Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman - Denver - Cobar

Description

Position: Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman (Chief Executive Officer)

Agency: Office of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman

Location: Denver, Colorado, Hybrid

Reports to: Ombudsman Advisory Board

Salary: $180,000–$200,300 annually

*Salary placement within the range will be based on qualifications and experience. The anticipated hiring range is toward the upper end of the posted range.

Website: Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman Agency Website

Job Description: Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman - Official Job Description

The Agency: The Office of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman (CPO) - Denver, CO

The Office of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman (CPO) is an independent state office established in statute to provide oversight of Colorado's child protection system. The office serves as a neutral forum for members of the public to raise concerns related to child protection services and as a source of credible, system-level insight for state leaders. Its work focuses on how child protection systems operate in practice, where they fall short, and what can be learned to strengthen fairness, accountability, and outcomes for children, youth, and families across Colorado.

The Ombudsman does not operate programs, make placement decisions, or advocate for agencies. Instead, the office reviews complaints, investigates concerns, evaluates system performance, and identifies patterns and trends that inform recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly, and other stakeholders. Housed within the Colorado Judicial Branch and operating independently from the agencies it reviews, the CPO's authority is grounded in law, independence, and disciplined analysis. The office occupies a unique position within state government, where its influence depends not on enforcement authority, but on independence, judgment, and the trust it earns.

A Once-in-Career Leadership Role

Are you a leader whose career has prepared you to hold complexity without becoming reactive, to speak uncomfortable truths with integrity, and to lead without needing to control outcomes? Are you an experienced executive who understands public trust as a responsibility, not a talking point?

If this description reflects how you already lead, this role offers the opportunity to apply that leadership at a statewide level, where judgment and independence matter most. Colorado is seeking its next Child Protection Ombudsman, an independent statewide leader entrusted with safeguarding fairness, accountability, and learning across the child protection system.

The Role: A Leadership Mandate

As Child Protection Ombudsman, you will serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the office and report to the Ombudsman Advisory Board.

You will lead a highly skilled team engaged in emotionally complex, high-stakes work. You will represent the office publicly in legislative hearings, judicial settings, media inquiries, and community forums. You will assess systems that are under constant scrutiny, and you will do so without becoming politicized, defensive, or detached.

This role requires calm authority, moral courage, and the ability to speak truth to power without losing credibility or relationships.

Your Scope of Accountability

You will have executive responsibility for:

• Setting strategic direction and ensuring fulfillment of the office's statutory mission.
• Leading and supporting senior leadership, including the Deputy Ombudsman and Director of Client Services.
• Overseeing complaint investigation, system evaluation, and public reporting processes.
• Serving as the primary spokesperson for the office.
• Engaging credibly with legislators, judicial leaders, agency executives, media, and the public.
• Fostering an inclusive, mission-driven culture that supports staff working in emotionally complex environments.

This is a hands-on executive role. Authority and accountability are inseparable in this role.

What Impact Looks Like

Within your first 12–18 months, you will have:

• Reinforced the office's ethical independence and public trust.
• Strengthened internal systems for complaint review, trend analysis, and transparent public reporting.
• Built credibility with staff, Board members, legislators, judicial partners, counties, and advocacy organizations.
• Elevated statewide understanding of the Ombudsman's role and value.
• Delivered evidence-based recommendations that influence policy, practice, and system behavior.

Success in this role is measured by clarity, credibility, and impact.

The Experience You Will Need

This role is designed for a seasoned executive leader whose experience reflects both scope and substance.

You bring:

• An advanced graduate degree or equivalent professional experience in public administration, nonprofit or government leadership, social work, public policy, behavioral sciences, or a related field.
• Deep working knowledge of ombudsman principles or comparable independent oversight functions, including neutrality, confidentiality, due process, and ethical judgment.
• Demonstrated understanding of child-serving systems such as child welfare, behavioral health, juvenile justice, and their intersection with law and courts.
• A proven record of leading system-level change that produced measurable improvements in outcomes, processes, or organizational culture.
• At least seven years of executive-level leadership with direct accountability for strategy, budgets, operations, and workforce leadership or experience commensurate with this requirement.
• The ability to analyze legislation and policy and communicate complex findings clearly to diverse audiences.
• A documented commitment to equity, fairness, and public accountability.
• A reputation for integrity, discretion, and sound judgment.

If your leadership experience has not included decision-making authority at this level, this role will not be the right fit.

The Work Environment

This is a hybrid leadership role that blends strategic, reflective work with regular in-person engagement across Colorado. The Ombudsman operates in a dynamic environment that requires resilience, sound judgment, and the ability to respond thoughtfully to urgent or sensitive matters while maintaining focus on long-term impact. Periodic travel is required for this position.
*This position does not provide relocation compensation.

Agency Values

CPO's work is guided by these core principles:

• Integrity – transparent, impartial, and consistent
• Collaboration – change through shared knowledge and partnership
• Equity – systems responsive to diverse experiences and needs
• Curiosity – continuous learning and reform
• Independence – autonomy from the agencies reviewed

Benefits and Equal Opportunity

The position includes a comprehensive State of Colorado benefits package, including medical and dental coverage, paid leave and holidays, retirement through Colorado PERA, and eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. The Office of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to full inclusion and reasonable accommodations.

Click here for information on employee benefits.

Full Job Description To Apply

To access the full job description, please click HERE.

Experience That Strengthens Your Application

While not required, the following experience will strengthen your candidacy:

• Juris Doctor, Ph.D., or professional doctorate in a relevant field.
• Experience within the Colorado state government, including legislative or budget processes.
• Public reporting and data analysis experience that informs policy recommendations.
• Media engagement and issues management experience in high-visibility environments.
• Direct experience with independent oversight, investigations, or ombuds work.

How to Apply

Applications will only be considered if submitted through OASIA's BambooHR system. Applications submitted through other websites, email, or mail will not be accepted. Apply here:

Application Deadline

Friday, February 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. MST.

Important

Only completed applications received by the deadline will be considered for review. Following the close of the posting, all applications will be reviewed, and selected candidates will be contacted to participate in the interview process.

Department Contact Information

Chelsie Nalley, Chief Human Resources Officer

Office of Administrative Services for Independent Agencies (OASIA)

Email: