Job Description

Posting number: PAA 00514 10/2026

Department: Department of Natural Resources

Division: Executive Director's Office

Job classification: Budget and Policy Analyst IV

Posting type: Open & Promotional

Categories: Accounting and Finance, Natural Resources

Summary

Only permanent classified employees of the Department of Natural Resources are eligible to apply for this position.

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

Consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. It’s our mission to manage and conserve Colorado’s natural resources for the benefit of people today – and tomorrow. That means we have to balance development with conservation so the state we all love provides similar opportunities for our children and their children.

We invite you to explore our website at https://dnr.colorado.gov/about-us to find out more about the work we do to manage Colorado’s natural resources for today – and tomorrow. 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. In addition to offering rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:

• Medical and Dental plans
• Strong, flexible retirement plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus pre-tax and Roth 401K and 457 plans
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• Employee Wellness programs
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Accounts
• 11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave
• Flexible work schedule options and remote-work options
• Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system
• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Department of Natural Resources, Executive Director's Office

The Executive Director’s Office (EDO) within the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) exists to manage and supervise the activities of the Divisions within DNR in the development, preservation, and enhancement of Colorado’s natural resources for the benefit and enjoyment of its citizens – both now and in the future. EDO combines and manages the administrative, operational and performance functions of all DNR divisions, including the EDO.

The Executive Director’s Office (EDO) budget unit develops, defends, implements, and oversees the Department’s approximately $500 million annual operating budget, as well as state and federal stimulus funds, in accordance with executive and legislative budget processes to ensure accountability for all funds related to the various programs of the Department. This includes providing detailed fiscal analyses of proposed legislation and ballot measures that affect DNR programs and divisions. The unit also leads formal department-level planning processes through the preparation of the Department’s annual Long Range Financial Plan, Performance Plan, and associated reporting requirements for performance metrics, and annual SMART Act hearings.

Examples of duties

This position provides professional-level budget and policy analysis; develops budget documents and fiscal procedures necessary to implement the Department’s annual budget; directs expenditures to ensure management objectives are met within Long Bill and legislative appropriations; and advises the Budget Director, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Director, Division Directors, and division fiscal personnel on spending and revenue issues. This position is a subject matter expert that employs and designs various analytical and statistical techniques to identify policy issues and recommend changes as required by changing budget, economic, and programmatic needs.

Legislative Budget Development

This position has a significant leadership role in the development of the Department’s annual legislative budget request, with an emphasis on water-related issue areas and oversight of the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the Division of Water Resources. As part of this process, the position:

• Provides conceptual and technical guidance to assigned divisions on the development and submission of potential budget requests, as well as evaluating potential alternative solutions for proposed budget initiatives;
• Conducts a critical review of proposed decision items, budget amendments, and supplementals by analyzing expenditure patterns and justifications to obtain funding for new programs and to address programmatic problems;
• Advises the DNR leadership team on budget initiatives, available alternatives, consistent methodologies in support of the Department’s budget initiatives;
• Works with assigned divisions to ensure approved budget items are appropriately detailed and fully defensible;
• Offers recommendations on the prioritization of all Department budget initiatives using a consistent, rational ranking methodology;
• Monitors divisions progress in developing budget narratives, schedules, and other supporting documentation to ensure accuracy and compliance with OSPB instructions and deadlines; and
• Oversees all responses to information requests that affect assigned divisions or common policy areas from the Governor’s Office, Joint Budget Committee, and General Assembly, as well as any public materials required for Department’s annual legislative budget and SMART Act hearings.

Executive Director’s Office Finance Manager

This position serves as the finance manager for the DNR Executive Director’s Office, with oversight of the division’s personal services and operating budgets, as well as the EDO share of all common policy allocations. This involves:

• Maintaining detailed budget models to support accurate projections, tracking monthly and other periodic data on expenditures and encumbrances;
• Advising the Budget Director and EDO leadership team on any proposed actions or potential issues with a budgetary impact, as well as identifying and recommending appropriate solutions to avert or alleviate any budget problems while allowing division operations to continue.
• Establishing and directing all EDO budget processes, including the division’s participation in the development of the annual legislative budget request, as well as the preparation of all budget schedules and budget documents related to EDO’s portion of the request.
• Acting as the EDO budget representative to the Governor’s Office and the General Assembly with responsibility for defending the division’s position to these entities and negotiating a resolution of any policy differences.

Oversight of Assigned Central Operating Appropriations

This position serves as DNR’s subject matter expert on assigned central operating appropriations including vehicle lease payments, OIT common policy and real-time billing, capitol complex leased space, and the department’s leased space portfolio. The position has the authority to establish processes and influence management decisions for these operating budget on a department-wide basis, which includes:

• Establishing and implementing a department-wide process for the strategic development, implementation, and oversight of assigned central appropriations and associated management policies;
• determining the appropriate cost allocations for every division in the Department and monitoring expenditures within established budgets to ensure the appropriations are being managed appropriately;
• conducting detailed analyses of departmental common policy needs and developing the necessary legislative budget requests to secure any additional resources required;
• analyzing the impact of proposed policies and initiatives on the department’s resources needs in these areas, advocating effectively for DNR’s positions on these policies, and negotiating the resolution of any policy issues;
• representing the department in statewide planning efforts in these areas (e.g. the electrification of the state fleet, reducing the state’s physical footprint, other reimagining state government and/or greening government initiatives).

