Salary : $91,320.00 - $118,728.00 Annually
Location : Denver, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: ILA 06983 8/22/2025
Department: Colorado Department of Human Services
Division: BHA -
Opening Date: 08/22/2025
Closing Date: 9/5/2025 11:59 PM Mountain
FLSA: Determined by Position
Type of Announcement: This position is open only to Colorado state residents.
Primary Physical Work Address: 710 S. Ash Street, Unit C140, Denver, CO 80246 - Hybrid working arrangements
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.
Department Information This position is open to current Colorado residents only. Opt in below to receive text message updates on CDHS recruiting events! CDHSCareers Most State of Colorado employees are eligible for a great benefit package! Please see the Supplemental Information section below for details! Description of Job Hybrid 1 - 4 days in office/field per week. This is subject to change due to the BHA's business needs. 8-5 Monday through Friday Please note: These working arrangements are subject to change. The Agricultural and Rural Program Administrator serves as the principal liaison and strategic administrator between the BHA and the Colorado Department of Agriculture, as well as a range of other state agencies and community partners. The role is the primary point of contact with an unprecedented level of influence, ensuring seamless communication and coordination to create a cohesive statewide direction for all agricultural behavioral health efforts.
Duties:
Develops and Leads Rural and Agricultural Strategy - Leads the development and statewide implementation of a comprehensive strategy to ensure effective outreach and support for all farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural industry workers across Colorado.
- Originates and directs the design and development of innovative, effective statewide programs, initiatives, and policies to support strategic goals relative to rural and agricultural communities. This may include new grant programs, educational workshops, or partnership opportunities.
- Contributes to the design and implementation of innovative campaigns to reach individuals from agricultural and farming communities.
- Conducts comprehensive research and analysis on trends, challenges, and opportunities within the rural and agricultural sectors. This includes evaluating existing programs, policies, and market conditions to identify areas for growth and improvement.
- Formulates and articulates a strategic vision and actionable plan for rural and agricultural development, aligning with the organization's broader goals. This involves setting clear objectives, key performance indicators (KPIs), and timelines.
- Analyzes and evaluates relevant local, state, and federal policies and makes recommendations for new or revised policies that benefit rural and agricultural communities.
- Develops and manages budgets for all strategic initiatives relative to rural and agricultural communities, ensuring resources are allocated efficiently and effectively to achieve maximum impact.
External Community Engagement and Partnership Work - Leads and directs all statewide engagement activities and opportunities, creating pathways for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural industry workers to provide essential feedback to the BHA.
- Cultivates and maintains high-level statewide partnerships and relationships with rural and agricultural community leaders, traveling regularly to participate in strategic in-person engagement.
- Directs and oversees the design and execution of a statewide environmental scan and audit of current efforts specific to addressing behavioral health needs and concerns within farming and agricultural communities, identifying unique gaps and opportunities.
- Share timely feedback with pertinent staff in addition to a monthly report of community feedback that can be disseminated to staff across the BHA to be incorporated into all BHA initiatives and systems.
- Provides information and connection to community resources and public benefits, as well as assists in resource development and messaging.
Agricultural and Rural Community Behavioral Health Program - Directs and oversees the identification, development, implementation, and execution of the statewide program and strategy that addresses the behavioral health needs of farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural industry workers. This work is done with input from the Department of Agriculture.
- Authorizes and manages the overall budget and resource allocation for strategy implementation, ensuring alignment with statewide priorities.
- Develop and coordinate training for behavioral health providers that serve farming and agricultural communities.
- Ensure that trusted local organizations in rural and agricultural communities are equipped with support and training to better support the mental health needs of farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural industry workers in their communities.
- Develop an understanding of and address the root causes of behavioral health issues in the agricultural industry and in rural communities.
- Develop recommendations and technical assistance to support community partners while providing high-quality behavioral health access to agricultural and farming communities
- Determines the need for training and education and collaborates with program staff to develop curriculum for BHA staff and providers as needed.
- Oversee and manage available grant and funding opportunities to support program sustainability.
Cross-agency Collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and other State partners - Serves as the principal liaison and primary point of contact between the Colorado Department of Agriculture and the Behavioral Health Administration, providing strategic guidance on interagency efforts.
- Acts as the primary BHA authority for statewide communication and coordination across all state agencies regarding agricultural behavioral health.
- Manages and directs all aspects of the interagency agreement (FAD) with the Department of Agriculture, making strategic decisions regarding data sharing and policy implementation.
