Regional Officer

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) uses a portion of state lottery proceeds to protect and enhance Colorado’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers, and open spaces in all 64 counties. It awards competitive grants to local governments, land trusts, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), and makes investments directly through CPW. Created by voters in 1992, GOCO is governed by a 17-member board that is appointed by the governor and uses no tax dollars. GOCO’s staff is expanding from 17 to 21 full-time employees to better serve the people of Colorado. 

GOCO's work is guided by its 2020 strategic plan rooted in these values:

• Resource conservation | We value strategic land conservation and resource protection work.
• Outdoor stewardship | We support sustainability of and improvements to the state's natural and recreational resources.
• Community vitality | We invest in conservation and outdoor recreation efforts that support communities and quality of life.
• Equitable access | We partner with communities to break down barriers to the outdoors.
• Youth connections | We support projects and programs that help children and families get outside more often and experience the benefits of doing so.

For more information, please visit www.GOCO.org.

Great Outdoors Colorado has four (4) positions available for a Regional Officer in multiple locations across the state. (Please see location requirements below)

This is a full-time (40 hours/week) exempt position. 

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Regional Officer works to advance GOCO’s mission and pursue shared values in outdoor recreation and conservation with the region’s diverse range of partners and their priorities and projects. With a collaborative approach, this position is responsible for advancing strategic direction and for implementing and evaluating GOCO’s competitive grant program portfolio. The Regional Officer cultivates positive and productive relationships among GOCO board members, GOCO staff, partners, and other constituents in service of the organization’s mission. The Regional Officer reports to the Manager of Programs with frequent and substantive interaction with the Director of Programs, Executive Director, and GOCO board.

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

PROGRAM PORTFOLIO IMPLEMENTATION

• Work with Director of Programs, Manager of Programs, and fellow Regional Officers to launch, execute, and evaluate GOCO’s program portfolio.
• Work with partners to understand how program values of resource conservation are locally defined and interpreted, align project concepts with funding opportunities, and iterate partner ideas to advance program values to achieve successful outcomes.                                                               
• Support partner success within the program portfolio through project development assistance, network development, application development, one-on-one coaching, and ongoing feedback.

PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

• Maximize time meeting with partners and others in their communities to learn more about their unique cultures, consider their needs, and work together to best align their values and priorities with GOCO’s values and programmatic offerings.
• Work with regional partners to identify opportunities to provide regional partners with resources, training, and shared learning opportunities to support success as it is related to outdoor recreation, conservation, and equity; identify ways GOCO can help advance solutions to those issues.
• Identify opportunities to convene or participate in groups with common interests and missions and share knowledge and resources to develop collaborative funding opportunities.

GRANT CYCLE IMPLEMENTATION

• Work dynamically with program staff to manage grant program cycles including, developing the annual grantmaking calendar, setting and revising grant program criteria, and leading or participating in the project review process.
• Collect and assess project concepts and applications and evaluate project modification requests.
• Prepare and present grant recommendations to board committee and full board, and support grant officers with grants administration.
• Work with program staff and partners to ensure equitable access to GOCO funding and make grantmaking processes clear and efficient.

MEASUREMENT & EVALUATION 

• Participate in the development and execution of an evaluation strategy for GOCO’s program portfolio and the redevelopment and refinement of grant programs, as necessary.
• Participate in the evaluation of programs to ensure desired outcomes are met, demonstrate the effectiveness of GOCO’s approach, identify areas for improvement, and share impacts of our partners’ projects.

• Participate in regular gap and opportunity analysis of the portfolio’s advancement of program values in conjunction with grant award cycles.

OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT

• Serve on steering committees, working groups, etc. to further GOCO’s mission and successfully foster relationships with regional partners by building trust through ongoing dialogue.
• Prepare session proposals and presentations as needed to represent GOCO as presenter, panelist, and attendee at statewide and national conferences.

• Manage grantee events by receiving invitations, determining GOCO’s level of participation, recruiting staff and board participation, preparing speaking points when necessary, and collecting photos.

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION

• Develop and share specialized knowledge and content expertise as it relates to key topics in GOCO’s work while clearly and concisely articulating problems, issues, opportunities, and potential solutions to team members.
• Work collaboratively with finance and operations team to manage allocation of funds and annual spending plans, administer grants database and mapping functions.
• Work collaboratively with the communications team on developing and delivering external program related communications strategies.

