Salary : $187,000.00 Annually
Location : Denver, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: ILA 70027 09/01/2026
Department: Colorado Department of Human Services
Division: BHA -
Opening Date: 09/04/2026
Closing Date: 9/19/2026 11:59 PM Mountain
FLSA: Determined by Position
Primary Physical Work Address: 710 S. Ash Street,Unit C140Denver, CO 80246
FLSA Status: Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Contact Information:
Type of Announcement: This announcement is not governed by the selection processes of the classified personnel system. Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.
How To Apply: Please submit an online application for this position at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado. Reach out to the Department Contact to apply using a paper application, including any supplemental questions. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by the appropriate Human Resources office before the closing date and time listed.

Description of Job
About this Unit:
Located within the Behavioral Health Administration work unit, according to House Bill (HB) 21-1097. HB21-1097 provides that a Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) was created to be a single-state entity. It was initially established under CDHS as of July 1, 2022, and will provide administrative and "back-of-the-house" support as long as the BHA remains under CDHS' purview. The BHA is a permanent entity that will be responsible for leading and promoting the state's behavioral health priorities and efforts across agencies, creating shared goals, improving collaboration, and driving accountability and transparency. The BHA will provide oversight and coordinate service standards across the hundreds of behavioral health programs that currently exist under multiple state agencies and the Judicial Branch. The BHA works to ensure the recommendations that resulted from the work of the Behavioral Health Task Force (BHTF) and multiple ancillary projects evolving out of the work of the BHTF are honored and implemented, to ensure and meet our vision of having a comprehensive, equitable, effective continuum of behavioral health services that meets the needs of all Coloradans. The Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) is responsible for policy development, service provision and coordination, program monitoring and evaluation, and administrative oversight of the public behavioral health system. BHA funds, supports, and monitors numerous mental health and substance abuse community programs and providers, reviews and designates the State's 27-65 providers, and licenses substance use disorder service providers. BHA executes the State's federal responsibilities as the State Mental Health Authority and the State Substance Abuse Authority to administer federal mental health and substance abuse block grant funds.
About this Position:

The purpose of this position is to support the Commissioner in the administration and operations of the BHA. Key functions include:

Strategic Leadership: Managing and coordinating the BHA's implementation and operational strategy, including performance management, data-informed decision-making, and executing the BHA's strategic plan

Operational Support: Ensuring efficient processes for the Executive Leadership Team, setting priorities, and managing projects to meet the BHA's goals

Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: Building and maintaining partnerships across state agencies, the Governor's Office, and community stakeholders to create a cohesive behavioral health system and reduce silos

Change Management: Fostering a strong organizational culture, managing risks, and ensuring accountability throughout the BHA
The role requires an experienced leader capable of navigating complex organizational structures and fostering cross-agency collaboration.
This position serves as Chief Strategy Officer to the Commissioner of the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) within the Colorado Department of Human Services. The position directly supports the Commissioner in the operations and administration of BHA. This position works alongside the Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioners to ensure the BHA achieves integrated functions, efficient and effective processes, and cross-agency behavioral health leadership.

This position reports directly to the Commissioner. This position is a member of the Executive Leadership Team. The successful candidate is an excellent relationship builder and works closely with all members of the leadership team. They also maintain positive working relationships with other agencies' leadership as well as the Governor's Office on matters of strategy and operational accountability.
This position focuses on the strategic and practical strategies necessary to foster and maintain understanding among BHA staff members, State agency staff across partner state agencies, and external partners and stakeholders about the BHA's role and functions. On behalf of the BHA Commissioner and the Deputies, this position develops effective processes to meet the vision and expectations of the Governor, Commissioner, and BHA Advisory Council.
This position is responsible for supporting day-to-day strategy providing support and leadership with the Commissioner to set leadership meetings, priorities, strong communications, and inter-BHA collaboration as well as inter-state agency collaboration; specifically, with CDHS, HCPF, and CDPHE. This position identifies gaps, creates solutions, and directly manages risks, as well as, maintains a strategy balanced with response to urgent changes-creating options and pros and cons for the Commissioner to use in decision making. The position supports the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners with change management and the development of a strong culture with clear expectations for accountability across the BHA and with CDHS leadership. This position also supports the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners, and BHA leadership with crafting and executing the BHA's strategic plan and is responsible for tracking the related workstream priorities to achieve strategic goals. The position works closely with the Governor's Office on the BHA initiatives and acts as a liaison with other State agencies to ensure cross-agency projects are successful.

