Director of Transformation Strategy; Non-Classified

Department Information

This position is not part of the classified personnel system; applications will be accepted from Residents and Non-Residents of Colorado. Incumbent will be required to live in and complete work for CDE within Colorado.

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 educators, and providing public transparency of performance and financial data. CDE is a values‑based agency that serves students, parents, and the public by protecting public trust through adherence to laws, stewardship of public funds, and accountability for student performance.

We uphold Integrity, Equity, Accountability, Trust, and commitment to Service in all our work.

The work we do is rewarding and impacts the students, families, educators, and communities across Colorado. Our leadership promotes a culture that puts families and self‑care as a priority. We offer rich benefits designed to make us an Employer of Choice, including:

• Flexible work schedules and workplace options (working from home, office, or hybrid).
• Premier medical, dental, vision, and dependent life insurance with generous employer contributions.
• Employer‑paid short‑term disability, life insurance, and RTD Eco Pass (with restrictions).
• Up to 160 hours of Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML).
• 11 paid holidays per year.
• Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals.
• Retirement through the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA).
• Paid professional development opportunities.

This position is full‑time, federally funded, and hybrid. It requires extended hours with evenings or weekends as needed. The role involves travel within the Denver Metro/Downtown for meetings and trainings, in‑state travel with limited overnights, and approximately 30% travel. A Remote (Home) office is required, and the incumbent must report to the work location as business needs dictate. Essential functions include:

• Light office environment: sitting, using a computer, keyboard, and mouse for extended periods; lifting up to 10 lbs frequently or 20 lbs occasionally; walking or standing significant amounts.
• Valid Colorado driver’s license: safely operate a motor vehicle or a State of Colorado Fleet motor vehicle.

The Director of Strategic Transformation provides leadership for Colorado’s most complex and persistently low‑performing schools and districts, ensuring rigorous, coherent, and aligned supports across the Improvement & Innovation Unit. The role leads the Strategic Transformation Office, advancing I&I’s core purpose: building a coherent, practical, responsive statewide improvement system grounded in the Four Domains, aligned across charter, online/blended, and traditional schools, and anchored in district capacity‑building.

The Director oversees accountability pathways strategy, supports State Board engagement, strengthens early‑clock supports, and ensures improvement planning becomes a driver of change rather than compliance. Salary is anticipated to fall within the posted range, with adjustments based on qualifications and internal equity.

• Strategic Leadership & Alignment to CDE’s School Improvement Mission: lead a team in developing and advancing strategic work of the Transformation Strategy Office to ensure low‑performing school supports are coherent, predictable, usable, and aligned to the Improvement and Innovation Unit’s purpose.
• Lead efforts to ensure all Transformation Strategy supports…