"Alerted.org

Colorado Avalanche Information Center: Communications Officer (M&C IV)

Print (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado/jobs/newprint/5021595)

Apply



Colorado Avalanche Information Center: Communications Officer (M&C IV)

Salary

$71,544.00 - $78,000.00 Annually

Location

Statewide, CO

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

PAA 00641 07/2025

Department

Department of Natural Resources

Division

Executive Director's Office

Opening Date

07/29/2025

Closing Date

8/24/2025 2:08 PM Mountain

FLSA

Determined by Position

Type of Announcement

This position is open only to Colorado state residents.

Primary Physical Work Address

Remote work arrangement – Home office at 1313 Sherman St, Room 718, Denver CO

FLSA Status

Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.

Department Contact Information

Patrick Warnes [email protected]

Hiring Pay Rate

Please note that all employees new to the State Personnel System are paid on a bi-weekly basis.

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

+ Benefits

+ Questions

Department Information

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

Are you interested in investing in a career that makes a difference?

Consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. It’s our mission to manage and conserve Colorado’s natural resources for the benefit of people today – and tomorrow. That means we have to balance development with conservation so the state we all love provides similar opportunities for our children and their children.

We invite you to explore our website at https://dnr.colorado.gov/about-us to find out more about the work we do to manage Colorado’s natural resources for today – and tomorrow.

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply.

In addition to offering rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:

+ Medical, Vision and Dental plans

+ Strong, flexible retirement plans including PERA (https://copera.org/welcome-pera-members/new-members) Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus pre-tax and Roth 401K and 457 plans

+ Paid life insurance

+ Short- and long-term disability coverage

+ Employee Wellness programs

+ Flexible Spending Accounts

+ Health Savings Accounts

+ 11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave

+ Flexible work schedule options and remote-work options

+ Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system

+ Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (https://dhr.colorado.gov/dhr-resources/student-loan-forgiveness-programs)

COLORADO AVALANCHE INFORMATION CENTER

This work unit exists to reduce the impact of avalanches on the people that live, work, travel, and recreate in the Colorado mountains and promote avalanche safety in planning, recreation, industry, and transportation through a program of forecasting and education.

Description of Job

OPEN TO STATE OF COLORADO RESIDENTS ONLY

This position serves as the agency’s focal point for outreach and public communication. This position will work with the CAIC director and management team to create and implement a communications plan for the agency. This includes creation and distribution of content through traditional and social media, working with CAIC and Friends of CAIC staff on creation and distribution of education material, and coordinating with outside groups on public avalanche safety messages and campaigns.

The CAIC Public Communications Officer is a critical role for the agency’s success as they leverage the topic experts within the agency to create and implement strategic communication and is critical to the agency’s success.

The position:

+ Demonstrates the ability to conduct media requests independently.

+ Demonstrates the ability to represent the CAIC in an accurate and articulate way.

+ Demonstrates the ability to represent CAIC in sensitive public arenas with high visibility.

+ Demonstrates the ability to effectively communicate complex issues in a simple or straight forward manner.

+ Serves as the CAIC’s primary contact for media requests and outreach coordination.

+ Serve as the CAIC’s subject matter expert on media, communication, and marketing strategies.

Develop, Implement, and Evaluate Media Strategies:

This position is the CAIC’s resident expert on social, digital, and traditional media. The position works with CAIC leadership to create media strategies to further the CAIC’s mission and raise avalanche awareness, and then oversees the implementation of communication plans and strategies. It may include traveling over-snow-travel into the field. This position:

+ Works with leadership to create a communication plan for the agency.

+ Manages the agency’s social media accounts and works with the forecasting staff to distribute material through them.

+ Works with broadcast media outlets to air material at critical times.

+ Investigates and recommends new and alternative ways to leverage agency resources and communicate public safety messages through social media and other activities.

+ Evaluates short and long-term communication efforts through established techniques and with established metrics.

Outreach and Education Development and Coordination:

This position will work with agency topic experts and partner organizations to design, develop, create, and implement education and outreach material. This primarily includes taking ideas and materials generated by the CAIC forecasting staff and shaping them into finished products that are distributed based on the agency’s communication plan. This may also include generating ideas for content and then working with agency topic experts to ensure the material and message are technically correct. It may include traveling over-snow-travel into the field.

This position will ensure CAIC’s outreach, education, and public communication efforts are aligned and consistent. This includes working with CAIC leadership to establish terminology and best practices for communicating topics through various communication channels. Then work with relevant CAIC staff and partner groups to monitor consistency and make adjustments as necessary.

Public Information Officer:

This involves crafting compelling narratives, responding to inquiries with accuracy and transparency, and managing the flow of information to ensure the public remains well-informed about the agency's activities, initiatives, and any significant developments. The position requires a proactive approach to public relations, including developing communication strategies, preparing press releases, organizing media briefings, and engaging with stakeholders to foster positive relationships and enhance public understanding of the agency's mission.

This position:

+ Works with CAIC leadership to determine appropriate general messaging and for individual events.

+ Serves as point of-contact for media requests and conducts interviews or coordinates with agency topic experts.

+ Serves as point of contact and manages Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) 24-72-201 to 24-72-309 requests.

+ Serves as liaison between CAIC and DNR communications team.

+ Serves as liaison between CAIC and DNR divisions on communication issues.

+ Serves as liaison between CAIC and other state agencies on communications issues.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center is a dispersed, statewide work unit with offices in Boulder, Denver, Leadville, and Silverton. This position can work remotely from the Denver metro or mountainous areas of Colorado. The position will be expected to attend staff meetings, and meet in mountains areas to conduct interviews or represent agency in remote locations, may represent the agency in meetings held outside the Denver metro area and require overnight travel. As the agency is statewide in nature, the employee may occasionally travel to other agency office locations for overnight stays.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

OPEN TO STATE OF COLORADO RESIDENTS ONLY

Minimum Qualifications

Seven (7) years of professional experience in public relations or public information; government-related communications; public safety-related communications; risk communication; natural resources, natural hazards, environmental or related science-based communications, or an occupational field related to the work assigned to the position.

OR

A combination of a Bachelor's degree in public relations, journalism, marketing, political science, natural resources management, environmental studies or biology, and professional experience in public relations or public information; government-related communications; public safety-related communications; risk communication; natural resources, natural hazards, environmental or related science-based communications, or an occupational field related to the work assigned equal to seven (7) years.

Class Code: Marketing & Communications Specialist (https://dhr.colorado.gov/class-description-and-minimum-qualifications-for-h4k-marketing-communications-specialist)

Substitutions

+ Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis

+ Additional appropriate experience will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis

Preferred Qualifications

+ Current or former State experience relevant to this position

+ Able to independently determine program communication needs through discussion with senior leaders, program managers, other state and federal agencies.

+ Experience developing a communication plan that may include television and radio appearances, press releases, media kits or FAQ’s.

+ Effective means of distributing messages and follow up to determine if agency or program goals were attained.

+ Organizational understanding of current affairs within the outdoor recreation and natural resource professional field.

+ Professional level writing, research and communication development skills.

+ Experience working in a government communications role.

+ High level of written and oral communications.

+ Organizational understanding of current affairs with the outdoor recreation and natural resource professional field.

+ Previous experience managing CORA and/or FOIA requests.

+ Experience with education programs.

+ Experience with social media programs.

+ Basic understanding of physical science concepts.

+ Basic understanding of snow, weather, and avalanche science.

Required Competencies

+ Strong oral and written communication skills

+ Excellent organizational and time management skills

+ Self-motivated with the ability to operate in a team of high-functioning professionals

Conditions of Employment

+ State of Colorado residency is required at the time of application.

+ The Colorado Avalanche Information Center is a dispersed, statewide work unit with offices in Boulder, Denver, Leadville, and Silverton. This position can work remotely from the Denver metro or mountainous areas of Colorado. The position will be expected to attend monthly staff meetings in Leadville, and meet in mountains areas to conduct interviews or represent agency in remote locations, may represent the agency in meetings held outside the Denver metro area and require overnight travel. As the agency is statewide in nature, the employee may occasionally travel to other agency office locations for overnight stays.

+ Travel is occasional.

+ Schedule is remote/hybrid five days/week. This position may work weekends and holidays from November through May.

+ Duties can be driven by weather and avalanche patterns and require a flexible work

schedule.

+ Work on weekends and holidays may be required at certain times.

+ Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify their application from the current position. (Please Note: Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with DNR).

+ Pursuant to the DNR-120 Fleet and Driving Standards Administrative Directive (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W0g2QAGmusbXBJzL3HxhGitIZOEKnwhrFnx9GqVcQHA/preview?tab=t.0) , any worker who will be expected to drive a State-owned vehicle is responsible for maintaining a safe driving record and a valid driver license prior to driving any State-owned vehicle.

