MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURE / OPERATIONAL READIENESS REVIEW COORDINATOR FAA-01724-05.2022 – State of Colorado Job Opportunities – Denver, CO

This position is only open to Colorado state residents.

This announcement will close on May 20, 2022. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early.
Although a salary range for this position is provided, appointments are typically made at or near the range minimum.

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.

Be BOLD and make a real difference . . .

Do you desire a career that provides you with opportunities to improve the world around you? The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is seeking diverse individuals from all backgrounds to apply for a career position that makes a direct impact on improving the lives of Colorado citizens. Our mission is to advance Colorado’s health and protect the places we live, work, learn, and play. Our vision is to create a healthy and sustainable Colorado where current and future generations thrive.

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Our tobacco-free campus offers free parking and is conveniently located near RTD bus lines, Glendale City Set, and the Cherry Creek bike path. In addition to a great location and rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:

• Employee wellness programs and facilities
• Extensive internal professional development opportunities on a wide variety of subjects
• Bike to work programs, including access to storage lockers and bike racks
• Distinctive career advancement opportunities throughout the State system
• Strong, yet flexible retirement benefits including a choice of the PERA Defined Benefit Plan or the PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus optional 401K and 457 plans
• Medical and dental health plans
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• 10 paid holidays per year plus generous personal time off
• Mentoring program with opportunities for mentors and mentees
• Tuition assistance for college level courses including Masters degree programs
• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, and
• A variety of employee resource groups

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.

Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, go to: https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/pslfFlow.action#!/pslf/launch

The Work Unit:

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment serves Coloradans by providing high-quality, cost-effective public health and environmental protection services that promote healthy people in healthy places. Staff members focus on evidence-based best practices in the public health and environmental fields and play a critical role in educating people in Colorado so they can make informed choices. In addition to maintaining and enhancing our core programs, the department continues to identify and respond to emerging issues affecting Colorado’s public and environmental health.

The Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response (OEPR) develops and implements emergency response plans for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to fulfill the state’s emergency support function to protect health and provide medical response to victims when an emergency occurs in Colorado.
OEPR works so that CDPHE, local public health, and medical agencies have plans for responding to emergency events and administering medications in mass quantities to all citizens in Colorado. In addition, OEPR:

• Assesses natural and human-made disaster events and trains health and medical professionals on the latest and improved response protocols, including the National Incident Management System (NIMS).
• Leads programs for ensuring public health and medical programs are integrated with law enforcement, the Division of Emergency Management, and other state departments critical to the state’s response.
• Delivers and coordinates emergency preparedness education and training to CDPHE employees, medical and public health partners.
• Ensures effective and redundant communication connectivity among stakeholders involved in public health detection and response and effective distribution of routine health information.
• Assesses the state’s ability to respond to emergency events relating to the medical care of victims and assists in identifying best practices for mass casualty response, is responsible for the rapid receipt, storage and distribution of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) statewide in an emergency. This also includes the activation of the Department Emergency Operations Center (DOC), and the integration of various internal divisions and programs and external agencies at the state, local and federal levels.

What You’ll Be Doing:

The
ORR
Coordinator serves as the CDC’s Medical Countermeasure (MCM) Operational Readiness Review (ORR).This position provides expertise on MCM planning and operational elements of the Medical Countermeasure (MCM) Operational Readiness Review (ORR), from all 15 Public Health Preparedness Capabilities. This position remains in constant communication with federal project officers to ensure Colorado is meeting all MCM ORR requirements at the State level and supporting local Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI) jurisdictions in meeting federal requirements for the program. This position provides training and technical support to CRI jurisdictions and acts as their Regional Point of Contact. This position is responsible for writing the CRI Scope of Work annually based on federal guidance and requirements for CRI funding, as well as monitoring the CRI contracts through the year.

