Salary: $8,898.00 - $14,238.00 Monthly
Location : Sterling, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: CAA 30000 10.2026
Department: Department of Corrections
Opening Date: 08/27/2026
Closing Date: 9/9/2026 4:00 PM Mountain
FLSA: Determined by Position
Primary Physical Work Address: Sterling, CO
FLSA Status: Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Contact Information:
Type of Announcement: The primary duties of this position are located within 30 miles of the state border; therefore, this position is exempt from the residency requirements. 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
The Colorado Department of Corrections is recruiting for a dynamic Warden to provide leadership to facility operations. In conjunction with the CDOC mission, vision and value statements, this position will provide management oversight and operational control, exercising leadership, strategic planning and staff coordination over correctional facility operations. Position reports to the Deputy Director of Prisons and collaborates with CDOC executive team, other wardens, and facility staff to ensure safe, secure and humane operations of all institutions, upholding public safety and successful reentry of inmates.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Provide overall operational management of a large, multi-custody state correctional facility which includes senior administrative management of all facility programs such as group living, security, inmate services, and education;
• Establish the direction of the facility mission and vision to include goals and objectives; develops an organizational structure by which the statutory mission can be accomplished effectively and efficiently;
• Formulate or adjusts program objectives to ensure compliance with Federal and State statutes, Department of Corrections regulations, policies, and other established correctional standards for the management of inmates and to ensure inmates are managed to capacity;
• Evaluate effectiveness and makes improvements to facility operations and infrastructure to ensure appropriate delivery of services and programs to the inmate population;
• Management and oversight which includes establishing administrative processes and programmatic guidelines;
• Comply with administrative and legislative intent; interprets legislation and develops new and innovative programs;
• Identify areas for improved efficiencies and establishes methods to implement and measure efficient improvement strategies;
• Develop and maintain cooperative agreements and relationships with other facilities and units within the Department;
• Provide oversight through meetings with subordinate staff to assure facility is in compliance with relevant legal provisions of state statutes and court decisions;
• Serve as appointing authority to all assigned positions and areas of responsibility; appoints staff, defines jobs, and determines work hours by analyzing facility operational needs and staffing patterns;
• Supervise, coach, and mentor staff by developing performance plans, conducting performance reviews, and completing performance evaluations per CDOC regulations; issues corrective and/or disciplinary action when warranted;
• Delegate authority to subordinate supervisors regarding work flow, scheduling, and job assignments, as well as daily inspections of buildings, grounds, activities, and operations;
• Ensure facility supervisors are providing timely performance plans, reviews, and evaluations;
• Settle DOC employee complaints by responding to grievances and conducts State Personnel Board Rule 6-10 meetings when considering disciplinary action;
• Coordinate efforts through unit supervisors and facility management teams to ensure effective training of staff and compliance with applicable CDOC policies and directives, for daily operational job success and career enhancement;
• Supervise the preparation of fiscal budgets for facility operations; determines, approves, and monitors budget allocations and expenditures to ensure spending is within fiscal rules, administrative regulations and is fiscally responsible;
• Review population projections and analyzes operating, staffing, and program needs; recommends changes in resources as they relate to annual budgetary allocations;
• Make operational or service adjustments to budgetary appropriations and availability; ensures spending is within fiscal rules, administrative regulations, and fiscally responsible;
• Perform other job related duties as assigned or required.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights
Residency Requirement:

Residents and non-residents of Colorado may apply and be hired into this position as the work will be performed primarily at a location that is within 30 miles of the state border.
Class Code & Classification Description:
H6G8XX Management
Minimum Qualifications:

Experience Only:
Ten (10) years of relevant experience in Business Administration, Business Management, Education, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Public Administration, Psychology which must include three (3) years of direct prison operations experience in a role which managed offender populations, staffing and budget allocations oversight, goal setting experience and managing overall operations of a correction facility.
Or

Education and Experience:
A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in Business Administration, Business Management, Education, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Public Administration, Psychology equal to ten (10) years, which must include three (3) years of direct prison operations experience in a role which managed offender populations, staffing and budget allocations oversight, goal setting experience and managing overall operations of a correction facility.
Experience must be described in detail in your work history on your application to receive credit.
Ensure that the 'Work Experience" section of the application is complete and contains all relevant work experience related to the position that you are applying for. This information will be used to help determine compensation for the position. "See resume" statements cannot be accepted in lieu of the "work experience" section of the application. Additional work experience will not be accepted after the job announcement close date for compensation purposes.