To be compliant with the new fleet vehicle policy, Motor Vehicle Records (MVRs) will be pulled for review for workers who:

+ Have an assigned State fleet vehicle

+ Are required to operate a vehicle as part of the position

+ Utilize a State fleet vehicle as a pool vehicle

APPEAL RIGHTS:

It is recommended that you contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below to resolve issues related to your possession of minimum qualifications. However, if you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email ([email protected]), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.

For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.

Supplemental Information

The Assessment Process

+ All applications received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed by an HR Specialist against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement.

+ Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position will be a structured application review by Subject Matter Experts.

+ Resumes, cover letters and other attachments are not considered as part of initial reviews, therefore, it is important todocument in your application your education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications as outlined in the job announcement.

+ Please thoroughly answer all supplemental questions (if listed) since question responses may be evaluated for content, writing ability, spelling, grammar, and effective communication.

+ This recruitment may involve additional testing and/or exams to arrive at the top group for interviews.

The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness.

The State is resolute in non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities.

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

The Department of Natural Resources is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, at [email protected]

The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness. The State is resolute in non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities.

ADAAA Accommodations

Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request accommodation, please contact our Benefits Specialist at [email protected] at least five business days before the date that any accommodation will be required to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.

E-Verify

DNR uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more aboutE-Verify (http://www.dhs.gov/e-verify) , including your rights and responsibilities.

Toll–Free Applicant Support - Technical Help

If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV at 855-524-5627, Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). The Human Resources Office will be unable to assist with technical issues.

The State of Colorado offers permanent employees a variety of benefits including medical, dental, life and disability insurance, as well as a comprehensive leave program. Please click the following link for detailed information: www.colorado.gov/pacific/dhr/benefits

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.

01

The Colorado Constitution, Article XII, Section 13 requires that APPLICANTS for state classified government jobs be residents of Colorado at the time of application, unless this requirement is waived by the State Personnel Board (DPA). A residency waiver was not issued by DPA for this announcement. For more information, please see the FAQ's at: https://careers.colorado.gov/how-to-apply. Are you a current Colorado resident?

+ Yes

+ No

02

Current and former State Personnel System employees who were disciplinarily terminated, resigned in lieu of termination, or who were deemed to have resigned without notice (Board Rule 7-5, Automatic Resignation) must disclose this information on the application.

+ I am not a current or former State of Colorado classified employee.

+ I am a current or former State of Colorado employee but have NEVER been disciplinarily terminated, resigned in lieu of termination, or deemed to have resigned without notice (Board Rule 7-5, Automatic Resignation).

+ I am a current or former State of Colorado employee and have been disciplinarily terminated, resigned in lieu of termination, or deemed to have resigned without notice (Board Rule 7-5, Automatic Resignation). NOTE: Failure to disclose this information and/or falsification of Application materials may result in being removed from consideration for this position.

03

Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose this information on the application. In the space below, please provide an explanation as to why the prior termination or resignation should NOT disqualify you application from the current position:

04

If you are using education to meet or substitute for qualifications, did you upload a copy of your official or unofficial transcript? (Your transcript is required as verification that you meet the requirements).

+ Yes, I have attached my transcripts.

+ No, I am not using college course work to meet minimum requirements for this position.

+ Not Applicable

05

Did you upload your résumé and cover letter to this on-line application?

+ Yes

+ No

06

Part, or all, of the assessment for this position involves a review of the information you submit in your application materials. Please verify that you understand that the failure to include adequate information or attachments to your job application may affect your final score and/or prevent you from competing in any subsequent measures used to arrive at a top group of applicants.

+ Yes

+ No

07

Why are you interested in working at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center?

08

What is your favorite writing tip, technique, or grammar rule?

09

Provide an example of using storytelling in your communications work that you are particularly proud of?

10

Please describe your experience in managing CORA and/or FOIA requests:

11

Briefly describe your experience, or knowledge, with avalanche safety?

12

How do you gauge public perception of your organization to inform public communication efforts?

13

Please share your experience managing subject matter experts while reaching the communication goals of your program or effort?

14

Please give us a brief summary of your experience working with traditional media groups. What is your experience with radio, print, and TV media groups?

Required Question

Employer

State of Colorado

Address

See the full announcement by clicking

the "Printer" icon located above the job title

Location varies by announcement, Colorado, --

Website

https://careers.colorado.gov/

Apply

Please verify your email addressVerify Email