Operations Specialist - Term-Limited

State of Colorado•Denver, CO

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention (HPCDP) Branch in the Prevention Services Division (PSD) reviews, plans, designs, implements, and evaluates public health interventions for chronic diseases and related risk factors to advance health and racial equity and improve health-related quality of life for all Coloradans. Particular emphasis is placed on evidence-based practices, data-driven and evidence-informed decision-making, capacity building, partnerships, and the integration of program efforts to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The statewide chronic disease programs within the HPCDP Branch include Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, Comprehensive Cancer Control, Colorectal Cancer Control, Diabetes Prevention and Management, Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, Healthy Eating and Active Living, the Cancer, Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Disease Grants Program, and the Tobacco Education, Prevention and Cessation Grants Program. We are aware that many chronic diseases share the same systemic causes: tobacco use, lack of access to nutritious foods, built environments that support physical activity, social connectedness, and poverty and economic instability. These systemic injustices, along with additional risk and protective factors, are shared across many of the outcomes we address. Colorado For ALL means working toward a Colorado where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. It means we support the basic human rights of our neighbors regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, education level, disability, socio-economic status, or any other visible or invisible identity. The Operations and Project Management Unit provides branch-wide operational coordination, implementation support, workflow management, and process improvement support for grantmaking, contracting, and program implementation activities across multiple chronic disease prevention programs and funding streams. Operational implementation activities are centralized within this unit to improve operational consistency, workload distribution, standardized implementation processes, and coordination throughout the full grant and contract lifecycle, including solicitations, negotiations, operational tracking, and closeouts. This position serves as the operational resource and coordinator of operational workflows and timelines for the assigned branch programs. The position structures, maps, and guides staff through the end-to-end operational lifecycle of grantmaking and contracting, ensuring administrative consistency, efficiency, and program effectiveness. This role combines expertise in grantmaking, contracting, project coordination, and quality improvement to eliminate administrative coordination burdens, improve workflow consistency and analyze and adapt operational processes, and support branch-wide operational standardization.

Requirements

Six (6) years of relevant experience as in project management, contract or grant administration, procurement tracking, operational administration, workflow coordination, or business process improvement.
Experience should include at least two (2) of the following core skill areas: Coordinating, tracking, or managing administrative project lifecycles, contract routing, purchasing requests, or vendor agreements from initiation through closeout.
Assembling, auditing, or verifying project packages, scopes of work (SOWs), or budget documents for accuracy, proper formatting, and compliance with organizational standards.
Applying process improvement or quality improvement techniques (such as workflow mapping, standard operating procedures, or checklist development) to streamline administrative procedures or reduce processing delays.
Providing operational technical assistance, customer service, or guidance to internal teams or external partners to help them navigate administrative processes or system requirements.
A combination of related education with a degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Health, Project Management, Healthcare Administration, Social/Behavioral Sciences, Communications, Finance, or a related field, and/or relevant experience in project management, contract or grant administration, procurement tracking, operational administration, workflow coordination, or business process improvement equal to six (6) years.
Residency Requirement: This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

Nice To Haves

Professional experience coordinating the operational lifecycle of contracts, grants, task orders, or purchase orders, including tracking milestones, timelines, and year-end closeouts.
Demonstrated detail-orientation in performing pre-routing quality reviews on draft scopes of work (SOWs), project budgets, and contract amendments to catch formatting, arithmetic, or compliance errors before final submission.
Experience analyzing administrative workflows, mapping business processes, or utilizing quality improvement tools (e.g., Lean, PDSA cycles, or SOP/template creation) to eliminate bottlenecks and administrative delays.
Strong customer service orientation with experience translating complex procurement, fiscal, or administrative guidelines into clear, plain-language guidance for colleagues and partners.
Demonstrated proficiency using digital tracking tools (such as Excel, Google Sheets, Monday.com , or project dashboards) to manage high document volumes, track processing milestones, and maintain organization under tight fiscal deadlines.

Responsibilities

Branch Operations and Grant Lifecycle Coordination
Process Improvement and Operational Standardization
Operational knowledge and Technical Assistance

Benefits

Medical and dental plans.
Colorado PERA retirement options, including defined benefit plan or defined contribution plan.
Optional 401(K) and 457 retirement plans.
Employer-paid life insurance.
Short- and long-term disability coverage.
Potential flexible working arrangements
11 paid holidays per year and generous paid time off.
Free parking and access to RTD bus lines.
Tuition assistance.
Employee wellness programs.
Professional development opportunities.
Career opportunities throughout Colorado state government.
Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.