Lead Finance and Policy Analyst - Budget Analyst III

Lead Finance and Policy Analyst - Budget Analyst III Print ( Apply ufeff Lead Finance and Policy Analyst - Budget Analyst III Salary $82,836.00 - $132,528.00 Annually Location Denver, CO Job Type Full Time Job Number IHA 04772 05/07/2026 Department Colorado Department of Human Services Division OCYF - Child Welfare Opening Date 05/07/2026 Closing Date 5/21/2026 11:59 PM Mountain FLSA Determined by Position Type of Announcement This position is open only to Colorado state residents. Primary Physical Work Address 1575 Sherman Street, Denver CO 80203 FLSA Status Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation. Department Contact Information How To Apply Please submit an online application for this position at 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 position is open to current Colorado residents only Please note: This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Most State of Colorado employees are eligible for a great benefit package Please see the Supplemental Information section below for details ( Description of Job Weekly Hybrid Working Arrangements Minimum 2 days In Office and Maximum 3 days Remote Work Division of Child Welfare - Finance Unit The Division of Child Welfare (DCW) provides a range of leadership, management, and supervisory functions related to the delivery of public child welfare services to children, youth, and families. DCW provides administrative supervision for all child welfare programs in Coloradou2019s 64 counties and delivers technical support, monitoring, program improvement, regulatory oversight, and other quality assurance functions. The Finance Unit ensures compliance with all applicable fiscal rules, policies, state statutes, and federal requirements across DCW. The Finance Unit manages DCWu2019s budget of over $574 million dollars including execution and oversight of contracts and purchase orders with vendors statewide. In addition, the Finance Unit provides modelling of multiple funding streams for allocation of funding to counties to make child welfare services available to all children, youth, and families. The Finance Unit exists to direct, lead, and supervise the county departments of human/social services and service providers in the fiscal operations of child welfare programs through development and implementation of new programs, policies and rules; training of county staff on fiscal policies and procedures; evaluation and provision of technical assistance to counties on systems issues and ongoing implementation; work with the General Assembly on legislative and fiscal initiatives; report to the federal government on implementation of federal funding programs; monitor county performance in their implementation of child welfare related to budget and funding issues; and allocate state and federal funds to the counties for their use in implementing child welfare service About this position: This position functions as a fully operational senior-level Budget and Policy Analyst for the Division of Child Welfare (DCW), providing high-level fiscal, policy, legislative, and data analysis to support statewide child welfare programs and county-administered services. The position operates with significant autonomy and independent judgment in analyzing complex budgetary and policy issues, developing allocation methodologies, evaluating program performance, and interpreting legislative and regulatory changes. The Budget and Policy Analyst serves as a trusted advisor to program leadership, the Division Finance Director, and counties, providing actionable recommendations that directly inform decisions about resource allocation, program rules, and policy development. The position translates complex financial and policy information into clear, actionable guidance, ensuring that DCW programs operate efficiently, equitably, and in compliance with statutory and fiscal requirements. The position plays a critical and ongoing role in the Allocation Methodology Team (AMT), a subgroup of the Child Welfare Allocation Committee (CWAC), helping to design, test, and implement county allocation models that directly impact service delivery. It also ensures data integrity, evaluation of program outcomes, and accurate reporting to state and federal partners. This role is imperative to the effective operation of the Division, bridging the gap between department objectives, county administration, and fiscal management. By providing evidence-based analyses, policy recommendations, and high-quality reports, the position enables leadership to make informed decisions that directly affect child welfare programs and outcomes across the state. Summary of Job Duties: Budget Development, Execution, and Fiscal Oversight -Leads the development, execution, and ongoing management of the Divisionu2019s budget for the statewide child welfare block grant and initiatives. This includes monitoring expenditures, projecting needs, analyzing caseload trends, and identifying fiscal risks to ensure that resources are allocated efficiently and in alignment with program priorities. This role provides direct support to program leadership and the Division Finance Director by independently preparing analyses, recommendations, and decision materials that inform strategic planning, annual budgets, and supplemental funding requests. This includes a variety of funding sources, including Title IV-E funds, the annual county block grant, and other funding sources. It is also a primary liaison to counties, providing authoritative guidance on allocation methodology, funding assumptions, and budget implementation requirements. As part of the allocation development and in support of the Child Welfare Allocation Committee (CWAC), this position develops, evaluates, and maintains funding allocation formulas, including scenario modeling, forecasting, and validation to ensure that county allocations are equitable, accurate, and sustainable. The position exercises autonomy and professional discretion in designing analyses, interpreting data, and recommending changes to allocation methodologies, while ensuring compliance with state fiscal rules, procurement requirements, and statutory directives Data Management and Evaluation - Leads data collection, validation, and evaluation efforts to guide evidence-based decision-making for DCW programs. Develops and applies metrics to assess program performance, financial integrity, and outcomes at both state and county levels. Supports program leadership, the Finance Director, and counties by providing actionable insights into trends, anomalies, and opportunities for improvement. This includes monitoring service utilization, caseload growth, changes in provider rates, and expenditure patterns to