Operations Director Jobs in Colorado
Operations Director jobs in Colorado are concentrated in Denver, Colorado Springs, and Boulder, where companies like Lockheed Martin, UCHealth, and TIAA maintain large operational footprints and hire regularly at the senior leadership level. Demand is strongest in aerospace and defense operations, healthcare systems management, and technology services, reflecting the industries that define the state's economy. Candidates range from mid-career managers stepping into their first director role to seasoned executives overseeing multi-site portfolios. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Job Summary
The HR Director for Partner Services, Operations provides senior-level HR leadership for the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations and the units it supports. This position advises executive and senior leaders on complex HR issues, supervises the HR team supporting Operations and works across workforce planning, employee and labor relations, compensation, performance management, employee engagement, organizational development, policy interpretation, leave and HR operations. The role helps leaders make practical decisions that are consistent with policy, compliance requirements, risk considerations and HR best practices. Because the position operates in a public-sector higher education environment, it requires strong knowledge of State of Colorado classified staff requirements, partnership agreements, State Personnel Board Rules and campus and system policies. The HR Director works directly with central Human Resources, Legal, Employee Relations, Organizational and Employee Development and other campus and system partners.
The HR Director works regularly with the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations and central Human Resources, Legal, Employee Relations, Organizational and Employee Development, Talent Acquisition, and other campus and system partners. This position reports to the Assistant Vice Chancellor, HR Partner Services in Central HR, with a dotted reporting line to the Associate Vice Chancellor and Senior Executive Advisor to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations.
Strategic Advisory Role
This role advises executive and senior leaders on sensitive and complex HR matters. The HR Director helps leaders identify workforce risks, understand policy and legal considerations, address public-sector and classified staff requirements, and make decisions that support the strategic direction and operational goals of the division. The role integrates workforce planning, succession planning, talent strategy, and organizational effectiveness to support employee engagement, compliance and operational continuity.
The HR Director must be able to work across a broad range of HR issues, including recruitment and selection, leadership staffing decisions, performance management, employee development, succession, discipline, and separation, and bring the right partners and stakeholders into the discussion. The role also ensures that HR guidance is implemented throughout the Division of Operations, and that leaders receive consistent service and follow-through.
The HR Director is expected to resolve matters at the appropriate level, recognize when an issue exceeds divisional authority or expertise, and promptly escalate sensitive, complex, or high-risk matters to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations or the appropriate campus or system partner.
Units Supported
- Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations (SVCO)
- Department of Public Safety (DPS)
- Employee Health and Well-being (EHWB)
- Office of Compliance, Ethics, & Policy (OCEP)
- Office of Information Technology (OIT)
- Department of Human Resources (HR)
Who We Are
What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
The responsibilities below describe the primary work of the position, including senior-level HR advising, day-to-day HR generalist support, supervision of HR staff and coordination with campus partners.
Executive Consultation and Strategic HR Advising
- Serve as a senior HR advisor to executive and unit leaders on complex workforce, organizational, employee and compliance matters.
- Translate divisional priorities and operational goals into integrated workforce, talent, and HR plans, processes and recommendations.
- Advise leaders on sensitive personnel issues, leadership staffing decisions, talent risks, policy interpretation, employee relations concerns, succession, organizational change and workforce continuity.
- Work with central HR (Employee Relations, Talent Acquisition, Organizational and Employee Development), Legal, and other subject-matter experts to ensure recommendations are coordinated, compliant and consistent with university practice.
- Use workforce data, HR analytics, professional judgment and knowledge of the organization to support leaders’ decision-making.
- Provide direct leadership and supervision for the HR team supporting Operations units by establishing priorities and service expectations, assigning and reviewing work, coaching staff and building team capacity.
- Serve as the divisional escalation point for complex, sensitive, or high-risk HR matters requiring senior-level judgment, coordinated review, or executive awareness.
- Review HR team deliverables, communications, and recommendations for accuracy, consistency and alignment with university practices and the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations’ vision.
- Provide direct supervision, performance guidance, training, coaching, and development for HR team members to strengthen generalist skills, compliance knowledge, sound judgment and consistent service delivery.
- Evaluate and improve unit-level HR programs, workflows and processes.
- Advise executive and unit leaders on workforce planning, staffing models, organizational structure, leadership capacity, succession planning, recruitment priorities and talent risks.