Summary of Duties:

Strategic Leadership and Operationalization:
Coordinates the Behavioral Health Administration's strategy for implementation, operations, and administration. Includes:

• Experience managing and executing large-scale organizational strategies, including the operationalization of performance management systems (e.g., using data dashboards for WIGs and SMART deliverables).
• Demonstrated ability to identify systemic friction points using cross-agency performance data and initiate corrective strategic actions.
• Experience leading key strategies to advance behavioral health efforts to include rural and workforce strategies.
• Experience creating and executing detailed strategic plans that align with high -level administrative goals and gubernatorial priorities.

Relationship Building and Stakeholder Management:
Guide and coordinate the collaborative relationship development, manage risk, and set processes for inter-agency/division collaboration to achieve the Administration vision of a coherent and streamlined approach to behavioral health leadership Includes:

• Proven experience as an excellent relationship builder, capable of maintaining positive working relationships with internal leadership, other state agencies, the Governors Office, Tribal nations and external partners
• Experience leading networked governance efforts, fostering formal cross-agency partnerships to break down silos and ensure horizontal integration of strategies. ability to identify systemic friction points using cross-agency performance data and initiate corrective strategic actions.
• Experience institutionalizing "Community First" frameworks, co-designing initiatives with Tribal partners, providers, and individuals with lived experience.

Change Management and Organizational Culture:

• Demonstrated expertise in change management, conflict resolution, and shifting organizational culture.
• Experience navigating the complexities of new agency models and managing the human elements of adaptation to change.

Project Management and Risk Mitigation:

• Strong background in identifying gaps, managing risks, and troubleshooting underperforming initiatives or leadership gaps.
• Experience coordinating projects across BHA to ensure goals, timelines, and action items are successfully executed.
• Experience managing multiple competing priorities while maintaining a strategic balance between long-term goals and urgent, shifting demands.

High-Level Executive Support:

• Experience working directly with executive leadership (e.g., Commissioner/Deputy Commissioners) to streamline processes, manage calendars, prioritize initiatives, and prepare options for high-impact decision-making.

Other Duties as Assigned:

• This position is highly agile to the needs of the Governor's Office, the Commissioner, and the administration. As different issues and circumstances arise, the Chief Strategy Officer needs to evaluate and manage each one with high-level problem-solving, identifying and engaging appropriate resources for timely and informed decision-making and actions.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights
***Please Note: Applicants must submit a Comprehensive Resume and Cover Letter in order to be considered for this position ***
The role requires an experienced leader capable of navigating complex organizational structures and fostering cross-agency collaboration.
Minimum Qualifications:
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in a field of study related to the duties of the position.
AND
Seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience related to the duties of this position.
Substitutions

• Experience that provided the same kind, amount, and level of knowledge acquired in the required education, may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the bachelor's degree.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A Master's of Public Administration, Business Administration or Doctorate degree from an accredited college or university may be substituted for the bachelor's degree and one or two years of general experience respectively.
• Master of Public Administration (MPA)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Bachelor's or Master's in Management or Public Administration
• Master of Public Policy (MMP) or Political Science
• Master of Social Work (MSW) or Master of Public Health (MP
• A doctorate in a field of study related to the duties of this position.
• Experience working in a fast paced government work environment.
• Excellent critical thinking skills
• Experience taking the initiative and leading a large group of employees.
• Experience working in an executive level position in a State department.
• Exceptional communication skills.
• Experience facilitating community meetings and meetings with internal/external staff.
• Experience working with and effectively communicating with high level executives and legislators.
• Experience working with staff and stakeholders in behavioral health and other state agencies.
• Experience working with cabinet members.
• Exceptional writing skills.
• Experience giving presentations to the public and staff members.
• Relevant years of state service

Strategic Leadership & Performance Management: Demonstrated expertise in executing high-level strategic plans and operationalizing performance management systems. This includes the ability to utilize data dashboards to track Wildly Important Goals (WIGs) and SMART deliverables to drive accountability.

Relationship Building & Networked Governance: Proven experience establishing formal cross-agency partnerships and breaking down organizational silos. Essential to this is the ability to institutionalize a "Community-First" framework, co-designing initiatives with Tribal partners, providers, and individuals with lived experience to ensure policy alignment.

Change Management & Organizational Culture: A history of navigating complex organizational structures, managing resistance during agency transitions, and fostering a strong, accountable organizational culture through conflict resolution and change management strategies

Executive Decision Support: The capability to identify systemic friction points, manage project risks, and provide executive leadership with actionable options (including pros and cons) for hi