CDE ONLY: Technology Manager - Classified

Department Information

Colorado Department of Education – What We Do 
The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) provides leadership, resources, support and accountability to the state's 178 school districts, 1,888 schools, over 53,000 teachers and over 3,200 administrators to help them build capacity to meet the needs of the state's approximately 905,000 public school students. In addition, CDE provides structural and administrative support to the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind and the Charter School Institute.

As the administrative arm of the State Board of Education, CDE is responsible for implementing state and federal education laws, disbursing state and federal funds, holding schools and districts accountable for performance, licensing all educators, and providing public transparency of performance and financial data.

CDE is a values-based agency that serves students, parents, and the general public by protecting the public trust through ensuring adherence to laws, strong stewardship of public funds, and accountability for student performance.

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.

Description of Job

Work Environment:

This position is full-time, supported by federal funding (contingent upon available funding), is eligible for a hybrid (Remote/Home office w/requirement to report to the work location per business needs) work environment. 

• Office hours are typically Mon-Fri, 8 am-5 pm
• Extended hours during the evening or the weekend may be required by business needs
• Commuting to the CDE buildings is required
• Approximately 5% travel (8 hours per month) within Colorado for meetings, trainings and conferences. 
• Occasional out of state travel for conferences is required.
• A Remote (Home) office is required
• Required to report to the work location per business needs. 
• Essential Functions (ADAAA)
  • LIGHT/Office environment: 
    • Required to sit, view a computer screen, and utilize a keyboard and mouse for extended periods of time
    • May be required to lift and move up to 10 lbs of force frequently or 20 lbs occasionally 
    • Required lifting, bending, stooping, pushing, walking, etc.
    • Light work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree
      
  • DL Not Required: Required to independently obtain and determine means to complete travel requirements.

Position Summary:
The School Nutrition Unit oversees Colorado's federal and state Child Nutrition Programs, ensuring compliance while promoting high-quality, effective nutrition services that support children's health and learning. The unit provides guidance, technical assistance, training, and oversight to program sponsors, helping them implement best practices and improve program outcomes statewide. 

This position serves as the unit's technology subject matter expert and is responsible for the strategic planning, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of the unit's technology infrastructure and systems. This includes oversight of the School Nutrition Unit's child nutrition program technology system, as well as other technologies that support unit operations. The position plays a key role in advancing technological innovation, improving operational efficiency, and ensuring system security, all in alignment with the unit's strategic goals.

The final salary is anticipated to fall within the posted salary range, however, could be higher or lower depending on the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other qualifications of the preferred candidate while considering internal equity.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:
Technology Systems Senior Authority (40%)
This position serves as the School Nutrition Unit's senior authority and subject matter expert for statewide child nutrition technology systems and infrastructure.

• Responsibilities include: 
  • Establishes statewide technology strategy, standards, and system design to support child nutrition program operations across all Colorado school districts and partner agencies.
  • Designs, develops, and enforces statewide policies, procedures, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) governing system use, data management, and operational processes.
  • Provides authoritative direction on system requirements, enhancements, and functionality, ensuring alignment with federal regulations, state policy, and program goals.
  • Leads the research, design, selection, and implementation of enterprise-level technology solutions that drive innovation, efficiency, and quality improvement statewide.
  • Develops and maintains comprehensive system documentation, including business processes, workflow architecture, technical specifications, and user standards to guide consistent statewide implementation.
  • Serves as the primary authority bridging programmatic and technical needs across CDE, partner agencies, and external stakeholders.
  • Establishes and ensures alignment of technology systems with statewide strategic priorities, quality improvement initiatives, and long-term program outcomes.
  • Provides expert consultation to agency leadership and external partners to inform programmatic and policy direction related to technology systems.
  • Oversees technology-related grant strategy, implementation, and compliance to ensure alignment with statewide goals and successful outcomes.
    

Program Management, Contracts & Vendor Oversight (30%)

• Provides program-level oversight of the statewide child nutrition technology system, ensuring system performance, sustainability, and alignment with program objectives.
• Exercises authority over vendor contracts, including negotiation support, contract execution, performance management, compliance monitoring, and resolution of complex issues impacting statewide system operations.
• Establishes expectations, standards, and accountability measures for vendor performance and system deliverables. 
• Oversees day-to-day contract compliance, adherence to deliverables and timeline, dispute resolution and a strategic plan for contract closeout.
• Leads cross-functional and cross-agency initiatives, coordinating stakeholders and setting direction to ensure successful implementation of statewide technology efforts. Effectively communicates updates with appropriate staff and stakeholders.
• Evaluates business needs and emerging trends to define strategic priorities, recommend system enhancements, and guide long-term technology investments.
• Translates programmatic needs into enterprise-level system requirements and ensures alignment across agencies and stakeholders.
• Serves as the primary liaison and decision-making authority between CDE, partner state agencies, and technology vendors.
• Provides statewide guidance to school food authority technology vendors to help answer questions regarding regulations. 
• Supports sponsors to ensure technology systems in place meet state and federal requirements. 
  • Examples include, but are not limited to, household income applications, menu planning and point of service software.
    