- Assess current and future workforce needs and recommend talent acquisition, development, retention, succession, or organizational approaches that support operational priorities and continuity.
- Support organizational design, reporting-line changes, reorganizations and growth planning with unit leaders and campus partners.
- Facilitate succession planning, development planning, and strategies to retain and grow high-potential employees; partner with Talent Acquisition and unit leaders to define and execute recruiting strategies for critical, specialized and leadership roles.
- Advise leaders on complex employee grievances, performance concerns, disciplinary actions, investigations, workplace conflict and sensitive employee matters.
- Coordinate with Employee Relations, Legal, the Senior Executive Aide to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations, and other subject-matter experts on matters requiring specialized review, executive awareness, or escalation.
- Help leaders make sound, well-documented decisions that account for employee impact, policy requirements, operational needs and legal or reputational risk.
- Provide guidance to leaders on employee relations practices, performance documentation, workplace expectations and when to escalate concerns.
- Advise leaders on compensation considerations, including pay equity, market alignment, compression, range of penetration, length of service and internal consistency.
- Oversee unit compensation review and assignment in partnership with central HR and compensation experts.
- Review the staff's annual merit roster process and support consistent, well-documented compensation decisions.
- Use compensation data to identify issues, develop recommendations and support consistent decision-making.
- Oversee the staff performance management cycle, including communications, leader guidance, documentation expectations and unit-level calibration sessions.
- Advise leaders on performance concerns, corrective action, goal setting, accountability and use of performance tools and processes.
- Support performance management approaches for units that do not use Cornerstone or have different performance systems.
- Partner with leaders and Employee Relations to ensure performance concerns are addressed consistently and fairly.
- Advise leaders on employee engagement strategies that support retention, culture, operational effectiveness and employee experience.
- Serve as a unit Engagement Champion by supporting survey communication, action planning, assessment and follow-through.
- Help leaders interpret engagement data, identify themes and develop practical recommendations.
- Support employee listening strategies and culture-building efforts across Operations units.
HR Reporting and Technology
- Develop and interpret HR reports, workforce data and HR analytics for divisional and unit leadership, as necessary.
- Use data to identify trends, inform workforce recommendations, evaluate HR processes, and support leaders’ decision-making.
- Support unit leaders and HR staff through HR technology implementations, including communication, training, adoption and change management.
- Oversee learning and training related to HR technologies and related processes.
Leave and System Policies
- Serve as a senior resource on CU System and campus policies, federal and state employment requirements, and HR best practices.
- Lead leave, reasonable accommodation, and related employer processes for supported units in coordination with campus and system partners.
- Advise leaders on policy interpretation, documentation, process consistency, and risk considerations.
- Work with Human Resources, Legal, ADA, and other offices to support consistent application of policies and processes.
Learning and Organizational Development
- Partner with Organizational and Employee Development on learning, leadership development, team effectiveness, and organizational development needs.
- Identify learning and development gaps and recommend programs, resources, or interventions.
- Advise leaders on change management, onboarding, leadership transitions, organizational culture, and team development.
- Support development of individual-contributors, managers and executive onboarding approaches.
Continuous Improvement
- Improve HR processes, workflows, service delivery and leader-facing HR guidance.
- Identify opportunities to clarify roles, improve coordination, reduce duplication and strengthen consistency across supported units.
- Support organizational change, operational transitions and evolving workforce needs by helping leaders design practical HR solutions.
- Maintain knowledge of HR trends, best practices, higher education HR guidelines, public- and private-sector practices and emerging compliance issues.
Position Context and Scope
This position supports a complex group of Operations units with different structures, compliance needs, employee populations, schedules, and work environments. The HR Director must provide practical, senior-level HR guidance, involve specialized partners when needed and help ensure unit decisions are consistent with university, campus, system, state, federal and regulatory requirements.
Employee Types Supported
- Classified Staff
- Graduate Appointments
- Retirees
- Student Employees and Stipend Employees
- Temporary Staff
- University Staff
Scope of Support
- Support internal employee survey processes, including survey development, communication, interpretation of results and division-specific recommendations.
- Coordinate Global Professional Employer Organization employee logistics, including procurement, contracts, onboarding, compliance and stakeholder coordination.
- Support workforce development, organizational planning and change management for growing or evolving Operations functions.
- Maintain and interpret compensation data, including length of service, range of penetration, compression, equity and market adjustment considerations.