GOCO INTERNAL VALUES

• Strategic: Fit your work within GOCO’s overarching strategy and execute programs and projects against it, consistently evaluating results and communicating insights to help inform the organization’s evolving direction.
• : Treat others in a positive manner with recognition and appreciation for their distinct value, opinions, and contributions.
• : Take responsibility for your individual and team work to advance GOCO’s vision and priorities.

• Organizational Citizens: Create and participate in a culture that fosters growth, engagement, support, and success.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Four years of demonstrated professional experience.
• A demonstrated commitment to customer service, a positive and constructive view, practice of working with others, and building relationships with people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and cultures.
• A commitment to furthering GOCO’s mission to preserve, protect, and enhance the state’s wildlife, park, river, trail, and open space heritage and shared interest in outdoor parks/ recreation and/or community development.
• The ability to communicate clearly and succinctly through spoken and written communications.
• Comfortable making presentations to small and large groups.

PREFERRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE:

• Completion of a higher education or training.
• Adaptability to changing priorities.
• Ability to prioritize and manage a high volume of diverse projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong computer skills, including experience with Microsoft Office products.
• Experience with database and/or customer relationship management programs.
• Consistent willingness to learn and upgrade skills to meet GOCO’s needs.
• A high level of diplomacy, tact, and optimism with a “can do” orientation.
• Geographical knowledge of Colorado.

LOCATION REQUIREMENTS & OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

Location Requirements:

• We have four (4) positions available – one position in each of the four regions listed below. Applicants must live in or be willing to relocate to the region of application.
  1. (Colorado counties in the region: Grand, Jackson, Kit Carson, Larimer, Logan, Moffat, Morgan, Phillips, Routt, Sedgwick, Yuma, Washington, and Weld) (Colorado counties in the region: Baca, Bent, Cheyenne, Crowley, Custer, El Paso, Fremont, Huerfano, Kiowa, Las Animas, Lincoln, Otero, Prowers, Pueblo, and Teller) Central/San Luis Valley (Colorado counties in the region: Alamosa, Archuleta, Chaffee, Conejos, Costilla, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Lake, Mineral, Park, Rio Grande, and Saguache) (Colorado counties in the region: Delta, Dolores, Eagle, Garfield, La Plata, Mesa, Montrose, Montezuma, Ouray, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, San Juan, San Miguel, and Summit)

• GOCO’s headquarters remain in Denver, but through the regional officer positions, we are expanding our programs team for greater local, on-the-ground presence. Our regional officers will work remotely in their own communities with the option to work from home or work with GOCO to find suitable, close-to-home workspace.

• Willingness and ability to travel. There will be travel that requires overnight stays.Expect approximately 20-25 overnight stays per year. GOCO provides transportation, accommodations, covers the cost of food and other reasonable expenses.
• Willingness to attend weekend and evening meetings, workshops, conferences, and events in Colorado.

Other Requirements:

• Valid driver’s license.
• Physical demands may involve:
• Lifting materials and equipment – including, but not limited to, office supplies, event supplies, and boxes of swag – up to 25 pounds.
• Working in variable weather conditions at remote locations on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.

COMPENSATION:

• Starting salary is based on education, experience, skills, and other job-related factors.
• Salary range for the position: $52,167-$73,033
• Hiring range for the position: $52,167-$62,600

• Bonus Eligibility: Employees are eligible to earn one-time bonuses after six months of employment for achieving significant business objectives as determined by the Executive Director.

BENEFITS:

• The position is eligible for a full and competitive benefits package, which includes:
• Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Account / Flexible Spending Account
• Life Insurance
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
• Short & Long-term Disability / Maternity & Paternity Leave
• Pension Plan / Mandatory Deferred Compensation Plan
• Vacation & Sick Leaves / Holiday Pay
• Training & Educational Opportunities
• Commuter Benefits

APPLICATION PROCESS AND TIMELINES:

Interested candidates should submit a resume and letter of interest to resumes@goco.org. Please include “Regional Officer (Region That You Are Applying For)” in your subject line. Please indicate which region you are submitting your application for in your letter of interest.

All resumes and letters of interest must be received no later than 4:00 p.m., Monday, April 12, 2021, to be considered.

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and others who identify as nonwhite, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community are encouraged to apply for this role. 

Great Outdoors Colorado is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected status, or any other characteristic protected by law.