DNR Executive Director's Office Budget and Policy Analyst IV

Salary : $96,852.00 - $154,968.00 Annually
Location : Denver, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: PAA 00514 10/2026
Department: Department of Natural Resources
Division: Executive Director's Office
Opening Date: 10/09/2026
Closing Date: 10/23/2026 4:59 PM Mountain
FLSA: Determined by Position
Type of Announcement: This position is open only to Colorado state residents.
FLSA Status: Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Contact Information:
Primary Physical Work Address: Hybrid - Home Office / 1313 Sherman Street - Denver, CO. Please note DNR offices will be located 11/2026 at 1525 Sherman Street Denver, CO.
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.

Department of Natural Resources, Executive Director's Office
The Executive Director's Office (EDO) within the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) exists to manage and supervise the activities of the Divisions within DNR in the development, preservation, and enhancement of Colorado's natural resources for the benefit and enjoyment of its citizens - both now and in the future. EDO combines and manages the administrative, operational and performance functions of all DNR divisions, including the EDO.

The Executive Director's Office (EDO) budget unit develops, defends, implements, and oversees the Department's approximately $500 million annual operating budget, as well as state and federal stimulus funds, in accordance with executive and legislative budget processes to ensure accountability for all funds related to the various programs of the Department. This includes providing detailed fiscal analyses of proposed legislation and ballot measures that affect DNR programs and divisions. The unit also leads formal department-level planning processes through the preparation of the Department's annual Long Range Financial Plan, Performance Plan, and associated reporting requirements for performance metrics, and annual SMART Act hearings.

Description of Job
This position provides professional-level budget and policy analysis; develops budget documents and fiscal procedures necessary to implement the Department's annual budget; directs expenditures to ensure management objectives are met within Long Bill and legislative appropriations; and advises the Budget Director, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Director, Division Directors, and division fiscal personnel on spending and revenue issues. This position is a subject matter expert that employs and designs various analytical and statistical techniques to identify policy issues and recommend changes as required by changing budget, economic, and programmatic needs.
Legislative Budget Development
This position has a significant leadership role in the development of the Department's annual legislative budget request, with an emphasis on water-related issue areas and oversight of the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the Division of Water Resources. As part of this process, the position:

• Provides conceptual and technical guidance to assigned divisions on the development and submission of potential budget requests, as well as evaluating potential alternative solutions for proposed budget initiatives;
• Conducts a critical review of proposed decision items, budget amendments, and supplementals by analyzing expenditure patterns and justifications to obtain funding for new programs and to address programmatic problems;
• Advises the DNR leadership team on budget initiatives, available alternatives, consistent methodologies in support of the Department's budget initiatives;
• Works with assigned divisions to ensure approved budget items are appropriately detailed and fully defensible;
• Offers recommendations on the prioritization of all Department budget initiatives using a consistent, rational ranking methodology;
• Monitors divisions progress in developing budget narratives, schedules, and other supporting documentation to ensure accuracy and compliance with OSPB instructions and deadlines; and
• Oversees all responses to information requests that affect assigned divisions or common policy areas from the Governor's Office, Joint Budget Committee, and General Assembly, as well as any public materials required for Department's annual legislative budget and SMART Act hearings.

Executive Director's Office Finance Manager

This position serves as the finance manager for the DNR Executive Director's Office, with oversight of the division's personal services and operating budgets, as well as the EDO share of all common policy allocations. This involves:

• Maintaining detailed budget models to support accurate projections, tracking monthly and other periodic data on expenditures and encumbrances;
• Advising the Budget Director and EDO leadership team on any proposed actions or potential issues with a budgetary impact, as well as identifying and recommending appropriate solutions to avert or alleviate any budget problems while allowing division operations to continue.
• Establishing and directing all EDO budget processes, including the division's participation in the development of the annual legislative budget request, as well as the preparation of all budget schedules and budget documents related to EDO's portion of the request.
• Acting as the EDO budget representative to the Governor's Office and the General Assembly with responsibility for defending the division's position to these entities and negotiating a resolution of any policy differences.

