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

As a US Small Business Administration (SBA) program, the Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network is dedicated to helping small businesses throughout Colorado achieve their goals of growth, expansion, innovation, increased productivity, management improvement, and success. The SBDC Network has 14 service centers across the state hosted by universities/colleges, city and county governments, economic development agencies, chambers of commerce, and incubators. The SBDC provides no-cost business consulting and no- or low-cost training for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs on topics including business planning, accessing capital, marketing, regulatory compliance, technology development, international trade, and similar areas impacting business operations.

The Business Support Division consists of four major programs within OEDIT: Employee Ownership Office (EOO), Cannabis Business Office (CBO), Minority Business Office (MBO), and the SBDC Network.

Description Of Job

Position Overview

The position offers full-time employment as an exempt, at-will State of Colorado Employee with an anticipated duration through December 2026, with the possibility of extension based on available funding.

The Marketing and Outreach Manager will coordinate the marketing and communications channels of the Colorado SBDC Network to support new and existing programming, ensure brand alignment, and ensure digital accessibility of all SBDC resources. The position will work in conjunction with the SBDC Network staff, OEDIT’s Business Support Division, and OEDIT’s Marketing & Communications team to align and coordinate the overall marketing and communications strategy driving outreach for small business owners.

We seek candidates with a passion for public relations (PR), accessibility, and communications, and those who thrive in a collaborative environment where they are enthusiastic to work with different stakeholders across the SBDC statewide network and OEDIT. The position will cultivate state government experience, an understanding of economic development in Colorado, experience to enhance knowledge around digital accessibility, and opportunities to craft marketing and communications skills.

Key Duties And Responsibilities

 Connect business owners impacted by COVID-19 with no- or low-cost SBDC and OEDIT resources to aid in recovery and resiliency 

 Coordinate PR and communications activities for the SBDC Network to increase reach and access to recovery and resiliency support 

 Develop and execute a comprehensive PR strategy for the Network, in conjunction with leadership and the SBDC network 

 Ensure all SBDC materials are accessible and compliant with HB21-1110 , which stipulates an individual with a disability must not, by reason of the individual’s disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of services, programs, or activities provided by the SBDC and OEDIT 

 Transition and maintain accessible websites for the SBDC network onto the Drupal platform; work with SBDC Service Centers on content updates, maintenance, and troubleshooting 

 Develop, design, and promote social media updates, website content, media relations content, newsletters, and marketing collateral, in coordination with the OEDIT Marketing and Communications (MarComm) team, to effectively market programs locally, statewide, and nationally 

 Coordinate with MarComm on SBDC press releases and media engagements 

 Collect and build content such as client success stories, video interviews, reels, etc. to track and demonstrate the effectiveness of programming and its impact on the community 

 Work with the SBDC network to coordinate marketing efforts statewide and create a guide for brand consistency 

 Co-manage the project to develop the SBDC Network annual report, including coordinating the design, content, and production of the report 

 Support nominations and marketing of SBDC/SBA awards 

 Research and develop effective communications channels, such as text messaging, to reach underserved communities that may not be using traditional communications channels 

 Support event development, planning, and management 

 Work with the Business Support Learning and Development Manager to develop marketing strategies for online learning programming 

 Collaborate with the OEDIT MarComm Division when applicable 

 Other duties as assigned 

Disclaimer: This posting provides a high-level job definition. It is not intended to provide a comprehensive or exclusive list of job duties. As such, job duties and/or responsibilities within the context of this job posting may change at the discretion of the employee’s direct supervisor.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions Of Employment & Appeal Rights

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities preferred.

 Demonstrated experience in developing and telling the story of a brand 

 Experience with website content management, preferably on the Drupal platform 

 Understanding of digital accessibility and experience in creating accessible content 

 Basic understanding of SEO/Google analytics, or willingness to learn 

 Comfortable using Canva or software within Adobe Creative Cloud including InDesign and Photoshop 

 Experience managing business social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as Twitter) 

 Leading and/or managing projects from concept to delivery, with previous project management experience preferable 

 Outstanding customer service skills, including maintaining a positive attitude, actively listening to needs, and calmly responding to requests 

 Comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, able to prioritize multiple initiatives 

 Must be a creative and strategic thinker with effective oral and written communication 

 Proven exceptional grammar and editing skills 

 Ability to do detailed work 

 Self-motivated team player who can problem solve, with previous change management experience preferable 

 Ability to work a hybrid schedule in downtown Denver and remotely 

Competencies

 Communication: Is understood by and understands others; effectively persuades and influences others; clearly articulates key points when writing and speaking; active listener 

 Teamwork: Builds and supports effective teams; encourages a spirit of participation and belonging; enhances group cohesiveness by emphasizing team objectives and reinforcing cooperation 

 Creativity: Able to think independently and creatively in digital marketing, content development, and implementation of statewide program initiatives, while meeting regulatory and policy guidance (e.g., accessibility legislation, federal grant regulations) 

 Relationship Management: Builds collaborative relationships and effectively manages relationships within OEDIT, with the SBDC Network (includes SBDC Service Center Directors and staff statewide), and with external community partners 

Education / Experience

 3+ years of experience in PR or marketing and communications in an office/business environment (this may include internships, volunteer work, or other applicable experience) 

 Demonstrated acumen and excitement to work at the convergence of public sectors at the local, state, and federal level supporting private sector businesses 

 BA preferred in marketing, communications, public relations, or related fields but relevant experience will be considered as an alternative 

 Basic understanding of digital accessibility 

 Experience with project management, change management, and/or process improvement is preferred 

Conditions of Employment

 Applicants must pass a thorough background check prior to employment. 

 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 their application from the current position. 

Supplemental Information

Salary Range: $60,000 - $65,000 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.

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.