guide both policy and operational decisions. This includes analysis across multiple funding sources, including Title IV-E funds and the annual county block grant. The position exercises autonomy and analytical judgement in identifying relevant data, selecting analytical approaches, and making recommendations based on the evidence. Ensures all analyses adhere to best practices for data integrity, consistency, and reproducibility, allowing leadership to make informed, data-driven decisions about program and budget priorities Annual Reports- Develops and manages high-profile annual and ad hoc reports, including Joint Budget Committee Requests for Information (RFIs), Decision Item analyses, Annual Provider Rate Memos, and required state and federal submissions. Ensures data integrity, consistency, and transparency across reporting cycles. Provides technical guidance to counties in completing surveys and submitting data, monitors compliance with reporting requirements, and reconciles anomalies to ensure accurate reporting. Reports generated by this position directly inform leadership, legislative committees, and federal partners and are relied upon for funding decisions, compliance determinations, and policy direction. This position exercises autonomy in determining reporting methodology, data validation, and presentation formats for complex financial and programmatic information, translating it into actionable insights for decision-makers. Legislative and Regulatory Analysis - Analyzes proposed and enacted state and federal legislation, regulatory changes, and budget items to determine their impact on DCW programs, funding, and county partners. Produces legislative and fiscal analyses, including House and Senate bill reviews and federal guidance interpretations. During legislative sessions, evaluates multiple proposals with uncertain, interrelated, and potentially conflicting outcomes, identifying embedded statutory changes that could affect funding, reporting, or program implementation. Provides recommendations and scenario analyses to leadership to mitigate fiscal risk and ensure statutory compliance. The position exercises autonomy in determining legislative impacts, modeling assumptions, and recommending policy or budget adjustments. This work is essential for ensuring that DCW programs remain compliant, fiscally sound, and aligned with statutory intent. Other Duties as Assigned - Performs other duties as assigned that are consistent with the scope, responsibilities, and classification of a Budget and Policy Analyst. These may include special projects, ad hoc fiscal or policy analyses, participation in cross-divisional workgroups, or support for emergent legislative, budgetary, or policy initiatives, including but not limited to provider rates, IV-E requirements, etc Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights Minimum Qualifications: Experience Only: Seven (7) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position OR Education and Experience: + A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to seven (7) years + Current, valid licensure as a CPA by the Colorado Board of Accountancy will substitute for the degree requirement and two (2) years of the required experience. Preferred Qualifications: The following supplemental experience, competencies, and abilities are highly desirable for this position and may be considered in selecting the successful candidate: + Strong understanding of government accounting and budgeting. + High attention to detail when drafting, proofreading, and revising written reports. + Highly motivated, detail-oriented, and a self-starter + Comfortable self-managing competing priorities + Highly organized with an emphasis on thorough documentation and process orientation + Five (5) years of professional experience in public policy fiscal analysis, accounting, budget, contract creation and monitoring, procurement, and program administration, including familiarity with state and federal guidelines and programs + Understanding of federal and state fiscal rules and procurement policies + Ability to research and problem-solve independently and with a team + Knowledge of the programs administered by the Division of Child Welfare + Excellent writing skills so that information can be communicated in plain language + Knowledge of federal program requirements, including reporting, administration, and procurement guidelines. + Experience with the Colorado Operations Resource Engine (CORE) + Experience with the County Fiscal Management System (CFMS) + Experience successfully communicating both verbally and in written form to high-level audiences + Ability to gather, analyze, and present data for both technical and general audiences + Excellent computer skills with desktop and mobile office productivity applications, and general tools such as Microsoft products, including Excel, and Google Suite + Ability to balance the needs and intent of the Federal and State guidelines with the needs of stakeholders + Ability to creatively analyze and interpret information necessary to make decisions + Experience working on projects with a team of peers + Experience building decision items for legislation Conditions of Employment + Standard Background ALL CDHS - CBI name check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), and drug screen (commercial Driveru2019s license) + Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must (1) disclose that information on the application (2) provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position, (3) provide the employee number from the applicantu2019s prior State employment. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination and failure to provide this information will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS. CDHS Selection Process Explanation Employment history is calculated on a full-time basis (40/hrs per week). Part-time employment is calculated on a prorated basis to determine qualifications. Be sure your application specifically addresses your qualifications, experience, work products, and accomplishments as they relate to the position and minimum requirements. + Preferred Qualifications & Competencies: + Relevant years of state service experience. Minimum Qualification Screening Process A Human Resources Analyst will review the work experience/job duties sections of the online job application to determine whether your experience meets the minimum qualifications for the position. You must complete the official State of Colorado online application. Cover letters and resumes WILL NOT be reviewed during the minimum qualifications screening process. You must specifically document your work experience and qualifications in the application form . Do not use

Created: 2026-05-11