Director of Career Connected Learning and Workforce Innovation.

Position Description

The Director of Career Connected Learning and Workforce Development serves as a key program leader within the Department, coordinating the vision for the CO-WIL Community of Practice and supporting statewide alignment to ensure career-connected learning is integrated into the postsecondary experience in Colorado.

Supervision Exercised

This position supervises one (1) employee: CO-WIL Program Manager

Scope Of Responsibilities

This is an intermediate-level management position responsible for the implementation, cross-agency coordination, and operational oversight of the career-connected learning and workforce development efforts for the Department of Higher Education. The incumbent manages complex, systemic program initiatives involving administrative accountability and collaborative decision-making responsibilities, including tracking program evaluations, assisting with state-level policy implementation, and executing defined strategic objectives.

Job Duties

• Cooky navigation/legal/EEO/scam-warning boilerplate removed
• Coordinate with the Chief Educational Impact Officer and Director of Industry Partnerships to support the statewide agenda for workforce mobility and social equity.
• Provide day-to-day leadership and guidance to the CO-WIL Program Manager, ensuring the CO-WIL Community of Practice effectively connects with the broader CO-WIL Consortium and state workforce goals.
• Manage the statewide CDHE Career Connected Campus Designation review process, ensuring institutional submissions align with established state criteria and providing professional feedback to institutional staff.
• Convene and facilitate meetings with Colorado’s 2-year and 4-year career services and workforce development managers to coordinate institutional efforts into a cohesive statewide strategy.
• Collaborate with the DHE Student Success and Academic Affairs team to help integrate career and academic advising structures across postsecondary systems.
• Engage and provide institutions of higher education access to relevant statewide workforce development resources, data, and reports.
• Participate in cross-agency meetings to discuss higher education’s role in developing talent for the state and advocate for the role of higher education career services units in workforce development.
• Represent the Department on the State Apprenticeship Agency’s State Apprenticeship Council as a non-voting ad-hoc member.
• Represent the Department at Education and Training meetings with the Colorado Workforce Development Council.
• Connect resources available to postsecondary students and local workforce development centers.
• Work with institutions of higher education and other state agencies to apply for federal and state grants related to workforce development.
• Support and participate in the Department’s efforts to align with career-connected learning and workforce development, including leveraging outside intermediaries, associations, and vendors to maximize work-based learning and employment opportunities for Colorado’s higher education students.
• Proactively explore, evaluate and apply AI tools to build efficiencies into unit systems, processes and workflows; accelerates analysis and reporting; and support ideation and innovative program design, while modeling responsible and ethical AI use consistent with department and state guidance.
• Champion the adoption of effective and responsible AI practices within the unit and among institutional career services and workforce development partners, in alignment with the department’s AI related initiatives.
• Network with and utilize resources from national organizations.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college in education, higher education, public policy, human resources, business administration, or a related field.
• Experience: Five (5) years of supervisory and leadership experience working within postsecondary career services or workforce development within an educational organization or state agency of higher education.
• Licenses and Certifications: Valid Colorado driver’s license and compliance with all requirements for driving a state vehicle are required throughout term of employment.

Knowledge

• Comprehensive understanding of career advising within postsecondary systems, including the ability to intentionally connect career development to academics, co/curricular experiences, faculty partnerships.
• Understanding of current topics in postsecondary career services and workforce development including postsecondary work-based learning and work-integrated learning ecosystems and innovations.
• Standard office practices, procedures, software and equipment, including the use of personal computers, telephones, Zoom, and Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams).
• State statutes, rules and regulations, policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Practical applications of generative and analytical AI tools for operational efficiency, process improvement, data synthesis, creative problem solving, including their limitations and responsible-use considerations.

Ability

• To manage multiple complex projects across state agencies and systems of education.
• To work effectively in both independent and team situations.
• To manage sensitive issues and confidential information.
• To facilitate meetings with various audience members.
• To take the initiative to solve problems in an innovative manner.
• To communicate effectively, both written and verbally.
• To employ attention to technical detail and accuracy.
• To apply time management skills to prioritize work.
• To research, synthesize and make relevant recommendations.
• To analyze data and create presentations for various audiences.
• To learn new technology tools (e.g., AI use, project management software).
• To experiment with and integrate AI and other emerging technology tools (e.g., project management software) into daily work to streamline processes, strengthen systems, generate ideas, exercising sound judgment regarding accuracy, data privacy, and appropriate use.