- Regularly communicates and leads in-person and virtual meetings with state, local, and community partners, specific to meeting the behavioral needs of farmers, ranchers, other agricultural industry workers, and their families experiencing behavioral health issues.
- Serve on the agricultural behavioral health community of practice work group and provide support to the work group as needed.
- Collaborates with the BHA internal teams and state agencies to ensure that farmers, ranchers, other agricultural industry workers, and their families experiencing behavioral health issues have access to services that are culturally responsive and linguistically accessible.
- Engages all agencies in behavioral health efforts specific to farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural industry workersto document and organize existing work that is underway and plan a cohesive direction forward that minimizes duplication, maximizes use of funding, and elevates expertise and assets brought forward by all parties.
- Works across the agency and also with, but not limited to, BHA's Culture, Practice, and Accessibility Advisor and the Tribal Affairs Specialist, county liaisons, and community organizations to ensure whole-person behavioral health across Colorado, coordinate efforts, monitor trends, assess needs, and ensure effective communication specific to farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural industry workers.
- Attends continuous training to expand engagement skill set. Tailors engagement approach to meet the needs of the community to address the root causes of health disparities for farmers, ranchers, other agricultural industry workers, and their families in Colorado.
- Regularly communicate and lead in-person meetings with state, local, and community partners.
Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights Minimum Qualifications Experience Only Eight (8) years of relevant experience in Agricultural and Rural Community Behavioral Health Program management, including engaging with agricultural and rural communities and fostering partnerships in Colorado.
OR Education and Experience: A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to eight (8) years
Preferred Qualifications - Extensive experience in developing and leading rural and agricultural strategies.
- Demonstrated ability to design and develop innovative statewide programs, initiatives, and policies for rural and agricultural communities.
- Proficiency in conducting comprehensive research and analysis on trends, challenges, and opportunities within the rural and agricultural sectors.
- Proven experience in external community engagement and partnership work, including cultivating high-level partnerships across Colorado.
- Significant experience in Agricultural and Rural Community Behavioral Health Program management.
Conditions of Employment: - This position is delegated as a hybrid position. The employees must maintain a home office and workstation free of distraction.
internet, and possibly phone to complete required job duties or report to the office when needed. - Standard Background - Name check, TRAILS, CMS, and JBITS
- Current/Valid and unrestricted US Driver's License
- The position is to travel to meetings and/or conferences as needed.
- Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination, or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.
APPEAL RIGHTS: If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.
An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email ( ), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed (303.866.5038) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgment of the department's action.
For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at (303) 866-3300; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.
A standard appeal form is available at: 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.
Supplemental Information How to Apply The Assessment Process For additional recruiting questions, please contact About Us: If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS). Our professionals strive to design and deliver high quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well-being of the people of Colorado. In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:
- Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401(k) and 457 plans
- Medical and dental health plans
- Employer supplemented Health Savings Account
- Paid life insurance
- Short- and long-term disability coverage
- 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
- BenefitHub state employee discount program
- Employee Wellness program MotivateMe
- Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more
- Remote work arrangements for eligible positions
*Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more
information, go to Values:
We believe in a people-first approach: To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans
Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.
We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.
Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.
We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.
Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.
We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities. ADAA Accommodations: CDHS 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 to perform 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, Nancy Schmelzer, at or call 1-800-929-0791.
~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~ Toll Free Applicant Technical Support 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:
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If you are a current or former State of Colorado employee, please list your employee number (starts with 997...). Failure to provide this requested information may render your application incomplete, and you may no longer be considered for the position.
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Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application.In the space below, please provide an explanation as to why the prior termination or resignation should NOT disqualify your application from the current position.
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This position requires the development and implementation of a statewide strategy to address the behavioral health needs of Colorado's diverse agricultural and rural communities, a challenge for which no established precedent exists. Describe your experience in developing and implementing new, comprehensive strategies in complex environments with diverse stakeholder needs, and how you would approach building consensus and driving a unified vision.
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This role involves extensive in-person engagement and partnership building with rural and agricultural community leaders across Colorado, often requiring significant travel. Describe your approach to cultivating and maintaining high-level relationships with diverse community stakeholders, and how you ensure that community feedback directly informs and influences program and policy advancements.
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Describe your experience working directly with rural and agricultural communities in Colorado, specifically addressing their unique needs and building trust. What challenges do you anticipate in engaging these populations regarding behavioral health, and how would you leverage your experience to overcome them?
Required Question