- Support compliance with partnership agreements and State Personnel Board Rules for classified staff.
- Coordinate with central HR and Public Safety's Internal Affairs team on employee relations matters requiring specialized review or escalation.
- Support the distinct cultural, operational, and HR needs of Public Safety employees and leaders.
- Support the development of individual- contributors, managers and executive onboarding programs.
- Support employees and leaders in units with non-standard schedules, varied work environments and operational coverage needs.
- Provide oversight for student employee populations, including Employee Health and Well-being, OIT and Public Safety student employees.
What You Should Know
What We Can Offer
This is a full-time University Staff position based in Boulder, Colorado. The annual salary range is $136,300-$175,000.
Benefits
At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one of Forbes' America's Best Large Employers, ranking #4 among large employers in Colorado and #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.
Be Statements
What We Require
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Five or more years of progressive professional human resources experience, including lead or supervisory responsibility.
- Experience providing HR consultation across multiple HR areas, such as workforce planning, employee and labor relations, compensation, performance management, engagement, organizational development, policy interpretation, leave or ADA processes, or HR operations.
- Experience advising senior leaders on workforce, employee relations, organizational effectiveness, or people-related initiatives.
- Experience leading, supervising, coaching, or assigning work to HR staff or HR professionals.
- Experience applying employment laws, policies, documentation standards, and HR best practices to support organizational needs and reduce risk.
- Experience working with central HR, legal counsel, employee relations professionals, or other subject-matter experts to resolve complex HR matters.
What We Would Like You to Have
- Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Higher Education Administration, Organizational Development, Public Administration, or related fields.
- Seven or more years of progressively responsible HR leadership experience, including experience leading HR teams and partnering with senior executives.
- Experience as a senior HR generalist or HR business partner in a complex, decentralized, matrixed, public-sector, higher education, public safety, technology, or similarly complex organization.
- Experience advising executive leaders on workforce planning, organizational effectiveness, complex personnel matters, risk mitigation and change management.
- Experience supporting multiple employee groups common to higher education, including classified staff, university staff, temporary employees, student employees, retirees, graduate appointments, or stipend employees.
- Experience leading organizational change initiatives, including reorganizations, workforce planning, succession planning, organizational design, culture and engagement initiatives, or new HR process implementation.
- Knowledge of higher education employment laws, state personnel systems, public-sector HR practices, partnership agreements and university policies and procedures.
- Expertise in employee and labor relations, including investigations, grievances, disciplinary actions, performance management, documentation, partnership agreements, and collaboration with legal counsel.
- Experience using HR data, analytics and compensation information to advise leaders and support consistent decision-making.
- Professional HR certification, such as SHRM-SCP, SHRM-CP, SPHR, or IPMA-HR certification.
Special Instructions
To apply, please submit the following materials:
- A current resume.
- A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.
We may request references at a later time.
Please apply by Oct. 5th, 2026, for consideration.
Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.
Posting Contact Information
Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources
Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu
Requisition Number:
Location:
City
State
Employment Type:
Schedule:
Posting Close Date:
Date Posted:
Job Summary
The HR Director for Partner Services, Operations provides senior-level HR leadership for the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations and the units it supports. This position advises executive and senior leaders on complex HR issues, supervises the HR team supporting Operations and works across workforce planning, employee and labor relations, compensation, performance management, employee engagement, organizational development, policy interpretation, leave and HR operations. The role helps leaders make practical decisions that are consistent with policy, compliance requirements, risk considerations and HR best practices. Because the position operates in a public-sector higher education environment, it requires strong knowledge of State of Colorado classified staff requirements, partnership agreements, State Personnel Board Rules and campus and system policies. The HR Director works directly with central Human Resources, Legal, Employee Relations, Organizational and Employee Development and other campus and system partners.
The HR Director works regularly with the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations and central Human Resources, Legal, Employee Relations, Organizational and Employee Development, Talent Acquisition, and other campus and system partners. This position reports to the Assistant Vice Chancellor, HR Partner Services in Central HR, with a dotted reporting line to the Associate Vice Chancellor and Senior Executive Advisor to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations.
Strategic Advisory Role
This role advises executive and senior leaders on sensitive and complex HR matters. The HR Director helps leaders identify workforce risks, understand policy and legal considerations, address public-sector and classified staff requirements, and make decisions that support the strategic direction and operational goals of the division. The role integrates workforce planning, succession planning, talent strategy, and organizational effectiveness to support employee engagement, compliance and operational continuity.
