(Auraria) Director of Strategy
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(Auraria) Director of Strategy
Salary
$95,000.00 - $115,000.00 Annually
Location
Denver, CO
Job Type
Full Time
Job Number
AHEC-4268-12.2025
Department
Auraria Higher Education Center
Division
Chief of Staff / Campus Relations
Opening Date
12/11/2025
Closing Date
1/5/2026 11:59 PM Mountain
FLSA
Determined by Position
Type of Announcement
This position is open only to Colorado state residents.
Primary Physical Work Address
Auraria Campus
FLSA Status
Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Contact Information
Nicole Yanez at nicole.yanez@ahec.edu
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
Who we are:
Welcome to the Auraria Campuslocated in the Platte River Valley in downtown Denver. The Auraria Campus is the service provider for 38,000 students and approximately 5,000 faculty and staff working at and attending the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the University of Colorado Denver . Learn more about us through this link: The Auraria Campus (https://aurariacampus.edu/)
Auraria employees enjoy an excellent benefits package which includes paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave, multiple medical, dental and vision options, discounted RTD Pass, BenefitHub and outstanding retirement plan. Learn more through this link: Non-Classified Benefits Package (https://www.ahec.edu/ahec-staff/human-resources/current-employees/non-classified-benefits) .
So, if you're interested in a great job working alongside great people, this may be the opportunity for which you've been waiting for.
Description of Job
Job Summary:
The Director of Strategy leads AHEC's efforts to modernize organizational performance tracking, data reporting, and strategic decision-making. This position is responsible for developing and maintaining the systems, tools, and infrastructure that support agency-wide analytics, service level agreements (SLA), key performance indicators (KPI) tracking, and strategic dashboards aligned with the Board-approved strategic plan.
Working closely with the Chief of Staff, department directors, and institutional partners, this role transforms raw data into actionable insights that drive transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement. The Director serves as AHEC's in-house expert on data integration and visualization technologies, building automated data pipelines, dashboards, and reports that make performance metrics accessible and meaningful across all divisions.
This position requires advanced technical and analytical skills-including proficiency in modern data analysis languages and tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau ,SQL, Python, R)-paired with strong strategic judgment and project management capability. The Director will design sustainable data governance practices, support departmental metric development, and cultivate a culture of evidence-based decision-making throughout the organization.
Please note:This position is 100% in-office
Essential Job Functions: Data Infrastructure, Dashboarding & Insights
Maintain and improve upon existing dashboards and tools to track strategic priorities set at the departmental level and associated with the Board approved Strategic Plan.
Design, build, and maintain dashboards and visualizations tied to KPIs outlined in AHEC-wide Service Level Agreements.
Translate qualitative progress and quantitative KPIs into concise, actionable insights for executives, the CEO, and the Auraria Board of Directors.
Develop efficient, automated data workflows (Power BI, Tableau, SWL, Python, R, or equivalent) to streamline reporting.
Establish data collection and validation processes that support strategic storytelling, transparency, and accountability.
Establish a sustainable system for ongoing data collection, storage, and validation in collaboration with IT, Finance, and departmental data owners.
Strategic Planning, Goal Alignment & Organizational Performance
Lead agency-wide processes for developing, aligning, and assessing SMART goals at the departmental and strategic-initiatives levels.
Facilitate strategic planning cycles, including stakeholder workshops, needs assessments, and mid-cycle refinements.
Synthesize departmental submissions into cohesive organizational priorities and themes for executive decision-making.
Develop frameworks to measure progress toward Board-approved strategic objectives, including baselines, milestones, and desired outcomes.
Identify strategic risks, dependencies, and opportunities across divisions and provide recommendations to leadership.
Prepare narrative briefings, recommendations, and synthesize reports that summarize trends, resource implications, and performance gaps.
Partner with the Chief of Staff to prepare data-driven briefings and board materials that communicate progress toward institutional and campuswide priorities.
Facilitate recurring review sessions with leadership and directors to assess progress, identify trends, and recommend data-informed strategies for improvement.
Collaborate with executive leadership and stakeholders to update, refine, and guide the execution of strategic plan across the organization.
Continuous Improvement and Organizational Efficiency
Identify opportunities to improve business processes through technology, automation, and improved data access.
Lead cross-functional teams to streamline workflows, eliminate redundancies, and build analytic capabilities across departments.
Serve as an internal consultant to AHEC departments seeking to adopt data-driven practices, helping define metrics, baselines, and success measures.
Support implementation of new internal policies, processes, and reporting expectations that elevate organizational maturity.
Research and implement best practices in analytics, performance management, and digital modernization within public-sector or higher-education environments.
Training, Collaboration, and Data Governance
Provide training and technical guidance to staff on data visualization tools, dashboard use, and interpretation of analytics.
Foster a culture of data literacy and accountability across AHEC.
Develop and enforce data governance policies, including documentation standards, access permissions, and version control.
Build capacity by coaching departments through annual planning cycles.
Reporting, Communication, and Executive Support
Convert qualitative and quantitative findings into concise, high-impact reports and visual presentations that synthesize data into clear narratives for executive leadership, state agencies, and campus partners.