Oversight of State/Federal Stimulus and “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” Funds

This position is responsible for overseeing and administering the obligation and expenditure of the administrative allowances associated with all state and federal stimulus funds, as well as any funds the Department receives through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), to secure the necessary central administrative resources to successfully implement these funds for the duration they are available. This includes:

• Coordinating with the DNR Chief Financial Officer, DNR Budget Director, DNR Operations team, and all department programs with stimulus or IIJA funds, with approval authority over the use of administrative funds for requested positions and responsibility for ensuring personal services expenses are being tracked and billed appropriately across fund sources.
• This position is also expected to provide guidance on and oversight of all stimulus and infrastructure funds received by assigned divisions and programs to ensure that funds are spent appropriately by the established deadlines, as well as assisting the DNR Recovery in building and implementing processes for any tracking or reporting requirements.

Special Projects and Other Duties as Assigned

This position leads special projects and assignments as they arise, including things like representing the Department on the Greening Government Leadership Council or other statewide working groups; serving as the budget representative on the DNR Operations Team; supporting efforts to install charging stations for electric vehicles at state parks and other department facilities; drafting department-wide communications and/or presenting on all-staff town hall calls; conducting special research and required data analysis when called for; etc.

Qualifications

Experience Only:

• Eight (8) years of budget and policy analysis, development and implementation, public or private sector management or administration that included budget formulation, execution, and analysis.

OR

Education and Experience:

• A combination of related education from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Political Science, Public Policy, Mathematics, Government, or in another field of study directly related to the assignment and four years of experience in budget and policy analysis, development, and implementation; or four years of public or private sector management or administration that included budget formulation, execution, and analysis equal to eight (8) years
• Current, valid licensure as a CPA by the Colorado Board of Accountancy will substitute for the degree requirement and two (2) years of the required experience.

Substitutions:

Additional appropriate experience will substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis. Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required general experience on a year-for-year basis.

Please note: The required experience must be substantiated within the work experience section of your application. Your resume will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications; only the work experience section of your application will be reviewed to determine this. “See Resume” statements on the application will not be accepted. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.

Class Code: BUDGET & POLICY ANALYST IV

Preferred Qualifications:

• Sophisticated communication, collaboration, and process management skills in work with internal and external partners that have competing needs and priorities to gain consensus and ensure deliverables are of high quality and completed in accordance with guidance and deadlines.
• Ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced, and complex environment to establish priorities; coordinate and track deliverables; and plan, direct, and monitor work of others.
• Takes ownership of all responsibilities and assignments with a commitment to accuracy and completeness, delivers high quality work products within prescribed time, and operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules.
• Ability to provide efficient and effective customer service both internally and externally.
• Critical thinking skills to develop creative solutions to complex, interpersonal, process, and systemic challenges; Ability to synthesize, interpret, and report on complex or technical information, in an appropriate format and at an accessible level for the identified audience.
• Experience with the state budget process, including preparing budget requests, submitting responses to requests for information from the legislature, and experience analyzing the fiscal impact of legislation.
• Experience with the State's electronic accounting system (Colorado Operations Resource Engine or "CORE"), the State's electronic budgeting system (Performance Budgeting or "PB"), or other similar databases or IT systems used for research and analysis.
• Current or former State experience relevant to this position.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES:

Attention to DetailAnalytical & Critical Thinking SkillsComplianceLeadershipProblem SolvingExcellent oral and written communication skillsExperience interpreting and applying the Colorado Fiscal Rules and/or Procurement Code to complex purchasing/contracting situations. The current work arrangement for this position is as follows:

(Please note, this arrangement can be subject to change)

• This is a Hybrid position - Work is primarily performed from a home office, however the selected candidate will at times report to the office at 1313 Sherman Street - Denver, CO for meetings, trainings and projects as directed by the supervisor.

APPEAL RIGHTS:

It is recommended that you contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below to resolve issues related to your possession of minimum qualifications. However, if you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email, US Mail, faxed or hand delivered within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.

Supplemental information

The Assessment Process

• All applications received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed by an HR Specialist against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement.
• 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 will be a structured application review by Subject Matter Experts.
• Resumes, cover letters and other attachments are not considered as part of initial reviews, therefore, it is important to document in your application your education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications as outlined in the job announcement.
• Please thoroughly answer all supplemental questions (if listed) since question responses may be evaluated for content, writing ability, spelling, grammar, and effective communication.
• This recruitment may involve additional testing and/or exams to arrive at the top group for interviews.
• This posting may fill multiple vacancies.

A salary range is posted for this position and any job offer is based upon a salary analysis to comply with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. The salary analysis considers relevant experience, education, certifications, and state seniority as compared to others doing substantially similar work. While all offers are compliant with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, there is no guarantee an offer will be at the top of the posted range based on the salary analysis.

We are committed to increasing a “Colorado for ALL" of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of all backgrounds and abilities. The State of Colorado believes that a “Colorado for ALL” drives 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 Department of Natural Resources 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 dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us.

ADAAA Accommodations

Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request an accommodation, please contact dnr_hr_employeebenefits@state.co.us at least five business days before the date that any accommodation will be required to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.

E-Verify

The Department of Natural Resources participates in E-Verify in accordance with the program's Right to Work for all newly-hired employees. Employees are queried through the electronic system established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to verify identity and employment eligibility. You may complete section 1 of the I-9 form upon your acceptance of a job offer letter, but no later than your first day of employment and in addition, on your first day, but no later than the third day, you are required to submit original documents to verify your eligibility to work in the U.S. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Toll–Free Applicant Support - Technical Help

If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV at 855-524-5627, Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). The Human Resources Office will be unable to assist with technical issues. Helpful hints: If you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application, ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files and close the document before you attempt to upload it.