The HR Director must be able to work across a broad range of HR issues, including recruitment and selection, leadership staffing decisions, performance management, employee development, succession, discipline, and separation, and bring the right partners and stakeholders into the discussion. The role also ensures that HR guidance is implemented throughout the Division of Operations, and that leaders receive consistent service and follow-through.
The HR Director is expected to resolve matters at the appropriate level, recognize when an issue exceeds divisional authority or expertise, and promptly escalate sensitive, complex, or high-risk matters to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations or the appropriate campus or system partner.
Units Supported
- Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations (SVCO)
- Department of Public Safety (DPS)
- Employee Health and Well-being (EHWB)
- Office of Compliance, Ethics, & Policy (OCEP)
- Office of Information Technology (OIT)
- Department of Human Resources (HR)
Who We Are
What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
The responsibilities below describe the primary work of the position, including senior-level HR advising, day-to-day HR generalist support, supervision of HR staff and coordination with campus partners.
Executive Consultation and Strategic HR Advising
- Serve as a senior HR advisor to executive and unit leaders on complex workforce, organizational, employee and compliance matters.
- Translate divisional priorities and operational goals into integrated workforce, talent, and HR plans, processes and recommendations.
- Advise leaders on sensitive personnel issues, leadership staffing decisions, talent risks, policy interpretation, employee relations concerns, succession, organizational change and workforce continuity.
- Work with central HR (Employee Relations, Talent Acquisition, Organizational and Employee Development), Legal, and other subject-matter experts to ensure recommendations are coordinated, compliant and consistent with university practice.
- Use workforce data, HR analytics, professional judgment and knowledge of the organization to support leaders’ decision-making.
- Provide direct leadership and supervision for the HR team supporting Operations units by establishing priorities and service expectations, assigning and reviewing work, coaching staff and building team capacity.
- Serve as the divisional escalation point for complex, sensitive, or high-risk HR matters requiring senior-level judgment, coordinated review, or executive awareness.
- Review HR team deliverables, communications, and recommendations for accuracy, consistency and alignment with university practices and the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations’ vision.
- Provide direct supervision, performance guidance, training, coaching, and development for HR team members to strengthen generalist skills, compliance knowledge, sound judgment and consistent service delivery.
- Evaluate and improve unit-level HR programs, workflows and processes.
- Advise executive and unit leaders on workforce planning, staffing models, organizational structure, leadership capacity, succession planning, recruitment priorities and talent risks.
- Assess current and future workforce needs and recommend talent acquisition, development, retention, succession, or organizational approaches that support operational priorities and continuity.
- Support organizational design, reporting-line changes, reorganizations and growth planning with unit leaders and campus partners.
- Facilitate succession planning, development planning, and strategies to retain and grow high-potential employees; partner with Talent Acquisition and unit leaders to define and execute recruiting strategies for critical, specialized and leadership roles.
- Advise leaders on complex employee grievances, performance concerns, disciplinary actions, investigations, workplace conflict and sensitive employee matters.
- Coordinate with Employee Relations, Legal, the Senior Executive Aide to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Operations, and other subject-matter experts on matters requiring specialized review, executive awareness, or escalation.
- Help leaders make sound, well-documented decisions that account for employee impact, policy requirements, operational needs and legal or reputational risk.
- Provide guidance to leaders on employee relations practices, performance documentation, workplace expectations and when to escalate concerns.
- Advise leaders on compensation considerations, including pay equity, market alignment, compression, range of penetration, length of service and internal consistency.
- Oversee unit compensation review and assignment in partnership with central HR and compensation experts.
- Review the staff's annual merit roster process and support consistent, well-documented compensation decisions.
- Use compensation data to identify issues, develop recommendations and support consistent decision-making.
- Oversee the staff performance management cycle, including communications, leader guidance, documentation expectations and unit-level calibration sessions.
- Advise leaders on performance concerns, corrective action, goal setting, accountability and use of performance tools and processes.
- Support performance management approaches for units that do not use Cornerstone or have different performance systems.
- Partner with leaders and Employee Relations to ensure performance concerns are addressed consistently and fairly.
- Advise leaders on employee engagement strategies that support retention, culture, operational effectiveness and employee experience.
