Licensing Compliance Specialist - Marijuana Enforcement Division

The Colorado Department of Revenue (CDOR) empowers businesses and individuals through quality customer service, innovation, and collaboration. The department celebrates diversity and supports an equitable and inclusive culture, embracing differences to drive innovation.

About the Division

The Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED) is a dynamic and innovative regulatory agency tasked with licensing and regulating Colorado’s commercial Medical and Retail Marijuana industries. Established in 2010, MED is recognized as a global leader in marijuana regulation. The division implements legislation, develops regulations, conducts investigations, issues licenses, engages in outreach, and enforces compliance through progressive intervention strategies. MED promotes transparency and innovation by collaborating with stakeholders to address issues in a fast-paced environment.

The division’s culture emphasizes emotional intelligence and problem-solving, with a team of solution-oriented strategic thinkers who demonstrate professionalism, collaboration, and integrity. MED operates in a complex environment requiring agility, adaptability, and empathetic communication.

Vision: Regulatory excellence through progressive and proactive compliance and enforcement practices.

Mission: To promote public safety and reduce public harm by regulating the Colorado commercial marijuana industry through consistent administration of laws and regulations and strategic integration of process management, functional expertise, and innovative problem-solving.

Responsibilities

• Perform initial application reviews, manage workload, answer licensee and stakeholder questions related to licensing, and process payments through data input and allocation.
• Application Processing:
  • Conduct background checks on applicants/licensees and consult with them on suitability requirements.
  • Follow up on occupational application deficiencies via written requests.
  • Provide final recommendations for occupational license suitability and refer applicants for additional investigation if necessary.
  • Train and guide new division license staff on processing applications in compliance with statutes and procedures.
  • Process requests to withdraw applications.
• Compliance Support:
  • Disseminate information and respond to licensing inquiries from the public, licensees, applicants, and division staff via phone, email, or written correspondence.
  • Manage incoming calls, voicemail, and mail, referring complaints to appropriate sections or leadership.
  • Perform front counter duties, including checking in applicants, receipting funds, answering multi-line phones, and addressing inquiries from the public and stakeholders.
  • Track and follow up on correspondence with licensees and direct inquiries to the division’s website.
  • Review fingerprint results for owner licensure.
  • Coordinate with the Analysis and Resolution Team on licensing matters and assist with addressing backlogs.
  • Assist with final licensing steps for Responsible Vendor approval.
• Payment Processing:
  • Receive and reconcile payments (checks, credit cards, money orders) from applicants.
  • Prepare daily deposits in accordance with Accounting and Financial Services (AFS) and division policies.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications:

• Five (5) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position.
• Alternatively, a combination of related education and/or relevant experience totaling five (5) years.
• Document all experience in detail in your application, as it will not be inferred or assumed.

Residency Requirement: This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of application submission.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience interpreting and applying statutes, rules, and regulations.
• Experience in a highly regulated industry prioritizing public health and safety.
• Experience in the public sector or interacting with government agencies.
• Proficiency in Google Suite, Microsoft Word, and Excel.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Experience managing a high-volume workload.
• Experience managing physical and digital records, including confidential information.
• Strong attention to detail and effective time management.
• Proven ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Integrity and strong interpersonal skills.
• Previous experience in a licensing or regulatory environment is strongly encouraged.

Conditions of Employment

• Employees must maintain the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and public confidence.
• Pre-employment evaluation of tax records/accounts to ensure compliance with Colorado Individual Income Tax (CIIT) obligations.
• Successful background investigation and reference check prior to appointment.
• Certain positions may require scheduled background investigations.
• Compliance with the Universal Driving Standards Policy for employees driving state-owned vehicles, including maintaining a valid driver’s license and safe driving record.

Benefits

• PERA retirement benefits, including Defined Benefit Plan, Defined Contribution Plan, plus 401K and 457 plans.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
• Automatic Short-Term and Optional Long-Term Disability Coverage.
• Life and AD&D Insurance.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs).
• Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) job protection and State of Colorado Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML).
• 11 paid holidays annually.
• Accrued annual and sick leave.
• Variety of discounts on services and products through the State of Colorado’s Work-Life Employment Discount Program.