Universal Preschool Product Owner

Department Information

STATE OF COLORADO RESIDENCY REQUIRED

NOTE: This announcement may be used to fill multiple openings.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis is committed to building a Colorado For All, a place where everyone has an opportunity to succeed and live the Colorado way of life. Governor Polis is focused on lowering health care costs for hardworking Coloradans, transitioning the state to renewable energy sources, ensuring every Colorado child gets a quality education, and building an economy that works for everyone.

Committed to Diversity

• We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities. If you're looking for a place where you can be your authentic self at work and celebrate the uniqueness of those around you, then we want to talk to you! State of Colorado employees were asked to reflect on their experience with equity, diversity, and inclusion. Click here to learn more about their experiences Colorado For All

• Colorado Employees Reflect on Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion.

We offer a generous benefits package including:

• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave

• Medical, dental, and vision plans

• State paid life insurance policy

• Choice of 2 retirement plans (defined benefit or defined contribution)

• Optional 401(k) and 457 plans

• State paid short-term disability coverage

• Additional optional life and disability plans

• Credit Union membership

• Training and professional development

To learn more about State of Colorado benefits visit: https://www.colorado.gov/dhr/benefits.

Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, go to https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service?

This position will have the opportunity for a hybrid schedule (a combination of in-office and remote workplace). Please note - equipment provisioning and certain onboarding tasks will take place in person, in our downtown Denver office, on the first day of employment.

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) ensures the delivery of a comprehensive, community-informed, data-driven, high-quality, and equitable early childhood system that supports the care, education and well-being of all Colorado's young children, their families and early childhood professionals in all settings. CDEC provides access to collaborative, coordinated, quality early childhood programs and support to children, families, and early care professionals in an effort to best prepare Coloradans for future success. CDEC works with many partners, including parents, schools, child care providers, Early Childhood Councils, counties, Community Centered Boards, early intervention service providers, family resources centers, county human services, county public health, businesses, community organizations, and other stakeholders to provide high-quality early childhood and family support programs.

The Universal Preschool Program (UPP) team is charged with the implementation of Colorado's new voluntary preschool program beginning in July 2023. The UPP Product Owner will manage projects related to establishing systems that are supportive of a quality UPP program implementation in alignment with CDEC's mission, values and strategic objectives. The UPP Product Owner will foster trust and collaboration, such that the program delivers credible and effective service to the early childhood community.

Description of Job

What you'll be doing:

This position is a part of a highly collaborative agile team that assists with prioritizing and completion of work. The purpose of this position is two-fold.

• Serve as the UPP Product Owner supporting various UPP applications including, but not limited to the UPP enrolment system development, working on issues, enhancement & inquiries from internal and external customers that are more complex in nature.

• Serve as the UPP Product Owner Work Lead to include timeliness, correctness and soundness by implementing tasks, monitoring progress, ensuring work meets established work standards and providing general system oversight and collaboration across teams.

This position will work closely with the Chief Product Officer and the UPP Manager to ensure that planned work and assignments are in alignment to the UPP vision and roadmap and that all processes and procedures used in the product owner unit are understood, utilized and effective and efficient.

Additional responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Acts as lead for the UPP systems by prioritizing and implementing projects, enhancements and management of technical debt. This includes establishing timelines and expectations, and ensuring these expectations are met. This position will regularly monitor the progress of projects and tasks and ensure accuracy, timely delivery, and soundness.

• This includes establishing timelines and expectations, and ensuring these expectations are met. This position will regularly monitor the progress of projects and tasks and ensure accuracy, timely delivery, and soundness.

• Manage product development backlog, agile ceremonies, and sprint planning.

• Establish and maintain user feedback channels and processes, to triage and funnel feedback into product development process and decisions, as well the program operations.

• Apply reporting skills and leverage data to identify opportunities, troubleshoot issues and prioritize work.

• Serve as the primary liaison to technology vendor/s and OIT. This includes facilitating, exploring, and deciding upon solution alternatives to business problems and providing cost/benefit analysis of design alternatives and how recommendations relate to the big picture roadmap.

• Build and maintain subject matter expertise, as to the impact of any given effort as it relates to the technology as well as the UPP Program, helping to guide outcomes-based decision making.

• Build and maintain subject matter expertise, as to the impact of any given effort as it relates to the technology as well as the UPP Program, helping to guide outcomes-based decision making.

