Executive Director of the Department of Corrections

Salary: $230,992.00 Annually
Location : Denver, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: GOVELECT_EDDOC_ESW11.04.26
Department: Office of the Governor
Opening Date: 11/04/2026
Closing Date: 11/30/2026 11:59 PM Mountain
FLSA: Determined by Position
FLSA Status: Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.
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.
Primary Physical Work Address: Colorado Department of Corrections Headquarters: Colorado Springs, with offices in Denver as well. Position includes statewide travel.
How To Apply: Online applications through the Colorado Jobs portal will not be accepted. Please follow instructions on the job announcement for submitting an application.
Department Contact Information: [redacted] HOW TO APPLY: Please submit an online application for this position at buildingcoloradosfuturetogether.org. 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 before the closing date.

Department Information

The Colorado Department of Corrections' mission is to build a safer Colorado for today and tomorrow while protecting the citizens of Colorado by holding offenders accountable and engaging them in opportunities to make positive behavioral changes and become law-abiding productive citizens.

The department is responsible for the management of the state's adult prison system, Intensive Supervision Program-Inmate (ISP-I), and adult parole. Prison Operations is accountable for incarcerated persons sentenced to prison. Located throughout Colorado are 18 facilities and the Youthful Offender System which are owned and operated by the State of Colorado, and two private facilities contracted by the DOC to house incarcerated people. Adult Parole is responsible for incarcerated people who transition from a facility to parole, community residential programs, and interstate compact inmates. Parole also provides transitional services through community re-entry and pre-release programs.

The DOC employs approximately 6000 employees in many different fields of expertise, all working together toward DOC's mission.

Description of Job
Department: Office of the Governor; Department of Corrections

Position Title: Executive Director

Summary of Functions: The Executive Director is the Chief Executive Officer of the Colorado Department of Corrections. The Executive Director is part of the Governor's Cabinet, and is responsible for overseeing the administration, programs and strategic plan of the department as well as the consistent achievement of its mission and objectives. The Executive Director directs prison operations and the two statutory divisions: adult parole and correctional industries, along with managing and supervising state correctional institutions and monitoring private contract prisons. They execute the agency's measurable deliverables tied to administration priorities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Ensure that the department has a long-range vision and strategy which achieves its mission, and ensures consistent and timely progress toward that mission
• Provide leadership in developing program, organizational and financial plans with Division leaders and staff.
• Work closely with stakeholders from across the spectrum, including victims' rights advocates, local governments and community to instill trust in the agency and its mission
• Build an effective team of leaders by providing guidance and coaching to subordinate managers
• Create and/or approve plans for the effective management of the offender population, including personnel, facilities, parole and reentry programs
• Direct and oversee the department's budget
• Is responsible for fiscal management that generally anticipates operating within the approved budget, ensures maximum resource utilization, and maintenance of the organization in a positive financial position.
• Effective administration of the department's operations, including adherence to all laws directing the work of the department
• Maintain a climate which attracts, keeps, and motivates a diverse staff of top quality people
• Appoint an inspector general and investigators to operate under the executive director's oversight
• Brief the Governor's Office on all relevant policy issues arising from state and federal legislative activities
• Support management of the agency's proactive legislative agenda and externally-driven legislation that impacts the department's operations

Organizational Relationships: State Board of Parole, Department of Public Safety, Behavioral Health Administration, Judicial Branch on sentencing and competency

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights
Preferred Education/Experience:

• A bachelor's or advanced degree in a related field
• Five or more years of experience being responsible for the successful leadership and management of jails, prisons or a corrections system at the local, state or federal level
• Five or more years of experience fostering effective and efficient process improvements for an organization of twenty-five or more employees
• Five or more years of experience demonstrating effective communication and collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders with varying perspectives and interests, to help achieve the strategic goals of an organization
• Five or more years of experience overseeing the day-to-day delivery of the programs and services of an organization
• Five or more years of professional executive management experience, which included establishing goals and objectives and developing and managing a budget to achieve program goals and objectives

Conditions of employment: Applicants must pass a thorough background check prior to employment and reside in Colorado once employed

Supplemental Information
HOW TO APPLY:

Please submit an online application for this position at buildingcoloradosfuturetogether.org. 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 before the closing date.
A resume must be submitted with the application for consideration. Your resume must provide sufficient detail about your background and experience to allow the screening panel to properly assess your experience in the required elements, including your experience and achievements.
Benefits

The State of Colorado offers a competitive benefits package to permanent employees:

• PERA retirement benefits including PERA Defined Benefit Plan, PERA 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 and Accrued Annual and Sick Leave
• Variety of discounts on services and products available through the State of Colorado's Work-Life Employment Discount Program

To learn more about State of Colorado benefits visit: https://www.colorado.gov/dhr/benefits.
We believe that diverse teams produce better results and encourage people of a variety of backgrounds and qualifications to apply.
Please note that each agency's contact information is different; therefore, we encourage all applicants to view the full, official job announcement which includes contact information and class title. Select the job you wish to view, then click on the "Print" icon.