Statewide Guidance, Training & System Implementation (25%)

• Establishes statewide standards, guidance, and best practices for system use, ensuring consistency and compliance across all users.
• Designs and delivers statewide training for internal staff, sponsors, and external stakeholders to support effective system implementation and use. Training includes, but is not limited to, application instructions, video tutorials, webinars and internal presentations.
• Directs the annual application renewal process by establishing procedures, ensuring data accuracy and completeness, and providing guidance to staff on requirements and decision-making criteria for application approval or denial.
• Provides expert-level technical support and troubleshooting for complex system issues impacting program operations statewide.
• Directs system testing strategies, including development of testing frameworks, validation processes, and quality assurance standards to ensure system integrity and functionality. Coordinates with subject matter experts to ensure effective testing annually. 
• Defines and directs user acceptance testing, prioritization of system enhancements, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Ensures operational processes and system design support compliance, efficiency, and scalability across statewide program administration.
• Identifies, evaluates, and promotes the use of technology systems and tools available to the unit to streamline operations; leads efforts to train staff on effective adoption and integration of these tools into daily work processes.
• Leads and facilitates a monthly multi-state collaboration with state agencies nationwide to share best practices, discuss emerging technology solutions and inform strategic improvements. 
• Provides guidance and support to staff on the effective use of project management tools, promoting consistency, efficiency and coordination across the unit. 
• Provides leadership and guidance on the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, ensuring alignment with CDE policies, data privacy requirements, and ethical standards. 
• Identifies opportunities for AI integration to improve efficiency and effectiveness and supports staff in adopting AI tools through best practices, training, and implementation guidance.

Other Duties as Assigned (5%)    

• Other duties as assigned. 

   

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

This position requires eight (8) years of experience only, OR A combination of education and experience totaling eight (8) years. 

Experience Only:

Eight (8) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work (technology systems and tools specific to administering child nutrition programs) assigned to this position.

Or

Education and Experience:

A combination of related education (such as a bachelor's degree from an accredited university) and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to eight (8) years.

Qualifications for Success:

• Expertise in statewide system design and implementation: Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and manage large-scale technology systems that support program operations across multiple organizations (e.g., statewide education or public service systems).
• Integrated programmatic and technical knowledge: Advanced understanding of how technology systems intersect with federal and state program requirements, including the ability to translate regulatory requirements into functional system design and business processes.
• Vendor and contract management experience: Proven experience managing complex vendor relationships and contracts, including performance monitoring, compliance, system deliverables, and contract modifications.
• Business analysis and system requirements development: Strong ability to gather, analyze, and translate business needs into technical specifications, workflows, and system requirements.
• Cross-agency collaboration and influence: Experience working across agencies or with external partners, providing guidance and influencing decisions without direct authority.
• Strategic planning and process improvement: Ability to identify system gaps, develop innovative solutions, and implement process improvements that increase efficiency, compliance, and program effectiveness.
• Change management and training leadership: Experience leading system implementation efforts, including developing training strategies, guiding adoption of new technologies, and supporting diverse user groups.
• Data systems and reporting knowledge: Familiarity with data management, reporting systems, and ensuring data accuracy and integrity to support program monitoring and decision-making.
• Communication and translation skills: Ability to effectively communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and translate program needs to technical teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification, preferred.

Conditions of Employment (Required):

• Ability and willingness to independently determine, obtain means, and complete required commuting/traveling.
• Occasional out of state travel for conferences is required.
• Report to work location per business needs
• DL Not Required: Required to independently determine and obtain means to complete travel requirements.
• Sign the acknowledgment form that this position is funded through federal funds and is subject to availability.

Supplemental Information

Complete Applications must include the following documents:

• Completed Application Required.
• Educational Transcript (if you are using Education to meet the Minimum Qualifications)

**Please ensure that the work section of the application demonstrates that you meet the minimum qualifications.**

APPEAL RIGHTS:
If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for the position, you may protest the action by filing an appeal with the State Personnel Board / State Personnel Director within 10 days from the date you receive notice of the elimination.          
 
Also, if you wish to challenge the selection and comparative analysis process, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director within 10 days from the receipt of notice or knowledge of the action you are challenging.                
 
Refer to Chapters 4 and 8 of the State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, 4 CCR 801, for more information about the appeals process. The State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures are available at www.colorado.gov/spb.
 
A standard appeal form is available at www.colorado.gov/spb. If you appeal, your appeal must be submitted in writing on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative, and received at the following address within 10 days of your receipt of notice or knowledge of the action: Colorado State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director, Attn: Appeals Processing, 1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver, CO 80203. Fax: 303-866-5038. Phone: 303-866-3300. The ten-day deadline and these appeal procedures also apply to all charges of discrimination.    

 FOR CURRENT OR FORMER EMPLOYEES OF THE STATE OF COLORADO:
 
Per the requirements of the Step Pay Program implemented on July 1, 2024, any State employee must be paid a rate that is equal to or greater than the appropriate step pay rate within their classification’s pay range based on completed years in their current class series as of June 30. All current and former State employees must ensure that your entire work history within the State Classified System, including at Institutions of Higher Education, is indicated in your application so that your time-in-series can be calculated accurately. 
 

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
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(s) 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 Colorado Department of Education 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 performing 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].

Benefits

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.
 

Supplemental Questions

Required Question

Agency Information

EmployerState of ColoradoAddress See the full announcement by clicking
the "Printer" icon located above the job title
Location varies by announcement, Colorado, -- Website https://careers.colorado.gov/