Student Loan Ombudsperson.

About the Role

This is an exciting leadership opportunity for a collaborative, strategic, and service-oriented professional to join the Colorado Department of Law, Office of the Attorney General as the Student Loan Ombudsperson. You will lead the Student Loan Program, supervising a team responsible for complaint resolution, licensing, compliance oversight, examinations, and consumer outreach under the Colorado Student Loan Servicers Act. This role involves close collaboration with borrowers, regulated entities, institutions of higher education, policymakers, and other stakeholders to ensure compliance with state law, strengthen consumer protections, and improve outcomes for Colorado student loan borrowers.

Responsibilities

• Direct the receipt, evaluation, investigation, and resolution of complex student loan borrower complaints.
• Oversee communications with student loan borrowers to ensure complaints are accurately assessed, borrowers receive clear information regarding their rights and responsibilities, and resolutions align with applicable laws, regulations, and program policies.
• Analyze complaint data, examination findings, and industry trends to identify emerging risks, patterns of noncompliance, and systemic consumer protection issues, and develop recommendations for regulatory priorities, policy changes, and enforcement actions.
• Represent the Student Loan Program during administrative proceedings, stakeholder meetings, and court proceedings.
• Provide oversight of compliance examinations, including evaluating findings for compliance, consistency, accuracy, and adherence to regulatory standards, and resolving complex or novel examination issues.
• Review and approve examination reports, correspondence, findings, and recommendations to ensure accuracy, consistency, and alignment with Department enforcement objectives.
• Evaluate examination results and industry trends to identify systemic compliance issues, emerging risks, and regulatory gaps, and develop recommendations for enforcement priorities and policy initiatives.
• Lead outreach and engagement with regulated entities, industry stakeholders, governmental partners, and the public to communicate compliance issues, promote voluntary compliance, and address systemic industry challenges.
• Oversee public education initiatives, monitor legislative and regulatory developments, identify systemic issues affecting student loan borrowers, and develop recommendations to strengthen program operations and consumer protections.
• Oversee and coordinate the licensing of supervised servicers and private education creditors, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Provide direct supervision of two Financial Credit Examiners and one Compliance Specialist.
• Enforce the Colorado Uniform Consumer Credit Code (UCCC), Colorado Deferred Deposit Loan Act (CDDLA), Colorado Consumer Equity Protection Act (CCEPA), Colorado Rental Purchase Agreement Act (CRPAA), Colorado Credit Services Organization Act (CCSOA), Colorado Uniform Debt Management Services Act (CDMSA), Colorado Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (CFDCPA), and the Colorado Student Loan Equity Act (CSLEA).
• License, register, examine, and investigate creditors and other companies for compliance, and protect consumers from unlawful actions.

Requirements

This posting is open only to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications (Experience Only):

• Eight years of professional experience in consumer financial protection, financial regulation, regulatory compliance, licensing, consumer lending, student loan servicing, banking, finance, accounting, economics, public administration, administrative law, or a closely related field.
• This experience must include:
  • Interpreting and applying complex statutes, regulations, policies, or administrative rules to resolve regulatory, compliance, licensing, or consumer protection matters.
  • Researching and analyzing legal, regulatory, financial, or operational issues and developing recommendations or solutions.
  • Reviewing complaints, investigations, examinations, audits, or other compliance information to identify trends, patterns of noncompliance, or consumer risks.
  • Preparing formal reports, memoranda, findings, or recommendations for management, executive leadership, or other decision-makers.
  • Collaborating with regulated entities, consumers, attorneys, government agencies, or other stakeholders to resolve complex issues or achieve regulatory or program objectives.

Minimum Qualifications (Education and Experience):

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in Public Administration, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics, Political Science, Public Policy, Criminal Justice, or a closely related field.
• Four years of professional experience in consumer financial protection, financial regulation, regulatory compliance, licensing, consumer lending, student loan servicing, banking, finance, accounting, economics, public administration, administrative law, or a closely related field (equivalent to eight years of experience).
• This experience must include:
  • Interpreting and applying complex statutes, regulations, policies, or administrative rules to resolve regulatory, compliance, licensing, or consumer protection matters.
  • Researching and analyzing legal, regulatory, financial, or operational issues and developing recommendations or solutions.
  • Reviewing complaints, investigations, examinations, audits, or other compliance information to identify trends, patterns of noncompliance, or consumer risks.
  • Preparing formal reports, memoranda, findings, or recommendations for management, executive leadership, or other decision-makers.
  • Collaborating with regulated entities, consumers, attorneys, government agencies, or other stakeholders to resolve complex issues or achieve regulatory or program objectives.
• If substituting education for experience, transcripts must be provided at the time of application. Candidates with a foreign degree must submit a translation/evaluation from an accredited institution (e.g., The National Association of Credential Evaluations Services).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience analyzing quantitative and qualitative data to identify trends, evaluate program performance, and develop strategic recommendations.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including experience drafting, reviewing, and editing reports, legal memoranda, policies, regulatory guidance, or other complex technical documents.
• Experience interpreting and applying state or federal statutes, regulations, administrative rules, and proposed legislation related to consumer financial protection, student lending, or financial services.
• Experience developing, implementing, or advising on consumer financial services policy, regulatory compliance, licensing, or enforcement programs at the state or federal level.
• Experience working in consumer protection, financial regulation, or industry compliance on behalf of a government agency, regulatory body, nonprofit organization, or financial services organization, including addressing consumer complaints involving lenders, student loan servicers, debt collectors, or other financial service providers.
• Experience planning or conducting compliance examinations, investigations, audits, or regulatory reviews.
• Experience supervising, leading, mentoring, or developing professional staff in a regulatory, compliance, licensing, or consumer protection environment.
• Experience designing, developing, and delivering educational programs, training, or outreach initiatives for consumers, regulated entities, or professional audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, regulated entities, consumer advocates, and the public.
• Demonstrated commitment to public service, ethical leadership, and consumer protection.

Conditions of Employment

• Applicants must pass a thorough background investigation prior to appointment.
• Must have a valid Colorado driver’s license; this position requires travel within and outside the State of Colorado (up to 25% in-state travel with occasional out-of-state travel to conduct examinations).
• The Colorado Department of Law participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm work authorization in the U.S.