- Serve as a unit Engagement Champion by supporting survey communication, action planning, assessment and follow-through.
- Help leaders interpret engagement data, identify themes and develop practical recommendations.
- Support employee listening strategies and culture-building efforts across Operations units.
HR Reporting and Technology
- Develop and interpret HR reports, workforce data and HR analytics for divisional and unit leadership, as necessary.
- Use data to identify trends, inform workforce recommendations, evaluate HR processes, and support leaders’ decision-making.
- Support unit leaders and HR staff through HR technology implementations, including communication, training, adoption and change management.
- Oversee learning and training related to HR technologies and related processes.
Leave and System Policies
- Serve as a senior resource on CU System and campus policies, federal and state employment requirements, and HR best practices.
- Lead leave, reasonable accommodation, and related employer processes for supported units in coordination with campus and system partners.
- Advise leaders on policy interpretation, documentation, process consistency, and risk considerations.
- Work with Human Resources, Legal, ADA, and other offices to support consistent application of policies and processes.
Learning and Organizational Development
- Partner with Organizational and Employee Development on learning, leadership development, team effectiveness, and organizational development needs.
- Identify learning and development gaps and recommend programs, resources, or interventions.
- Advise leaders on change management, onboarding, leadership transitions, organizational culture, and team development.
- Support development of individual-contributors, managers and executive onboarding approaches.
Continuous Improvement
- Improve HR processes, workflows, service delivery and leader-facing HR guidance.
- Identify opportunities to clarify roles, improve coordination, reduce duplication and strengthen consistency across supported units.
- Support organizational change, operational transitions and evolving workforce needs by helping leaders design practical HR solutions.
- Maintain knowledge of HR trends, best practices, higher education HR guidelines, public- and private-sector practices and emerging compliance issues.
Position Context and Scope
This position supports a complex group of Operations units with different structures, compliance needs, employee populations, schedules, and work environments. The HR Director must provide practical, senior-level HR guidance, involve specialized partners when needed and help ensure unit decisions are consistent with university, campus, system, state, federal and regulatory requirements.
Employee Types Supported
- Classified Staff
- Graduate Appointments
- Retirees
- Student Employees and Stipend Employees
- Temporary Staff
- University Staff
Scope of Support
- Support internal employee survey processes, including survey development, communication, interpretation of results and division-specific recommendations.
- Coordinate Global Professional Employer Organization employee logistics, including procurement, contracts, onboarding, compliance and stakeholder coordination.
- Support workforce development, organizational planning and change management for growing or evolving Operations functions.
- Maintain and interpret compensation data, including length of service, range of penetration, compression, equity and market adjustment considerations.
- Support compliance with partnership agreements and State Personnel Board Rules for classified staff.
- Coordinate with central HR and Public Safety's Internal Affairs team on employee relations matters requiring specialized review or escalation.
- Support the distinct cultural, operational, and HR needs of Public Safety employees and leaders.
- Support the development of individual- contributors, managers and executive onboarding programs.
- Support employees and leaders in units with non-standard schedules, varied work environments and operational coverage needs.
- Provide oversight for student employee populations, including Employee Health and Well-being, OIT and Public Safety student employees.
What You Should Know
What We Can Offer
This is a full-time University Staff position based in Boulder, Colorado. The annual salary range is $136,300-$175,000.
Benefits
At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one of Forbes' America's Best Large Employers, ranking #4 among large employers in Colorado and #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.
Be Statements
What We Require
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Five or more years of progressive professional human resources experience, including lead or supervisory responsibility.
- Experience providing HR consultation across multiple HR areas, such as workforce planning, employee and labor relations, compensation, performance management, engagement, organizational development, policy interpretation, leave or ADA processes, or HR operations.
- Experience advising senior leaders on workforce, employee relations, organizational effectiveness, or people-related initiatives.
- Experience leading, supervising, coaching, or assigning work to HR staff or HR professionals.
- Experience applying employment laws, policies, documentation standards, and HR best practices to support organizational needs and reduce risk.
- Experience working with central HR, legal counsel, employee relations professionals, or other subject-matter experts to resolve complex HR matters.
What We Would Like You to Have
- Master's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Higher Education Administration, Organizational Development, Public Administration, or related fields.
- Seven or more years of progressively responsible HR leadership experience, including experience leading HR teams and partnering with senior executives.
