Business Talent Concierge

Department Information

The Office of Economic Development and International Trade (“OEDIT”) fosters a positive business climate that encourages economic development through support of local and regional economic development activities throughout the State of Colorado. A comprehensive slate of programs within OEDIT’s divisions support economic development efforts for all Colorado businesses – new and expanding, traditional and emerging, small and large – including retention programs to ensure the continued competitiveness of Colorado’s economic base, and job training to keep Colorado’s workforce the best in the nation.

Description of Job

The position offers full-time employment as an exempt, at-will State of Colorado Employee and is time limited through June 2029.

Colorado is a resource rich state and its most vital resource is its people. Just as we cultivate our natural resources to make Colorado a more prosperous state, so too must we invest in and cultivate our citizens. Colorado must have a supply of skilled talent to attract and keep companies and jobs, these are key underpinnings of an effective economic development ecosystem. To be competitive in the global marketplace, Colorado businesses and industries require innovation to support quality, quantity and capacity associated with talent innovation.

The Business Concierge serves as a dedicated employer liaison, working to retain Colorado's primary employers in our advanced industries, through engagement with Skill Advance Colorado and the Opportunity Now Tax Credit. In direct consultation and collaboration with the Director of Talent Innovation, this position delivers high-touch, customized support to businesses seeking sophisticated talent solutions—connecting them with robust talent programs, premier training providers, and strategic partnerships to meet current and projected hiring needs. Collaboration is an intrinsic part of this position’s responsibilities, prioritizing engagement with Colorado community colleges, economic development, industry and education partners.

A primary responsibility of this role is to be a contact for primary employers in advanced industries seeking to capitalize on Colorado’s talent programs, ensuring these valuable state incentives are fully optimized to foster company growth and talent retention within Colorado. This role is instrumental in cultivating Colorado's inclusive and skilled talent pool while directly supporting business expansion and stability by maximizing existing strengths and strategic opportunities.

The ideal candidate will have experience in the following areas:

Customer Relationship Management
Business and Industry Experience
Curriculum development, skills mapping or similar
Sales & Marketing
Experience Navigating Higher Education, Education or similar systems
Program Operations
Experience with tools such as Google suite, Salesforce or other similar tools
Demonstrate a willingness to self-initiate and learn government processes, such as budgets, procurement, digital tools, invoicing, travel, etc.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

This role requires 50% travel with the majority of the travel in Colorado. Occasional after hours and weekends events are part of the role. Travel will support activities conducted onsite with employers and regional partners.

The Concierge is responsible for:

Employer Engagement & Client Advisory

With a focus on primary employers in advanced industries, support and serve as the contact for Colorado employers seeking advanced talent solutions, with a particular emphasis on guiding them through the Skill Advance and Opportunity Now Tax Credit programs.
As identified as a strategic priority with OEDIT and businesses, conduct comprehensive needs assessments, using Talent Pipeline Management to understand organizational hiring objectives, critical skill gaps, and strategic timelines, always seeking to identify how existing regional assets can be leveraged for competitive advantage.
Utilize talent pipeline management tools and strategies to support local regions and industries in identifying economic development opportunities in alignment with talent strategies and needs.
Support advising employers on navigating the talent development landscape, including access to premier talent pipelines, strategic training incentives, apprenticeship initiatives, and critical upskilling resources, highlighting the distinct advantages of state-sponsored initiatives like the Skill Advance and Opportunity Now Tax Credit.

Industry Solution Architecture

Partner with regional economic development entities, workforce boards, higher education institutions, K–12 systems, and specialized training providers to co-design bespoke talent strategies aligned with precise employer requirements, always seeking to maximize the efficacy of available talent development supports.
Coordinate with leading talent intermediaries for customized employer solutions, ensuring these collaborations fortify Colorado's overall talent ecosystem.
Proactively inform and assist employers on the benefits and seamless application process for the Skill Advance, Opportunity Now Tax Credit, and related programs, enabling them to optimize these programs to enhance their talent capabilities and reduce operational training expenditures.

Cross-Sector Collaboration & Integration

Collaborate closely with OEDIT’s industry vertical leads, state agencies, community colleges, the CHIPS team, and regional economic development partners to ensure a cohesive, unified approach to leveraging Colorado's collective talent strengths.
With the director, support the implementation of statewide business partnership strategies and the talent components embedded within incentive packages, strategically integrating the Skill Advance and Opportunity Now Tax Credit as a core mechanism for business retention and organic growth.

Data-Driven Intelligence & Performance Reporting

In collaboration with OEDIT’s talent team, related teams, and other state agencies, monitor regional and industry-specific talent trends; disseminate actionable insights to OEDIT teams and partners, emphasizing successful applications of strategic solutions and tax credit program utilization.
Monitor industry employment trends and represent Colorado’s value proposition to target industries in collaboration with the Global Business Development division.
With OEDIT’s talent team, track employer engagements and outcome metrics within Salesforce, including the effective utilization and measurable impact of the Skill Advance and Opportunity Now Tax Credit, and prepare executive briefings for leadership and key stakeholders.

