Department Information

Welcome to the Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC) located in the Platte River Valley in downtown Denver. AHEC is the service provider for 43,000 students and approximately 5000 faculty and staff working at and attending the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver and the University of Colorado Denver. Learn more about us through this link: Auraria Higher Education Center

Auraria employees enjoy an excellent benefits package which includes paid vacation, holidays and sick leave, discounted RTD Eco-Pass, BenefitHub (medical, dental, disability, life), and outstanding retirement plan. Learn more through this link: Benefits Package.

If you're interested in a great job working alongside great people, this may be the opportunity for which you've been waiting!

Description of Job

This position is non-classified. Non-classified employees are those employees not within the state personnel system and are overseen by their respective state agencies or institutions of higher education.

Established in 1858 by a small group of miners, Auraria was the traditional territories and ancestral homelands of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Ute nations, and served as an epicenter for trade, community, family building, and more. Located on the banks of the Cherry Creek in the heart of downtown Denver, Auraria is Denver’s oldest neighborhood, predating the city’s establishment. Auraria today is the thriving campus of the Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC) that opened in 1976. To honor the rich history of this land, community and families of Auraria who lived, worked, and worshiped at Auraria, AHEC seeks a dynamic leader to share the stories and rich history of the Aurarians and Historic 9th Street. In collaboration with our campus partners, we intend to explore the deep roots and rich history of this land to uncover the stories of the diverse families who lived, worked, and worshiped in Auraria. It’s important that we continue to acknowledge the sacrifice and honor the legacies of the families displaced and the Indigenous Peoples before them. The decision to provide this sacred land in order to create a permanent home for Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and University of Colorado Denver was a difficult one. We strive to honor the families of Auraria and their generous contribution, which made this public campus of higher education possible to benefit so many.

Reporting to the Chief Activation Officer, this position is responsible for the strategy, direction and leadership of Historic 9th Street and working with the displaced Aurarian communities, the Indigenous communities, and other partners to curate the story of Auraria and create a space of information, connection and healing. This position will also assist with community outreach and special events for the campus.

This position's responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Community Outreach and Activation
We believe in the power of collaboration and the collective construction of lasting solutions.
The Director will establish and sustain strategic partnerships with government, community and institutions to build awareness for Historic 9th Street Park and all historic properties on Auraria Campus. Working closely with internal and external stakeholders, the Director will activate Historic 9th Street Park and other historic sites by curating events to celebrate the Auraria heritage and campus community. Activation will include hosting and co-host events, gatherings, convenings, and other opportunities for exchange, sharing, and bridge building. This role will bring in grants and sponsorships to create healing spaces where co-creation and relationship building can further awareness of needs and on-the-ground solutions. This position will collaborate with institutional partners on educational programing, tours, research, scholarly presentations and impactful academic events.

Development and Preservation Efforts
The Auraria Executives Council is working to create a 9th Street taskforce that will work with community partners, representatives from the three higher education institutions on campus, AHEC, and the Auraria Board of Directors to develop a strategy for the historic district of campus, including 9th Street Park. This position will be on the taskforce and will help spearhead AHEC and the Auraria Board of Directors’ efforts regarding community engagement and development. Working closely alongside the Chief Activation Officer and the Director of Campus Planning, this position will focus on engaging both the Displaced Aurarian community and the Indigenous community as we work to tell the story of Auraria and continue to develop our historic district.

Responsibilities:

• Translates the goals, objectives, and policies of the 9th Street Historic Park Task Force into programs, projects, and activities
• Work with partners to tell the story of Aurarians and 9th street
• Deepen relationships with indigenous communities to honor and celebrate the rich cultural heritage and history on campus
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to celebrate significant cultural events and milestones on campus, create an event calendar.
• Serves as the AHEC liaison to City of Denver Landmarks Preservation
• Prepares and presents reports and recommendations to AEC, boards, agencies, and the general public
• Coordinates the work of staff and volunteers involved in historic preservation functions
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders on administering and managing grants for historic preservation projects
• Consults on interpretive programs for AHEC-owned historic properties
• Collaborate with Campus Planning on historic preservation and identifying areas for new development and enhancement on the park
• Train, supervise, and monitor volunteers

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Education:

• Bachelor's degree in business, communications, or directly related field

Experience:

• At least 4 years of experience with community outreach and partnerships preferred
• Event planning and management experience strongly preferred
• Grant writing and management skills preferred

Abilities:

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders; communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; and oversee work of volunteers
• Ability to negotiate solutions to complex problems
• Effective interpersonal skills and ability to work successfully with community at large as well as other entities across institutions

• Effective September 20, 2021, employees may be required to attest to and verify whether or not they are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Employees who have not been fully vaccinated may be required to submit to serial testing in the future. Upon hire, new employees will have three (3) business days to provide attestation to their status with proof of vaccination. Vaccinated employees must provide proof of vaccination.
• Note: Fully Vaccinated means two (2) weeks after a second dose in a two-dose series of the COVID-19 vaccine, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or two (2) weeks after the single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine, as defined by the most recent State of Colorado’s Public Health Order and current guidance issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.

Supplemental Information

Colorado Partnership for Quality Jobs and Services Act information:
After careful review of this position and the duties that it performs, it has been designated in accordance with the Colorado Partnership for Quality Jobs and Services Act as a "Not Covered" position, it does not fall in the category of employees that are eligible for representation by COWINS, also known as the union. To learn more about this designation please visit this link: http://coloradowins.org/

Applicant Checklist & Minimum Qualifications:
E-mail Address:
All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be conducted by email.

Applicant Checklist:
We request that you include the following in your application:

• Cover Letter detailing how your experience & education meet minimum and preferred qualifications
• Resume detailing a summary of work history

Only applications submitted by the closing date for this announcement will be given consideration.

Minimum Qualifications
Your application as submitted is used to determine if you meet Minimum Qualifications. Please read the Minimum Qualifications and ensure that information in your application "draw correlations" to the Minimum Qualifications. Human Resources Analysts will not infer that you meet the Minimum Qualifications if information isn't detailed in your application.

*Years of experience will be expressed in terms of full-time equivalent service with full-time workload equal to one (1) Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) year. No more than 1.00 FTE year may be credited in any twelve (12) month period. Positions working 40 hours or less per week will be pro-rated (30 hrs/wk=0.75 FTE=9 mos credit; 20 hrs/wk=0.5 FTE=6 mos credit; 10 hrs/wk=0.25 FTE=3 mos credit.) *

Commitment to 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.

Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC) 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 Nicole Yanez at nicole.yanez@ahec.edu