Accountability and Transformation Specialist (Non-Classified)

Full Job Description

Colorado Department of Education – What We Do
The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) provides leadership, resources, support, and accountability to the state's 178 school districts, 1,888 schools, over 53,000 teachers, and over 3,200 administrators to help them build capacity to meet the needs of the state's approximately 905,000 public school students. In addition, CDE provides structural and administrative support to the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind and the Charter School Institute.

As the administrative arm of the State Board of Education, CDE is responsible for implementing state and federal education laws, disbursing state and federal funds, holding schools and districts accountable for performance, licensing all educators, and providing public transparency of performance and financial data.

CDE is a values-based agency that serves students, parents, and the general public by protecting public trust through ensuring adherence to laws, strong stewardship of public funds, and accountability for student performance.

CDE strives to incorporate five core values that we uphold in our work internally and externally. If you come to CDE, be prepared to incorporate Integrity, Equity, Accountability, Trust, and commitment to Service in what you do.

Why Work For CDE
The work we do is rewarding and impacts the students, families, educators, and communities across Colorado. Our leadership also promotes a culture that puts families and self-care as a priority. Along with meaningful work and an environment that puts employees first, the state also offers rich benefits that intend to make us an Employer of Choice!
The following is a summary of the benefits we offer:

• Flexible work schedules and flexible workplace options that may include flexible working hours, working from home, working in the office, and/or a hybrid working environment.
• Premier medical, dental, vision, and dependent life insurance options. All with a generous employer contribution keeping employee costs as low as possible.
• Employer-paid short-term disability and life insurance.
• Up to 160 hours of Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML).
• 11 paid holidays per year.
• Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals.
• Retirement through the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) www.copera.org.
• Employer-paid RTD Eco Pass (certain restrictions may apply).
• Paid professional development opportunities.

A wide 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 relative to others performing substantially similar work. While most salary offers are made within the posted range, occasionally an offer is made below or above the posted range based upon this salary analysis.

The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness. The State is resolute in non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities.

Requirements

Work Environment:

This position is Full-time, federally funded (funding is expected to continue indefinitely unless otherwise indicated in this posting), and is Hybrid (Remote/Home Office with a requirement to report to Work location per business needs).

• Extended hours during the evening or the weekend may be required by business needs.

• Travel required within the Denver Metro/Downtown for Meetings and Trainings.

• In-state travel, limited overnights, and expectations of approximately 30% travel.

• A Remote (Home) office is required.

• Required to report to the work location per business needs.

Essential Functions (ADAAA)Light/Office environment- Exert up to 20 lbs. of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 lbs. of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.

Physical demands exceed those of Sedentary work. Light work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree (while traveling or providing technical assistance).

• Colorado DL Required to complete travel requirement

Position Summary:
The Accountability & Transformation Specialist serves as a trusted, strategic support partner to Colorado’s lowest-performing schools and districts, especially those in years 3–5+ of the accountability clock. This role supports I&I’s mission by ensuring districts experience coherent, aligned, early and meaningful supports anchored in the Four Domains and responsive to their realities. The Specialist leads accountability pathway work, facilitates performance management, provides leadership coaching, and ensures improvement planning drives real change rather than serving as compliance. The Specialist must be able to build relationships quickly, influence high-stakes environments, and bridge systems across CDE to make supports feel predictable, aligned, and supportive.

The final salary is anticipated to fall within the posted salary range, however could be higher or lower depending on the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other qualifications of the preferred candidate while considering internal equity.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Improvement Coaching and Performance Management for Direct Support to Districts & Schools (Years 2–5+)

• Lead CDE technical assistance in acting as a primary support lead coaching a caseload of districts/schools further along the accountability clock.

• Provide strategic coaching to support districts in aligning improvement resources, grants, and strategies to build sustainable capacity.

• Lead consultation with districts in building capacity for effective improvement planning for schools including: organizing improvement and transformation efforts for identified schools and evaluating the effectiveness of district and school improvement plans.

Create and lead face-to-face, peer-to-peer, and online professional development (e.g., identifying strong strategies for improvement based on the state’s quality schools framework) and networking opportunities for districts and schools.

Connect district and school leaders with other schools and partners to facilitate best practice sharing specific turnaround strategies.

Lead regular and consistent performance management conversations with district and school leadership teams designed to reflect on and drive student performance progress and school practice to build capacity in schools and districts.

