Assessment and Planning Specialist

At The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) we are dedicated to the Colorado for All philosophy - working toward a Colorado where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. 

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.  We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we strongly encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds to apply.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

• This position will have hybrid workplace options available but will still be required to report to the listed address at the discretion of the supervisor and based on business needs: 4300 Cherry Creek Drive South Denver, CO 80246

Be BOLD.....Make a REAL difference . . . join us in serving our communities advancing Colorado's health and protecting the places we live, work, learn, and play, to create a healthy and sustainable Colorado where current and future generations thrive.

CDPHE offers: 

• Free parking and access to RTD bus lines.

• Flexible working arrangements

• Retirement ( PERA options), Medical and dental health plans

• Defined Benefit Plan or the PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus optional 401K and 457 plans

• Paid life insurance

• Short- and long-term disability coverage

• 11 paid holidays per year and generous personal time off

• Tuition assistance 

• Wellness programs

• Professional development opportunities on a wide variety of subjects

• Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system

Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. For more information, go to: https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/pslfFlow.action#!/pslf/launch

The mission of the Office of Public Health Practice, Planning, and Local Partnerships (OPHP) is to collaborate and   partner across the public health system to maintain and further strengthen statewide infrastructure and capacity.  The Office of Public Health Practice, Planning, and Local Partnerships exists to build capacity and improve  performance of state and local public health agencies. Office staff members work across the department and with  local public health agencies, boards and organizations to foster collaboration and leverage resources to: 

• Lead Colorado's assessment and planning system for state and local public health. 
• Develop infrastructure to ensure all counties provide the core public health services and local public health  directors meet the defined minimum qualifications. 
• Distribute funds to local public health and monitor contracts. 
• Provide technical assistance to state and local public health agencies for training, assessment and planning, public  health practice, performance improvement, workforce development, 
• Serve as a liaison and contact for all local public health agencies and provide connections to a variety of CDPHE programs and resources. 
• Connect with national organizations and governmental public health agencies in other states.
• Increase public health practice competency through the utilization and dissemination of evidence-based best practices using a variety of delivery mechanisms including synchronic and asynchronous training, tools, and   resources. 
• Represent the department in professional public health organizations. 
• Support the development of the public health workforce through training, capacity building, funding, and  partnerships. 

This position assists with implementing Colorado's Public Health Improvement Plan which is required in Colorado  statute. This position provides technical assistance and training for Local Public Health Agencies per the 2008 Public   Health Act. The 2008 Act requires a coordinated system of state and local public health planning on a 5-year cycle.   This is also in line with the national Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB), which has the same cyclical  requirements with emphasis on stakeholder engagement and partnerships between state and local public health. This  position provides coordination, support and technical assistance for state and local community health assessment and   improvement planning in accordance with best practices and national standards. This includes the continuous process of state and local community capacity assessment, prioritization, improvement planning and implementation, monitoring and evaluation in accordance with statute and national accreditation standards. Having a point person for   related guidance and technical assistance at OPHP has been cited by local public health agencies (LPHAs) as integral to their success in this process. It also helps bolster capacity for the core public health service of assessment, planning  and communication and accreditation readiness among LPHAs in Colorado. 

Additionally, this position ensures that CDPHE's statewide public health improvement plan (as required for  accreditation by the Public Health Accreditation Board) is aligned with the strategies and recommendations in local  improvement plans. In order to achieve this, this position identifies and analyzes strategies and issues in local health  assessments and public health improvement plans, and makes recommendations to CDPHE public health and environmental programs to address gaps and areas for needed alignment. This position increases accreditation readiness among LPHAs in Colorado because community health assessments, public health improvement plans, strategic plans and quality improvement activities are required for national public health accreditation. Increased accreditation readiness ensures stronger, higher quality provision of public health services. 

This position also works within the training team to develop and ensure a robust and appropriate training suite is available either by leveraging existing training or creating new training where needed. The target audiences are early career professionals that either have formal public health education or are transitioning from another sector; emerging leaders; new executive directors, and public health adjacent stakeholders such as local boards of health and county commissioners. This support and training provides a solid, common foundation for public health response. The position works with department health equity staff to ensure training materials are accessible to all and incorporate health equity principles.

This position is the main preceptor point of contact for OPHP and will coordinate all steps with CDPHE Human Resources. This position will supervise incoming interns, AmeriCorps members, and will assign and monitor progress of all students within OPHP. The FTE and length of positions will vary each year.

1. Staff Authority - Assessment, Planning and Implementation of Colorado's Statewide  Public Health Improvement Plan through the Colorado Public Health Assessment and Planning System (CHAPS)
2. CHAPS Management and Technical Assistance 
3. Monitoring and Evaluation of the Assessment and Planning System 
4. Public Health Systems Dashboards and Communication 
5. Project Management Duties

Residency Requirement: 

Class Code & Classification Description: 

**This experience must be substantiated within the Work Experience section of your application. "See Resume" will not be accepted. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.**

Seven (7) years of relevant experience in public health planning and evaluation including providing technical assistance to diverse partners and communities. Technical assistance includes providing training, consultation, resource development, and quality assurance checks to partners. 

A combination of related education in public health or closely-related field and/or relevant experience in public health planning and evaluation including providing technical assistance to diverse partners and communities. Technical assistance includes providing training, consultation, resource development, and quality assurance checks to partners.  equal to seven (7) years

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

In addition to the minimum requirements, the successful candidate in this position will have the following highly desirable experience and competencies: 

• Demonstrated proficiency working collaboratively with internal and external teams, technical and community partners, diverse public stakeholders, and medical providers.
• Proven experience building and maintaining strong relationships with diverse partners, including schools and education entities.
• Experience using communication strategies and tactics to disseminate information to partners.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication, ability to adapt communication to fit intended audience that may have varying technical skills, various levels within an organization, and in groups and individual settings. 
• Working knowledge of Public Health Accreditation Board requirements
• Experience assisting local public health agencies in aligning their work with state-level messages or priorities. 
• Experience selecting evidence-based public health strategies and implementing those strategies with fidelity.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: 

• A pre-employment background check will be conducted as part of the selection process.

Appeal Rights: 

An applicant who has been removed from an employment list or removed from consideration during the selection process may request a review by the State Personnel Director.

As an applicant directly affected by the results of the selection or comparative analysis process, you may file a written appeal with the State Personnel Director.

Review of the completed, signed, and submitted appeal will be timely on the basis of written material submitted by you, using the official appeal form signed by you or your representative. This form must be completed and delivered to the State Personnel Board by email at [email protected] within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgment of the Department’s action.

For further information on the Board Rules, you can refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov/board-rules.

A complete application packet must include:

• Completed State of Colorado application.

• A Resume

• A Cover Letter

• If using education to qualify for this position a copy of your transcripts (unofficial acceptable) or diploma must be provided with application. Transcripts must be attached to your colorado.gov/jobs application.

• If you are a veteran, a copy of your DD214 must be attached to your colorado.gov/jobs application.

The Selection Process:

All applications that are received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications proceed to the next step.

Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process.

Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position may be a structured application review, which involves a review of the information you submit in your application materials by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) against the preferred qualifications.

A top group, up to six candidates, will be invited to schedule an interview with the hiring manager.

E-Verify: 

CDPHE uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

ADAAA Accommodations:

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 Public Health and Environment 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 ADAAA Coordinator at [email protected] or call 303-692-2060, option 5.