The
ORR Coordinator is tasked with and assists with the following:

• The Medical Countermeasure Operational Readiness Review, CDC’s rigorous, evidence-based assessment that evaluates state, local and territorial planning and operational functions.
• The Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI), a federally mandated program under the Strategic National Stockpile Program, which ensures that all counties comprising the 10-county CRI jurisdiction are prepared to immediately and effectively respond to a large bioterrorism event through mass dispensing of antibiotics and other medications to their entire identified population within the program defined initial 48 hour event window.
• The CHEMPACK program, a federally mandated program under the Strategic National Stockpile, which consists of the forward placement of nerve agent antidotes strategically throughout the State.
• Provide technical assistance and support to local CRI jurisdictions during the submission and review process of ORR.
• Writes state-level special pathogen response planning and response documents, conducts educational presentations, trainings and workshops, reviews literature for best practices from other states, national and international entities, and identifies and recommends evidence-based state and local strategies to address special pathogen preparedness priorities.
• Collaborating with internal and external partners to gather pertinent planning and operational data for state-level ORR submission.
• Provide technical assistance and support to local CRI jurisdictions during the submission and review process of ORR.
• Reviews regional and local plans as appropriate and provides thoughtful feedback for improvement.
• Complete review of ORR submissions for all 10 local CRI jurisdictions, including conducting in-person review meetings and written final reviews.
• Support and review all ORR submissions statewide when the ORR is expanded beyond the CRI jurisdictions.
• Position must continually educate public health and emergency preparedness partners about continuously evolving CRI program grant activities and mandates.
• Position must continually educate regarding latest changes to the ORR reporting platform and the current budget period requirements for submission and review.
• Determines and makes highly technical recommendations about integration and coordination of CRI plans and activities with state, local and federal agencies.
• Position consistently manages multiple high-priority assignments simultaneously.

NOTE: To be considered for this position, your application must clearly demonstrate that you meet one of the following options outlining the minimum requirements needed for consideration:
OPTION 1:
PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE (Substitution)
Six (6) years of professional experience in public health emergency preparedness, homeland security, or emergency management.

OR

OPTION 2:

BACHELOR’S DEGREE & PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in public health, emergency preparedness, behavioral sciences or social sciences;

AND

Two (2) years of professional experience in public health emergency preparedness, homeland security, or emergency management.

OR

OPTION 3:

ADVANCE DEGREE and PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

A master’s or doctoral degree from an accredited college or university in public health, emergency preparedness, behavioral sciences or social sciences; may be substituted for the bachelor’s degree and one or two years of professional experience, respectively.

Preferred Qualifications and Essential Competencies:
The following preferred experience(s), competencies and abilities are highly desirable for this position and will be considered in selecting the successful candidate:

• Working knowledge of local and regional partnering agencies in Public Health and Emergency Preparedness
• Proven ability to utilize contemporary technology to create and deliver trainings
• Understanding of effective teaching methodologies and tools
• Proficiency with public speaking
• Knowledge of public health preparedness planning
• Ability to coordinate drills and exercises
• Ability to research and develop training content and technical materials used in support of training and drills or exercises
• Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) trained
• Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills
• Experience providing communication to both internal and external stakeholders
• MS Office and Google platform proficiency

Conditions of Employment:

• A pre-employment criminal background check and financial background check will be conducted as part of the selection process.
• Critical Status: Must be available in the event of an emergency, (e.g., bio-terrorist attack, chemical attack, disease outbreak or all hazards) and be required to report to work immediately at the regular or alternate location. During this time, travel restrictions may be in place.
• Critical Status: Must be available in the event of the activation of the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) and be required to report to work immediately at the regular or alternate location. During this time, travel restrictions may be in place.
• Must maintain ability and willingness to independently travel (approximately 35% of the time) within the designated area(s) to attend meetings and provide training and technical assistance to local and regional public health and associated partners..

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 ([email protected]), 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 acknowledgement 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 complete application packet must include:

• A completed State of Colorado application.
• A resume.
• A cover letter.

The Selection Process:

• All applications that are received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications proceed to the next step.
• Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process.
• Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position may be a structured application review, which involves a review of the information you submit in your application materials by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) against the preferred qualifications.
• A top group, up to six candidates, will be invited to schedule an interview with the hiring manager.

E-Verify: CDPHE uses e-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States to be appointed to this position. CDPHE does not sponsor non-residents of the United States.

ADAAA Accommodations:

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment 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 at [email protected] or call 303-692-2060, option 5.