Support the Chief of Staff and CEO with analytical deliverables that inform decision making, resources allocation, and campuswide communications.
Manage sensitive and high-visibility data with integrity and discretion.
Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights
Minimum Qualifications:
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in a field related to data analytics information systems, business administration, statistics, or a closely related field.
A combination of work experience in the occupational field or subject area of the work assignment to the job, which provided the same kind, amount and level of knowledge acquired in the required education may be substituted year-for-year basis for the bachelors degree.
At least five years of relevant experience in the field of project management, strategic planning and/or continuous improvement planning and implementation.
At least 3 years of relevant experience in data collection, analytics, and data visualization.
Preferred Qualifications:
Master's degree in Public Administration, Business Analytics, Data Science, Information Systems, or a related field.
Advanced proficiency in data visualization and analysis tools such as Power BI, Tableau, SQL, Python, or R.
Demonstrated experience designing and maintaining enterprise-wide dashboards and performance reporting systems.
Experience with KPI design, service level tracking, and strategic plan implementation within a public-sector, higher education, or complex multi-institutional environment.
Attributes and Abilities:
Proven experience in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with a diverse population at all levels throughout the institution-and into the community.
Ability to communicate in a positive and effective manner, across various modalities.
Ability to balance multiple projects and tasks in parallel to maintain attention to detail.
Outwardly contributes to a respectful, positive, and professional workspace.
Ability to establish work priorities, follow through, and meet established deadlines.
Strong judgment and critical thinking skills.
Ability to deliberately listen and communicate relevant information, anticipate problems, and offer suggestions for resolution.
Proven ability to translate complex technical information into accessible, decision-supporting insights for non-technical audiences.
Familiarity with data governance frameworks, system integration, and workflow automation tools.
High degree of technical curiosity and commitment to continuous learning in emerging data analytics and visualization technologies.
Demonstrated ability to synthesize quantitative and qualitative data into concise reports that support executive decision-making.
Strong facilitation and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence without direct authority.
Demonstrated capacity for strategic thinking, long-term planning, and organizational modernization.
Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in data representation, stakeholder engagement, and institutional reporting.
Supplemental Information
Colorado Partnership for Quality Jobs and Services Act information
After careful review of this position and the duties that it performs, it has been designated in accordance with the Colorado Partnership for Quality Jobs and Services Act as a "Not Covered" position, it does not fall in the category of employees that are eligible for representation by COWINS, also known as the union. To learn more about this designation please visit this link: http://coloradowins.org/
Applicant Checklist & Minimum Qualifications
Resume (Required)
Cover Letter (Required)
E-mail Address
All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be conducted by email.
Minimum Qualifications
Your application as submitted is used to determine if you meet Minimum Qualifications. Please read the Minimum Qualifications and ensure that information in your application "draw correlations" to the Minimum Qualifications. Human Resources Analysts will not infer that you meet the Minimum Qualifications if information isn't detailed in your application.
Years of experience will be expressed in terms of full-time equivalent service with full-time workload equal to one (1) Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) year. No more than 1.00 FTE year may be credited in any twelve (12) month period. Positions working 40 hours or less per week will be pro-rated (30 hrs/wk=0.75 FTE=9 mos credit; 20 hrs/wk=0.5 FTE=6 mos credit; 10 hrs/wk=0.25 FTE=3 mos credit.)
Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
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.
Auraria Campus 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 Nicole Yanez at nicole.yanez@ahec.edu
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
Do you have at least 5 years of relevant experience in project management, strategic planning, and/or continuous improvement planning and implementation? List up to three most relevant roles: - Role: - Key outcomes: (e.g., delivered X projects, implemented Y improvements, achieved Z% efficiency gains)
02
Do you have at least 3 years of experience in data collection, analytics, and data visualization? Describe your data work across the lifecycle: - Data Collection: sources/tools/methods - Analytics: techniques (e.g., descriptive, diagnostic, forecasting), models used - Visualization: tools, audience, frequency, and examples of decisions influenced
03
Provide an example of a process improvement initiative you led. What tools or methods did you use to streamline workflows or eliminate redundancies?
04
Have you worked on KPI design, service level tracking, or strategic plan implementation within a public-sector, higher education, or complex multi-institutional environment?
05
By submitting this application, applicant acknowledges that the holding of State employment is a public trust and that State employees shall carry out their duties for the benefit of the people of the State of Colorado. § 24-18-103(1), C.R.S. Applicant warrants that they have read and understand the rules of conduct and the ethical principles for State employees as set forth in §§ 24-18-104, 24-18-105, 24-18-108, and 24-18-201, C.R.S. Here is the link for the Colorado Revised Statutes: https://leg.colorado.gov/agencies/office-legislative-legal-services/colorado-revised-statutes. Conflict of Interest: A conflict of interest occurs when an individual or organization has a conflict between competing interests. By submitting this application, applicant hereby discloses the following personal or professional interests, obligations, commitments, or relationships (either personal or professional) that could create the perception of conflicts of interest with their duties at Auraria Campus:
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State of Colorado
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