Compliance Investigator II - MED

State of Colorado • Denver, CO

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) is a dynamic and innovative regulatory agency tasked with licensing and regulating the commercial Medical and Retail Marijuana industries in Colorado. First formed in 2010 as the Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division, the MED has developed a leading-edge approach to commercial marijuana regulation and is considered a global regulatory and industry leader. The Division implements legislation, develops regulations, conducts regulatory and criminal investigations, issues business licenses, engages in outreach and education initiatives, and enforces compliance mandates using a range of intervention strategies necessary to maintain a progressive and robust regulatory framework. The MED promotes transparency and innovation by utilizing a collaborative approach to engaging with stakeholders and by proactively and positively pursuing solutions to issues in a fast-paced professional environment. The Marijuana Enforcement Division’s culture emphasizes Emotional Intelligence and Problem Solving. Members of our team are solution-oriented strategic thinkers who demonstrate professionalism, collaboration and integrity in all interactions. The MED operates in a dynamic and complex environment that requires members of our team to support one another in navigating new issues, demonstrate agility, embrace challenges as opportunities, and communicate with empathy, respect, and in the interest of progress. Vision: Regulatory excellence through progressive and proactive compliance and enforcement practices. Mission: Our mission is to promote public safety and reduce public harm by regulating the Colorado commercial marijuana industry through consistent administration of laws and regulations and strategic integration of process management, functional expertise, and innovative problem-solving.

Requirements

• Six (6) years of relevant experience in criminal or compliance investigative experience in a regulatory environment
• A combination of related education in business administration, public administration, criminology, criminal justice, criminalistics, political science, police science, law enforcement, law, economics, accounting, finance, psychology, sociology or a closely related field and relevant experience in criminal or compliance investigative experience in a regulatory environment equal to six (6) years.
• Employees are in a position of public trust in the performance of their job duties and must operate in a manner that maintains the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and public confidence.
• As a condition of employment with the CDOR, all personnel must file all necessary Colorado Individual Income Tax (CIIT) returns and pay tax obligations, therefore all employees must undergo a pre-employment evaluation of their tax records/accounts to ensure compliance with this policy.
• Final candidates must also complete a successful background investigation and reference check prior to appointment.
• Pursuant to the Universal Driving Standards Policy, any worker who will be expected to drive a State-owned vehicle is responsible for maintaining a safe driving record and a valid driver license prior to driving any State-owned vehicle.
• To be compliant with the new fleet vehicle policy, Motor Vehicle Records (MVRs) will be pulled for review for workers who: Have an assigned State fleet vehicle, Are required to operate a vehicle as part of the position, Utilize a State fleet vehicle as a pool vehicle.

Nice To Haves

• Experience interpreting and applying statutes, rules, and regulations.
• Experience working in a highly regulated industry that prioritizes public health and safety.
• More than the required minimum experience in professional investigative and/or compliance experience in a regulatory environment.
• Experience in the public sector or interacting with government agencies.
• Recent experience working with and leveraging databases to inform decision-making, including extracting and analyzing data to identify trends, inform investigations, and support regulatory actions.
• Proficiency in Google Suite.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Conducts offsite/onsite monitoring and inspections of Regulated Marijuana Businesses to consistently interpret and assess compliance with applicable Colorado Marijuana Laws and Regulations.
• Monitors those that have had previous non-compliance history to ensure the licensees are coming back into and maintaining compliance.
• Supports and conducts prioritized investigations into youth access and product safety related cases, leveraging Division tools such as the inventory tracking system and licensing database to inform investigative scope and approach.
• Applies standard fact-finding analysis; uses problem-solving, specialized investigative techniques, and available technological tools to conduct an investigation, document findings in written reports, identify alleged violations, and make recommendations for enforcement actions.
• Develops intervention strategies designed to achieve immediate onsite correction and long-term compliance including recommendations to effect corrective action and to monitor progress.
• Position delivers clear, concise, accurate and factual summaries of results of inspection both orally and in writing.
• Utilizes professional judgment to assess compliance and arrive at sound conclusions.
• Contributes to the development and implementation of a risk-based process to help the team identify the licensees at highest risk for non-compliance and public safety issues.
• Leverages available technology and resources to effectively analyze data and identify licensees at greatest risk for non-compliance.
• Develops investigative plans and operational plans that incorporate available data to monitor and conduct inspections of licensees to identify potential non-compliance or other public safety issues.
• Utilizes the inventory tracking system and licensing database to monitor compliance with Colorado Marijuana Laws and Regulations and determine when virtual communication or on-site inspection is necessary to address identified concerns.
• Contributes to the development and implementation of proactive notifications intended for internal customers such as other investigators/regulators and external customers to mitigate potential non-compliance and encourage strict compliance with Colorado Marijuana Laws and Regulations.
• Contributes to the development of educational resources and guidance documents for internal and external stakeholders. This includes Compliance Tips, Industry Bulletins, Metric Bulletins, and Internal materials designed to assist MED staff and licensees with understanding compliance and operating in a compliant manner.
• Conducts site visits to explain complex rules, evaluate compliance with a specific set of regulations, and provide information to assist licensees with the implementation of regulations.
• Engages with stakeholders to identify common confusion or challenges with regulations and develops resources to address those concerns to encourage compliance and protect public safety.
• Supports implementation of new Colorado Marijuana Laws and Regulations as a result of legislation and/or rulemaking through the creation and distribution of resources such as guidance documents to assist internal and external customers.
• Monitors testing compliance for licenses in the designated area of responsibility, identifying licenses at the highest risk for non-compliance and potential product safety issues to prioritize for investigation.
• Contributes to complex investigations by leading information and evidence gathering, identifying and engaging agency partners, and engaging with external stakeholders to determine appropriate scope and next steps to proceed with an investigation.
• Examples may include Adverse Health Events (AHE) reported in association to use of regulated marijuana; failed or adulterated testing investigations association to testing requirements of regulated marijuana and non-compliance with inventory tracking requirements.
• Conducts site visits verifying compliance with Corrective Action and Preventive Action Procedures requirements promoting identification and correction of issues that create public safety concerns.

Benefits

• PERA retirement benefits including PERA Defined Benefit Plan, PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus 401K and 457 plans
• Medical , Dental , and Vision insurance coverage
• Automatic Short-Term and Optional Long-Term Disability Coverage
• Life and AD&D Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) job protection and State of Colorado Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML)
• 11 Paid Holidays Annually and Accrued Annual and Sick Leave
• Variety of discounts on services and products available through the State of Colorado's Work-Life Employment Discount Program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree