Summary

This role involves assisting in the leadership of the state's emergency operations center, coordinating responses to disasters like floods and wildfires, and ensuring smooth operations during crises to protect Colorado communities.

It's ideal for someone with hands-on experience in emergency management who thrives in high-pressure situations and is committed to public service.

A good fit would be a current Colorado resident passionate about building resilient communities through teamwork and quick decision-making.

Key Requirements

Current residency in Colorado
Extensive experience in emergency management or public safety operations
Strong leadership and coordination skills for crisis response
Knowledge of disaster preparedness, mitigation, and recovery
Ability to work in a collaborative, high-stress environment
Commitment to state core values of unity, honor, and service
Eligibility for flexible work arrangements based on role needs

Full Job Description

This position is open only to current Colorado state residents.

An eligible list established with this recruitment may be used to fill other similar positions within the Colorado Department of Public Safety in the next 12 months.

Our Mission - Engaged employees working together to safeguard lives and to provide diverse public safety services to local communities.

Our Vision - Creating safer and more resilient communities across Colorado.

Our Core Values - Unity, Honor, Service

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 dedicated to non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities.

At CDPS, our culture is driven by our commitment to creating a safer Colorado and guided by a public service focus. We strive to provide effective solutions and services to our fellow Coloradans.

We model a culture of collaboration, innovation, and growth for our employees. We maintain a professional and inclusive workplace.

Careers with a purpose:

If you are passionate about public safety and public service, and are eager to dedicate your career to serving Coloradans, consider joining CDPS.

Our team at CDPS consists of exceptional individuals and is an environment where you can challenge yourself and acquire new capabilities to build a rewarding and fulfilling career.

We are committed to providing public safety services to our communities including safety on our roads, preparing for and mitigating environmental disasters such as floods and wildland fires, disaster recovery, combating crime, promoting school safety, and victim services.

Benefits:

We provide a wide range of benefits to our employees.

Medical and dental options are available for permanent employees and their dependents. We also offer short and long-term disability coverage, and life insurance that includes legal resources and discounts.
State contribution into a Health Savings Account when enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan.
Job protected medical leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the State of Colorado Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (FAMLI).
Paid medical leave benefits provided by the State of Colorado.
Eligibility for hybrid or other flexible work arrangements based on the nature of the role.
We offer excellent retirement benefits including mandatory PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus optional 401K and 457 plans. For information on mandatory employee salary deferral (in lieu of contribution to Social Security), visit Colorado PERA for details.
We provide generous time off including 11 paid holidays annually and accrued annual and sick leave and four annual wellness days.
The Employee Assistance Program (C-SEAP) is available in every region of the state. It is our effort to support the well-being of employees and the workplace. EAPs provide short-term counseling, referrals and resources, as well as training and organizational development services.
Tuition reimbursement and reduced college tuition at CSU Global and DeVry University.
We offer Credit Union of Colorado membership eligibility.

To learn more about State of Colorado benefits, please visit State of Colorado benefits.

Requirements

DIVISION OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
This position is located within the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM). The division is a dynamic and diverse team that is committed to developing, administering and coordinating comprehensive and integrated statewide emergency management and homeland security programs. The Division’s work ensures the safety and security of Colorado and its infrastructure through unity of effort with local, tribal, state, federal, private, and nongovernmental partners.

Our Mission: To lead and support Colorado's effort to prevent, protect, mitigate, respond to and recover from all-hazards events.
Our Vision: A prepared, safe and resilient Colorado!
Our Core Values: Service, Teamwork, Respect, Integrity, Vision and Excellence.
Our Guiding Principles: Results-Focused, Innovative, Service-Oriented and Employee-Centric.

Our mission is accomplished through a comprehensive and coordinated program of mitigating hazards, preparing for emergencies, preventing terrorist attacks and other criminal activity, coordinating resources for response to a disaster and supporting subsequent recovery efforts. The division also serves as the conduit for state and federal funding to prepare for and recover from all hazard events. The division accomplishes its mission through the following offices:

Director's Office
Office of Emergency Management
Office of Grants Management (Formerly Office of Preparedness)
Office of Security and Prevention Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC)
Office of Public Safety Communications (OPSC)

ABOUT THE WORK UNIT

The Office of Emergency Management conducts the four phases of emergency management (Preparedness, Response, Mitigation and Recovery) in coordination with other State Agencies and in support of local jurisdictions. It integrates emergency management efforts across all levels of government, including state, local, tribal and federal.

State Emergency Operations Center Section (SEOC): The State Emergency Operations Center within the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) includes the Operations Unit, the Logistics Unit, the Plans Unit, and the Integrated Preparedness staff. This section is responsible for maintaining day-to-day situational awareness of the state-wide emergency management environment and activities. It coordinates directly with other sections within OEM as well as with external partners to develop a comprehensive picture of the environment and assess key indicators of stability. The section collects and disseminates information to Division Leadership, Department Leadership, the Governor’s office, state agencies, and local jurisdictions before, during and after an incident or disaster and makes recommendations pertaining to response and recovery decisions and actions. The section develops and promulgates state processes and procedures for requesting and providing incident and disaster response and recovery resources to jurisdictions having authority and other state agencies. It executes these processes and procedures as required. The section maintains 24-hour communications monitoring and availability to jurisdictions having authority. The section develops and maintains current State EOC response plans and standard operating procedures for rapidly elevating the operational level of the center and operating it as required. The section oversees both internal and external State EOC position training, inclusive of Emergency Response Coordinators (ERC) and conducts exercises to test the State EOC. The section is the primary point of coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other federal agencies for response activities before, during and after an incident or disaster.

Work Environment

Standard Work Schedule: This position generally operates during standard business hours; however, start times may vary depending on operational demands, including early starts (e.g., 5:00 a.m. or 5:30 a.m.) for preparing morning reports and briefings.
A hybrid work model is utilized requiring a minimum of three days per week in the office, with up to two days potentially being remote or off-site, subject to supervisor approval and operational needs.
Occasional meetings/training and visits to stakeholders/partners
Emergency Activation: During State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) activations, the incumbent may be required to report to the SEOC during non-standard hours, including nights, weekends, and/or holidays.

About the Job

This position takes appropriate action on emergency calls on a day-to-day basis and by applying judgment, strategy and the in-depth knowledge of the state policies, systems and resources, provides assistance when it is appropriate. This same guidance is provided by this position to OEM staff acting as Duty Officer on a 24-hour basis. This position collects information and disseminates information to the Governor’s office, state agencies, and local jurisdictions before, during and following emergencies.

Key Responsibilities

Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Readiness

In conjunction with or in the absence of the Operations Section Chief, oversee operations related to the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC)/Multi-Agency Coordination Center (MACC). Recommend standards for personnel readiness, SEOC SOPs, and EMAC tracking for the SEOC, and implement, with the Command and general staff, training, exercises, and standard operating procedures to ensure standards are achieved. Evaluate outcomes with the SEOC Exercise Officer and Training Specialist to identify gaps in the ability of the SEOC to respond effectively and that the State Emergency Operations Plan and any related plans will meet emergency response needs.

During activations for emergencies and disasters, implement all plans, reflecting operational priorities including life safety, health, property protection, environmental protection, restoration of essential utilities, restoration of essential functions and coordination in support of all levels of government. Ensure procedures are maintained to guide situation assessment, situation reporting, and community lifeline reporting. Implement procedures for testing the activation, operation, and deactivation of primary and alternate facilities to meet accreditation standards. Assure that Emergency Response Coordinators, who are delegated to represent state agencies in the SEOC, are identified, prepared, ready, and available for work in the SEOC.

Emergency Operations Center Activation
During the activation of the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC), in accordance with the guidelines of the National Incident Management System and the Incident Command System, perform duties and responsibilities as assigned within the SEOC. This will be applicable for all real – world events / incidents and exercises Acts as SEOC Operations Chief when the SEOC Operations Chief is to maintain necessary emergency operations. Will also need to be proficient in the use of WebEOC.

Oversees the SEOC resource request process, including reviewing requests for completeness and accuracy, determining and coordinating with ESFs and other sections for fulfillment, tracking resource allocation, and ensuring compliance with established procedures and guidelines. Recognizes which ESFs have the appropriate resources to fulfill a request and to recommend to SEOC Operations Chief when a Lifeline Assessment Team (LLAT) may need to be assembled for complex requests.

Duty Officer Oversight / Watch Center Support
Coordinates SEOC staff, including this position, in their role as Duty Officer during assignments, emergencies, or special events. Builds and manages Duty Officer training schedule and delivery, including IPAWS alerting support duties. Determines updates to the Duty Officer Guide and communicates changes to stakeholders. Manages the Duty Officer call system and scheduling.

As part of the Operations Section, supplies technical assistance to the Watch Center regarding emergency line protocols and procedures. As part of the Operations Section, collaborates in maintaining the Emergency Line Guide for the Watch Center and supplies training as required.

SEOC Continuity of Operations Planning and Testing
Creates, updates, and implements the SEOC portion of the division’s continuity plan - which ensures the division can execute its essential functions during all circumstances. Serves as a subject matter expert and critical node for ensuring that the SEOC has a well developed continuity plan that meets all current FEMA planning standards, grant requirements, and accreditation standards. Participates in the division continuity planning to deconflict the SEOC portion of the plan with the whole of the division continuity plan to ensure a smooth transition into continuity execution to include transitions to alternate facilities, devolution (which requires the transition of roles and responsibilities for performance of essential functions through pre-authorized delegations of authority and responsibility), and reconstitution (the process by which surviving and/ or replacement organization personnel resume normal organization operations from the original or replacement primary operating facility). This duty requires excellent project management skills as well as close coordination with the DHSEM Plans Section. Works with SEOC Exercise Officer and Training Specialist to develop and document tests, training, and exercises to test the DHSEM Continuity Plan. Participates in DHSEM training and exercise opportunities to ensure integration with all stakeholders, best practices are shared and plans are appropriately tested and improved upon.

Qualifications

Note, to be considered for this position, you must meet one of the following options for consideration.

Proven Experience, Knowledge, Skills

Seven (7) years of experience in Emergency Management, Emergency Response or Military Response, with a focus on operations.

OR Education and Experience, Knowledge, Skills

A Bachelor's degree and three (3) years of experience in Emergency Management, Emergency Response or Military Response, with a focus on operations.

OR

A Master's degree and one (1) year of experience Emergency Management, Emergency Response or Military Response, with a focus on operations.

Preferred Qualifications and Competencies

Experience in a state emergency operations center (SEOC)
Experience in a local EOC
Experience in coordinating with multiple agencies or multiple jurisdictions

Conditions of Employment

Requires successful completion of a background investigation that includes a polygraph exam, a fingerprint based criminal history search, employment history, education credentials, reference checking.
Must be a Colorado resident at the time of application
During activations of the SEOC, this position may be required to report to the SEOC during nights, weekends, and/or holidays.

Appeal Rights
If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for the position, you may protest the action by filing an appeal with the State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director within 10 days from the date you receive notice of the elimination. Also, if you wish to challenge the selection and comparative analysis process, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director within 10 days from the receipt of notice or knowledge of the action you are challenging. Refer to Chapters 4 and 8 of the State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, 4 CCR 801, for more information about the appeals process. The State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures are available at www.colorado.gov/spb. A standard appeal form is available at: www.colorado.gov/spb. If you appeal, your appeal must be submitted in writing on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative, and received at the following address within 10 days of your receipt of notice or knowledge of the action: Colorado State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director, Attn: Appeals Processing, 1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver, CO 80203. Fax: 303-866-5038. Phone: 303-866-3300. The ten-day deadline and these appeal procedures also apply to all charges of discrimination.

Additional Information

Disability Accommodation

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 Human Resources at: cdps_hr@state.co.us

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.

Colorado Department of Public Safety 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.

Recruitment Timeline Information and Important Notices

Applications are considered complete and accurate at the time of submission. Therefore, additional information may not be solicited or accepted after your application has been received.

Closing Date: 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 may 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.

Supplemental Question: Effective responses to Supplemental Questions will directly relate to your professional experience, career accomplishments, and views about organizational values and approaches, and how they relate specifically to this position and requirements as you understand them.

Answers generated by AI-tools will typically be unresponsive.

Transcripts: An unofficial copy of transcripts must be submitted at the time of application should education be used as qualification.

Transcripts from colleges or universities outside the United States must be assessed for U.S. equivalency by a NACES educational credential evaluation service.

This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and must be included as part of your application materials.

Failure to provide a transcript or credential evaluation report may prevent your application from moving forward in the selection process.

Military Veterans: If you are a military veteran you must submit a copy of your DD-214, Member 4 Copy, and VA disability letter if available/applicable at the time of application so we can determine if you are eligible for veteran's preference points.

Military personnel who are stationed outside of Colorado may be eligible for this position by submitting the completed DD-2058 "State of Legal Residence" form.

Application Tips: For an overview of State of Colorado application process and application tips, please view this video.
Resumes, Cover Letters, or other documents submitted will not be reviewed, assessed, or used in the initial stages of the comparative analysis (transcripts submitted to verify that the applicant meets either the education requirement or minimum qualification substitution are exempt from this).

Notifications: All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be sent via email to the email address listed on your application.

Include your current working email address on your application and check the email provided on your application frequently as you could receive time sensitive correspondence regarding this position.

We highly recommend that you set up your email 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.

Comparative Analysis Steps may include [SELECT ALL THAT APPLY]:
- Structured application review by a panel of SMEs
- In-person interview: Tentatively scheduled for March 9, to March 13, 2026

✓ Fresh Listing

State Emergency Operations Center Deputy Operations Chief

Job Description

Summary

Key Requirements

Full Job Description

Requirements

Qualifications

Additional Information

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