Employees who are rehired or reinstated within six months of their separation will return at either their previous pay rate if hired into the same class level or based on their time in the class series, whichever is higher.

Required Competencies:

• Self-control, a strong sense of ability to work in stressful, potentially violent situations;
• Ability to remain alert, emotionally stable, and mentally resilient under pressure and observant throughout their shift;
• Tolerance to stress, confinement, and high-stakes interaction;
• Strong leadership skills and the ability to manage staff with diverse professional experience and qualifications;
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively and maintain a positive culture;
• Strong verbal and written communication and public speaking skills;
• Ability to effectively manage in a complex, changing environment;
• Comprehensive operational knowledge of institutional facilities;
• Ability to progressively manage a multiple programmatic governmental organization with efficiency and effectiveness;
• Ability to provide analytical expertise in strategic planning, operational effectiveness, crises management and exemplary responsiveness;
• Ability to provide innovation, implement and improve the operations through effective performance measures;
• Ability to read and comprehend the English language;
• Ability to effectively communicate fluently in English both verbally and in writing;
• Ability to create accessible documents and technical content that follows plain language guidelines with accessibility in mind.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Relevant years of state service;
• At least two (2) years supervising professional third level supervisors. Professional third level supervision is an individual exercising span and control over three levels of supervision to include responsibility for performance management and providing input that could affect pay, tenure or status.

ONLY APPLICANTS WHO MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS BY THE CLOSING DATE SHALL BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT
IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The Assessment Process: Your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum Qualifications (MQ's). Applicants that meet MQ's will be included in the Comparative Analysis process. Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted through a comparative analysis which may include, but is not limited to, a suitability screening, Online Assessment, oral assessment, written performance assessment or it may include a review of your application material and your responses to any supplemental questions by a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to assess and rank applicants in order to establish an eligible list for referral to the hiring manager for final consideration.

Be sure the "Work Experience" section of your application is complete and specifically addresses your qualifications, experience, and accomplishments as they relate to the Description of the Job, Minimum Qualifications, Required Competencies and Preferred Qualifications as listed above. Resumes and "see resume" statements will not be accepted in lieu of the "Work Experience" section of the application. Failure to include adequate information or follow instructions by the closing date may result in your application not being accepted and/or may affect your score, rank or inclusion in the final pool of eligible applicants.
Employees who are rehired or reinstated within six months of their separation will return at either their previous pay rate if hired into the same class level or based on their time in the class series, whichever is higher. Those rehired or reinstated after six months' separation will be calculated using the same formula for new hires and promotions.
Please note that while this change in role may constitute a change in title and/or responsibility, salary adjustments are not guaranteed and may be influenced by factors such as internal pay equity, budget constraints, market benchmarks, or the individual's current compensation level. Any changes to compensation will be determined separately and communicated accordingly.
If you have transcripts, a license or other relevant documentation regarding your qualifications, upload and attach copies to your application.
If an unofficial copy of transcripts is being submitted at the time of application, transcripts from colleges or universities outside the United States must be assessed for U.S. equivalency by a NACES educational credential evaluation service. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and must be included as part of your application materials. Failure to provide a transcript or credential evaluation report may prevent your application from moving forward in the selection process.
Under the Job Application Fairness Act (SB 23-058), applicants may redact information from certifications and transcripts that identify their age, date of birth or dates of attendance from an educational institution.
In order to process a background investigation, your application must include at least (10) ten years of the most current work experience unless experience related to the job for which you are applying is later than (10) years. Failure to provide this information could result in delays and/or elimination from the background investigation process.