Communications

Proactive community college engagement in collaboration with other team members and the director
Collaborate with OEDIT’s communications team to focus on social posts and relevant story-telling regarding talent innovation work
Support for skills-based hiring for the JGITC and similar intersections in work across OEDIT

Other

Other duties as identified by the director in consultation with the executive director and deputies.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Required:

Exceptional relationship management and communication skills across private and public sector stakeholders, with a demonstrated consultative advisory approach.
In-depth understanding of Colorado’s talent, education, and economic development systems, including specific, demonstrable familiarity with the Skill Advance, Opportunity Now Tax Credit, and similar programs.

AND

10+ years of progressive experience in B-to-B sales, talent development, economic development, corporate engagement, or talent acquisition, with a proven ability to identify and leverage

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, human resources, organizational development, public policy, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).
5+ years of progressive experience in talent development, economic development, corporate engagement, or talent acquisition, with a proven ability to identify and leverage community and state programs/resources for business benefit.

Other:

Willingness and ability to travel up to 50% of the time
Located in Colorado

Preferred:

Direct experience designing or implementing strategic talent solutions for industry sectors, with a strong focus on program strategies.
Familiarity with federal/state talent programs (e.g., apprenticeship grants, Work-Based Learning incentives), and direct experience administering or promoting tax credit programs for businesses.
Proficiency in enterprise CRM tools such as Salesforce.

Required Competencies

Client-Centric Mindset: Possesses a deep commitment to understanding and addressing employer needs, serving as a trusted advisor to help them unlock Colorado's talent advantages.
Strategic Execution: Demonstrates exceptional coordination and follow-through across multiple stakeholders, ensuring seamless integration of complex solutions like the Skill Advance and Opportunity Now Tax Credit.
Systems Thinking: Thinks systemically, adept at bridging policy, human capital, and practical solutions, recognizing and maximizing the inherent potential of existing resources for business growth.
Economic Mobility: Possesses a strong passion for fostering economic mobility and driving talent innovation, committed to strengthening Colorado's talent pool through strategic program optimization.
Proactive & Solution-Oriented: Anticipates business needs and proactively connects them with the most effective state programs, including the Skill Advance and Opportunity Now Tax Credit, to achieve their critical talent objectives.
Consultative Communicator: Excels at building rapport and trust with diverse business and public sector stakeholders, ensuring clear and concise communication regarding sophisticated programs and strategic opportunities.

Supplemental Information

Salary Range: $86,000 - $94,000 Annually

This position is considered non-classified, which means the position is not part of the Colorado State Personnel System. Therefore, the individual appointed to this position is considered at-will, and is not covered by the State Personnel Rules or the State Classification System. However, this position does come with the same benefits (retirement, insurance, etc.) as every other State employee, and with the same opportunities, pride and passion that comes with working for the great State of Colorado. Even though employment is at-will, non-classified positions have protections against discrimination and retaliation in state and federal employment laws. “At-will” employment means that either the employee or the State may terminate the employment relationship at any time for any reason or no reason, with or without notice or cause, as long as no federal or state law is violated.

A wide salary range is posted for this position and any job offer is based upon a salary analysis to comply with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. The salary analysis considers relevant experience, education, certifications, and state seniority as compared to others doing substantially similar work. While all offers are compliant with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, there is no guarantee an offer will be at the top of the posted range based on the salary analysis.

Benefits

The State of Colorado/Office of the Governor offers generous benefits to full-time employees including:

Annual leave accrued at 13.33 hours per month
Sick leave accrued at 6.66 hours a month
11 paid holidays per year
Medical plans - choice of Cigna or Kaiser; several plan options (including High Deductible Health Plan with HSA); most plans offered with significant state contribution towards premium
Dental and vision plans
Flexible spending accounts
State-paid life insurance policy of $50,000
Choice of 2 retirement plans (defined contribution or defined benefit) with generous state contribution
Optional 401(k) and 457 plans for additional retirement savings
State-paid short-term disability coverage
Additional optional life and disability plans
Access to the Colorado State Employee Assistance Program
Membership opportunity with the Credit Union of Colorado
RTD (transit) EcoPass
Training and professional development

To learn more about State of Colorado benefits, please visit: https://www.colorado.gov/dhr/benefits

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

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.

To learn more about the “State of Colorado For All”, visit our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion website.

ADAAA Accommodations

The Office of the Governor 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 Staffing Coordinator, the Director of Human Resources: jennifer.salvatore@state.co.us

Application

Your application must provide sufficient detail about your background and experience to allow the screening panel to properly assess your experience in the required elements, including your experience and achievements.

To be considered for this position, we request a resume and cover letter. Due to the large volume of resumes we receive, we do not acknowledge receipt of each application and are unable to give status updates. If a strong match is found between your qualifications and the requirements of the position, a member of the recruiting staff will contact you to further discuss the career opportunity.

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