Oversight of Assigned Central Operating Appropriations

This position serves as DNR's subject matter expert on assigned central operating appropriations including vehicle lease payments, OIT common policy and real-time billing, capitol complex leased space, and the department's leased space portfolio. The position has the authority to establish processes and influence management decisions for these operating budget on a department-wide basis, which includes:

• Establishing and implementing a department-wide process for the strategic development, implementation, and oversight of assigned central appropriations and associated management policies;
• determining the appropriate cost allocations for every division in the Department and monitoring expenditures within established budgets to ensure the appropriations are being managed appropriately;
• conducting detailed analyses of departmental common policy needs and developing the necessary legislative budget requests to secure any additional resources required;
• analyzing the impact of proposed policies and initiatives on the department's resources needs in these areas, advocating effectively for DNR's positions on these policies, and negotiating the resolution of any policy issues;
• representing the department in statewide planning efforts in these areas (e.g. the electrification of the state fleet, reducing the state's physical footprint, other reimagining state government and/or greening government initiatives).

Oversight of State/Federal Stimulus and "Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act" Funds
This position is responsible for overseeing and administering the obligation and expenditure of the administrative allowances associated with all state and federal stimulus funds, as well as any funds the Department receives through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), to secure the necessary central administrative resources to successfully implement these funds for the duration they are available. This includes:

• Coordinating with the DNR Chief Financial Officer, DNR Budget Director, DNR Operations team, and all department programs with stimulus or IIJA funds, with approval authority over the use of administrative funds for requested positions and responsibility for ensuring personal services expenses are being tracked and billed appropriately across fund sources.
• This position is also expected to provide guidance on and oversight of all stimulus and infrastructure funds received by assigned divisions and programs to ensure that funds are spent appropriately by the established deadlines, as well as assisting the DNR Recovery in building and implementing processes for any tracking or reporting requirements.

Special Projects and Other Duties as Assigned
This position leads special projects and assignments as they arise, including things like representing the Department on the Greening Government Leadership Council or other statewide working groups; serving as the budget representative on the DNR Operations Team; supporting efforts to install charging stations for electric vehicles at state parks and other department facilities; drafting department-wide communications and/or presenting on all-staff town hall calls; conducting special research and required data analysis when called for; etc.
Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Experience Only:

• Eight (8) years of budget and policy analysis, development and implementation, public or private sector management or administration that included budget formulation, execution, and analysis.

OR
Education and Experience:

• A combination of related education from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Political Science, Public Policy, Mathematics, Government, or in another field of study directly related to the assignment and four years of experience in budget and policy analysis, development, and implementation; or four years of public or private sector management or administration that included budget formulation, execution, and analysis equal to eight (8) years
• Current, valid licensure as a CPA by the Colorado Board of Accountancy will substitute for the degree requirement and two (2) years of the required experience.

Substitutions:
Additional appropriate experience will substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis. Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required general experience on a year-for-year basis.

Please note: The required experience must be substantiated within the work experience section of your application. Your resume will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications; only the work experience section of your application will be reviewed to determine this. "See Resume" statements on the application will not be accepted. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.

Class Code: BUDGET & POLICY ANALYST IV
Preferred Qualifications:

• Sophisticated communication, collaboration, and process management skills in work with internal and external partners that have competing needs and priorities to gain consensus and ensure deliverables are of high quality and completed in accordance with guidance and deadlines.
• Ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced, and complex environment to establish priorities; coordinate and track deliverables; and plan, direct, and monitor work of others.
• Takes ownership of all responsibilities and assignments with a commitment to accuracy and completeness, delivers high quality work products within prescribed time, and operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules.
• Ability to provide efficient and effective customer service both internally and externally.
• Critical thinking skills to develop creative solutions to complex, interpersonal, process, and systemic challenges; Ability to synthesize, interpret, and report on complex or technical information, in an appropriate format and at an accessible level for the identified audience.
• Experience with the state budget process, including preparing budget requests, submitting responses to requests for information from the legislature, and experience analyzing the fiscal impact of legislation.
• Experience with the State's