assurance reviews are being conducted according to program rule and program practice expectations.
Coordinating with county APS programs to respond to the results of ARD quality assurance reviews through training.
Elevating ongoing trends (positive or negative) to the Program Director, Division Director and/or the Department.
Overseeing all activities related to C-stat for the APS program.
Serving as the Data steward (or delegates) for all requests for information.
Ensuring that CAPS checks conducted by the CCU are accurate so that no false positive or false negative results are provided to employers.
Ensuring that all search procedures are followed, and that routine monitoring of quality is conducted by the CCU supervisor.
Ensuring that all expectations for returning results timely are met or exceeded.
Managing the APS program within the allocated funds, including state administration, which includes personnel and operating costs, and training funds for county programs.
Managing the CCU budget in coordination with the Child and Adult Maltreatment Dispute Review Section (CAMDRS), which manages all due process costs.
Ensuring that the CCU is not collecting too much or too little cash fund by analyzing expenses of the CCU and CAMDRS units with the number of CAPS check requests to determine the fee to charge employers for the CAPS check.
Assisting the Division and Office Leadership with supplemental and budget requests and development of fiscal notes for proposed legislative changes.
Participating in the Financial Sub-Policy Advisory Committee (SubPAC) as needed and is a voting member of the APS Allocation Task Group, charged with development of an equitable allocation formula for county department APS administration and client services funds.
Providing management of the statewide data and case management system (CAPS) to ensure that the licenses purchased with the allocated funds are adequate to meet user needs.
Determining when an outside developer might be needed to assist with CAPS upgrades, and if needed, developing all task orders for those contracted system enhancements for the APS program and CCU.
Managing the processes related to the purchase of licenses for CAPS.
Completing or assisting in completion of any other duties assigned to the APS program and CCU by the Department, the Office Director, or the Division Director.
Providing back-up for training, technical assistance, and other duties performed by the program and data system specialists.
Providing consultation to the county departments and employers.
Supporting the Program Director and the Section overall in leadership needs, including supporting staff within the Section who report directly to the Program Director.
Reviewing/analyzing Section budget needs and supporting the Director and the Program Assistant in procurement/budget related issues.
Managing contract management for specific projects involving longer-term program evaluations or other contractual initiatives; approving/facilitating procurement/purchasing decisions on behalf of the Program Director; and/or advocacy for funding, policies, or other supports/resources related to the APS program.
Serving as a Department representative on various internal and external committees and task groups at the local, state, or national level.
Making presentations and community engagement as assigned.

Benefits

Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401(k) and 457 plans
Medical and dental health plans
Employer-supplemented Health Savings Account
Paid life insurance
Short- and long-term disability coverage
11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
State of Colorado Employee BenefitHub Resource Center
Employee Wellness program
Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training, and more
Remote work arrangements for eligible positions
Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.