Ensure that performance management sessions align directly to I&I’s common improvement framework and strengthen instructional transformation.

Act as CDE subject matter expert and provide technical assistance to local school and district stakeholders at the end of the clock on Colorado’s accountability system and implications for their planning and context, including school boards.

Facilitate accountability pathways planning and implementation.

Coaching, Facilitation & Professional Learning for districts and schools early on the clock

• Provide trusted, high-credibility coaching to superintendents, principals, and leadership teams on school improvement.

• Design and facilitate professional learning experiences that build district- and system-level leadership and early-clock support capacity to drive school improvement.

• Collaborate in the development and delivery to districts and schools of tools, exemplars, and turn-key supports aligned to Improvement and Innovation Unit priorities.

System Alignment & Cross-Office Integration

• Serve as a liaison connecting Transformation Strategy to Intensive Supports, Continuous Improvement, Federal Programs, Innovation & Choice, and others.

• Support CDE infrastructure for collaboration in support of the schools and districts furthest along the clock, including reviewing and providing feedback on improvement plans, collaborating on professional learning opportunities, etc.

• Ensure coherence of supports across charter, online/blended, and traditional settings.

• Research and stay up-to-date on the most current evidence and successes regarding school transformation work both within Colorado and across the nation.

• Collaborate with other teams to advance I&I’s goal to ensure planning becomes an engine of improvement rather than compliance.

• Collaborate with the team and other CDE offices to establish supports that grow the capacity of districts to develop the infrastructure needed to support low-performing schools.




Qualifications

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
Bachelor’s degree required.
Minimum 8–10 years in education required.
Minimum 3–5 years as a school or district leader required (district or charter).
Experience in turnaround/priority improvement contexts required.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CONDITIONS:
Qualifications for Success in the Position:

• Proven success in improving student outcomes.
• Experience mentoring and supporting leaders.
• Strong relationship-building and influence in complex contexts.
• Exceptional facilitation and communication skills.
• Strong project management, follow-through, and organization.
• Understanding of Colorado accountability context or ability to quickly learn.
• Commitment to equity, coherence, and improvement.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail (proofing work, spelling, grammar, formatting, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to effectively balance quality of work and productivity expectations.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate with internal and external customers (e.g. school districts, other CDE units).
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and organize work to accommodate and meet the changing needs of the department and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and exhibit a proactive approach to work.
• Demonstrated ability to identify problems and recommend solutions prior to the standard being jeopardized.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, as well as on a team.
• Ability and willingness to travel.
Preferred Qualifications (Preferred/Not Required):
• Master's degree preferred
Conditions of Employment (Required):
• Must be willing and able to submit to the pre-screening process and pass a background check.
• Report to work location per business needs.
• Sign the acknowledgment form that this position is funded through federal funds and is subject to availability.
• Valid Driver's License Required: Required to safely operate a motor vehicle to complete travel requirements within Colorado.
• Work extended schedule per business needs.
• Report to work location per business needs.
  

• Travel required within the Denver Metro/Downtown for Meetings and Trainings.

• In-state travel, limited overnights, and expectations of approximately 30% travel.

Additional Information

Complete Applications must include:
• Completed Online Application: Required - Submitted through our ATS.
• Resume: Required - Copy and Paste into the Supplemental Questions (11,000 character limit, aprx. 3 pages)
• Transcript: Required if using education to meet MQs - Attached to the online application and meeting requirements as described under "College Transcripts".
FOR CURRENT OR FORMER EMPLOYEES OF THE STATE OF COLORADO:

Per the requirements of the Step Pay Program implemented on July 1, 2024, any State employee must be paid a rate that is equal to or greater than the appropriate step pay rate within their classification’s pay range based on completed years in their current class series as of June 30. All current and former State employees must ensure that your entire work history within the State Classified System, including at Institutions of Higher Education, is indicated in your application so that your time-in-series can be calculated accurately.

Email Address:
All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be conducted via email. Include a working email address on your application; one that is checked often as time-sensitive correspondence such as exam information or notification will take place via email. Please set up your e-mail to accept messages from "state.co.us" and "info@governmentjobs.com" addresses. It is your responsibility to ensure that your email will accept these notices and/or review your junk mail and spam-filtered email.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and Equal Employment Opportunity
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, a 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 Education 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 performing 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 hr@cde.state.co.us.