CDA - Climate & Energy Specialist (Administrator III

Job Title

Conservation Services Division Liaison

The Conservation Services Division exists to provide oversight and coordination of the department's efforts to protect and enhance the state's agriculture activities as they relate to drought and climate resilience, land use and range management, conservation, soil and vegetation management, public land management, water quality and quantity, wildlife habitat, endangered species, and energy development. The purpose of the unit also includes administrative and financial assistance to the 7 4 conservation districts, oversight and administration of the noxious weed, bio-control, agricultural water quality, chemigation, and weed-free forage programs.

It also includes coordination and collaboration with other state, multi-state, and federal agencies.

Major Objectives of the Position:
This position will serve as the liaison for the CDA's programs and other state and federal climate and drought resilience programs. They advise and inform the ADCRO (Agricultural Drought and Climate Resilience Office) Managing Director, the Conservation Services leadership, CDA's Markets divisions, other state agencies, and the Governor's Office on climate and drought policy initiatives related to agriculture. This position will attend interagency working groups related to climate and drought, including lnteragency Climate Group and Natural and Working Lands Taskforce, and report back to ADCRO team on new programs and policies.

This position will support other ADCRO programs, and lead new initiatives with guidance from the ADCRO Managing Director. This position will travel 6-10 times a year, often for 1-2 nights. This position will not have regular access to a fleet vehicle, but will be reimbursed for mileage. This position understands and implements the OIT requirements for digital accessibility as appropriate for the role.

Primary Duties:
Interagency Coordination & Working Groups Representative This position represents CDA and ADCRO in statewide meetings, interagency climate plans and policies, and state climate reports. This includes balancing the needs of the agricultural community and working towards state climate goals, including climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. This position will regularly support writing plans, including policy documents, and present on climate and ag topics.

Duties include:

• Lead the CDA Internal Climate Call, ensuring CDA staff are aware of agency and statewide climate work and actions. This position will be the point of contact for CDA staff involved in climate work.
• Responsible for attending and presenting on behalf of the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) at interagency climate and drought working groups and task forces such as the Natural and Working Lands Task Force, Climate Staff working group, Colorado Resilience Office, DOLA, Climate Preparedness Office, Carbon Management, and Drought Impact Task Force.
• This position will draft slide presentations, memos, websites, and other written materials on CDA's climate work, and incorporate edits from the ADCRO Managing Director and other CDA staff.
• Track and complete assigned items in coordination with subject matter experts at CDA (such as Soil Health Program Manager), other state agencies, and groups outside of state government, such as nonprofits and industry groups.
• Provides regular updates to ADCRO Managing Director and CDA staff about interagency working groups.
• Analyzes and provides expert opinion to the ADCRO Director and Commissioner of Agriculture regarding policies and strategies of the interagency working groups.
• Responds in a timely manner to requests for a response from the Department on essential items related to interagency working groups.
• Review relevant planning documents, organize feedback from colleagues, and respond to requests in a timely manner.

Climate & Energy Grant Administration This position, with support from CSD staff, manages the Climate Resilience grant process, including outreach, communication, developing grant materials, organizing the review committee, and working with procurement to process successful grant applications to award grant agreements. This position will also oversee the existing Energy Grants (Agrivoltaics & ACRE3).

Duties include:

• Advertise grant opportunities on website
• Edit and update grant guidelines, grant application materials, and evaluation materials.
• Lead webinars on how to apply and answer questions from potential applicants on how to apply, application process, and questions.
• Coordinate with CDA's Procurement team on needed materials and paperwork from grantees. Work with grantees to get needed materials.
• Lead evaluation committee process, including recruiting evaluation committee members, organizing evaluation including compiling rubrics from evaluation committee, and working with the ADCRO Managing Director to lead evaluation conversations.
• Use CDA's procurement systems (OnBase, CORE) to create grant agreements or contracts
• Track…