• Serve as the primary liaison to technology vendor/s and OIT. This includes facilitating, exploring, and deciding upon solution alternatives to business problems and providing cost/benefit analysis of design alternatives and how recommendations relate to the big picture roadmap.

• This role needs to understand the impact of any given effort as it relates to the technology as well as the program, helping to guide outcomes based decision making.

• Hold vendors and internal stakeholders accountable for deliverables, milestones, and meeting program needs.

• Represent the UPP Program for system performance, tracking availability and reporting issues interrupting availability and providing metrics (where required) to the CDEC Technology Team, leadership and vendor/s.

• Ensure the UPP team understands and effectively utilizes relevant processes and procedures and will identify the need for coaching or improvements to these.

• Provide coaching on these processes and procedures to ensure consistency and compliance.

• Leverage the use of Human Centered Design in all development efforts.

• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Option I: Experience

Seven (7) years of experience in data and information management, business analytics and data-driven performance management.

Option II: Combination of Education and Experience

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in Information Management and Business Analytics, Business Technology Management, Computer Information System Management, Science or closely related field. AND Three (3) years of experience in data and information management, business analytics and data-driven performance management, or a closely related field.

Substitutions:

• Additional appropriate experience will substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis.

• Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.

Please note: The required experience must be substantiated within the work experience section of your application and in the supplemental questions. Your resume will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications; only the work experience section and supplemental questions 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.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous State experience relevant to the position

• Agile methodology certification

• Two years in agile experience

• Strong communication skills and understanding of technical terminology.

Highly Desired:

• PMP Certification

• Experience with vendor management

• Experience with waterfall and agile methodologies

Conditions of Employment:

• A pre-employment criminal background check will be conducted as part of the selection process as this position is deemed to have direct contact with vulnerable persons. Felony convictions, conviction of crimes of moral turpitude, or convictions of misdemeanors related to job duties may disqualify you from being considered for this position. Should your background check reveal any charges or convictions, it is your responsibility to provide the CDHS Background Unit with an official disposition of any charges.

DEFINITION OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Work that involves exercising discretion, analytical skill, judgment, and personal accountability, and responsibility for creating, developing, integrating, applying, and sharing an organized body of knowledge that characteristically is uniquely acquired through an intense education or training regimen at a recognized college or university; equivalent to the curriculum requirements for a bachelor's or higher degree with major study in or pertinent to the specialized field; and continuously studied to explore, extend, and use additional discoveries, interpretations, and application and to improve data, materials, equipment, applications and methods.

APPEAL RIGHTS:

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 (dpa_state.personnelboard@state.co.us), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department's action.

For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or 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 under Rules.

Supplemental Information

How to Apply (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

Please note that ONLY your State of Colorado job application will be reviewed during the initial screening; if you submit a resume and cover letter, they will be reviewed in later stages of the selection process. Therefore, it is paramount that you clearly describe all your relevant experience on the application itself. Applications left blank or marked "SEE RESUME" will not be considered.

Complete Applications must include the following documents:

• A complete CDEC Application for Announced Vacancy (please submit online using the green 'APPLY' button at the top of this announcement)

• A complete Supplemental Questionnaire (The questionnaire is part of the online application. You will be prompted to answer them as you are completing your online application.)

• If you are using education to qualify, a copy of your official or unofficial transcript showing that your degree has been conferred and the name of your school, or your NACES accreditation. Please submit this as an attachment to your online application.

• If you are a veteran, a copy of your DD214. Please submit this as an attachment to your online application.

Your application will be reviewed against the minimum qualifications for the position. If your application demonstrates that you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be invited to the comparative analysis process, which is described below.

Comparative Analysis Process

The comparative analysis process will consist primarily of a review of applications against the minimum and preferred qualifications of this position. Applications will be reviewed in comparison to all others in the applicant pool in order to identify a top group of candidates who may be invited for a final interview. Depending on the size of the applicant pool, additional selection processes may be utilized to identify a top group of candidates. Applicants will be notified of their status via email.

Failure to submit properly completed documents by the closing date will result in your application being rejected.

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.

ADAAA Accommodations:

CDEC 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 the HR Specialist Daulton Daies at daulton.daies@state.co.us.

Technical Assistance:

If you experience difficulty in uploading or attaching documents to your online application, or for any other technical difficulties, call NEOGOV technical support at 855-524-5627 anytime between 6:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (Pacific Time).

The Department does not offer sponsored visas for employment purposes.