- Experience as a senior HR generalist or HR business partner in a complex, decentralized, matrixed, public-sector, higher education, public safety, technology, or similarly complex organization.
- Experience advising executive leaders on workforce planning, organizational effectiveness, complex personnel matters, risk mitigation and change management.
- Experience supporting multiple employee groups common to higher education, including classified staff, university staff, temporary employees, student employees, retirees, graduate appointments, or stipend employees.
- Experience leading organizational change initiatives, including reorganizations, workforce planning, succession planning, organizational design, culture and engagement initiatives, or new HR process implementation.
- Knowledge of higher education employment laws, state personnel systems, public-sector HR practices, partnership agreements and university policies and procedures.
- Expertise in employee and labor relations, including investigations, grievances, disciplinary actions, performance management, documentation, partnership agreements, and collaboration with legal counsel.
- Experience using HR data, analytics and compensation information to advise leaders and support consistent decision-making.
- Professional HR certification, such as SHRM-SCP, SHRM-CP, SPHR, or IPMA-HR certification.
Special Instructions
To apply, please submit the following materials:
- A current resume.
- A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.
We may request references at a later time.
Please apply by Oct. 5th, 2026, for consideration.
Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.
Posting Contact Information
Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources
Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu
See All 73 Operations Director Jobs in Colorado
Find roles in Colorado that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Operations Director JobsOperations Director Jobs by City in Colorado
Where Colorado roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Operations Director Job Market in Colorado
A snapshot from current Colorado openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Manufacturing
- Food & Beverage
- Sports & Recreation
What Colorado Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in operations director jobs across Colorado.
- Bachelor's degree in business administration, operations management, or a related field required
- Seven or more years of progressive operations management experience in Colorado's key industries
- Demonstrated ability to manage cross-functional teams and lead process improvement initiatives
- Experience with P&L ownership, budget planning, and financial performance reporting
- Proficiency with ERP systems and operational analytics platforms used in Colorado enterprises
- Strong familiarity with Colorado regulatory requirements, including CDPHE compliance for relevant sectors
Operations Director Jobs in Colorado: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become an operations director in Colorado?
Most operations directors in Colorado reach the role through a combination of a bachelor's degree in business, operations, or a related field and progressively senior management experience. Colorado does not require a state-issued license for the operations director title itself, though roles in regulated industries such as healthcare or environmental services may require sector-specific credentials. Many Colorado employers also value an MBA or a Project Management Professional certification when evaluating director-level candidates.
Which companies hire operations directors in Colorado?
Employers hiring operations directors in Colorado right now include Angi, CommonSpirit Health, and University of Denver, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Colorado's mix of aerospace contractors along the Front Range, large regional health systems, and growing technology firms means demand cuts across several distinct industries rather than concentrating in a single sector.
Which Colorado cities have the most operations director jobs?
Denver, Colorado Springs, and Boulder account for the largest share of operations director openings in Colorado. Denver's density of corporate headquarters, healthcare networks, and professional services firms drives the bulk of postings, while Colorado Springs benefits from a strong defense and government contracting presence, and Boulder's technology and life sciences employers add consistent demand for operations leadership.
Are there remote operations director jobs in Colorado?
Yes, but they are less common than in purely analytical roles, since operations directors typically oversee facilities, teams, and supply chains that require on-site presence. About 59% of operations director openings tied to Colorado are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, with hybrid arrangements more available than fully remote positions. The functions most likely to allow remote work are strategic planning, vendor management, and performance reporting rather than day-to-day floor or facility oversight.
How can I get hired as an operations director in Colorado with little or no experience?
The most realistic path is moving into an operations manager or senior project manager role first, then building toward director-level responsibility. Large Colorado employers such as UCHealth, Centura Health, and major Front Range aerospace contractors regularly hire operations coordinators and managers as entry points into their leadership pipelines. Earning a Project Management Professional credential or completing a lean operations certification gives candidates a measurable edge, and lateral moves from supply chain, logistics, or quality assurance positions are a common bridge into operations leadership.
Where can I find and apply to operations director jobs in Colorado?
You can find and apply to operations director jobs in Colorado on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from Colorado employers. Search the listings to find roles that fit your industry background and seniority level, then apply directly to the ones that match your experience.
See All 73 Operations Director Jobs in Colorado
Find roles in Colorado that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Operations Director Jobs