Chief Executive Officer

Please complete the application in its entirety. Include all previous employment so that it may be taken into consideration. Please include a resume attachment with submittal of your application. Resume should document months and years with your dates of employment. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received before the closing date and time listed.
At Regional Transportation District (RTD), We make lives better through connections!
When you join RTD, you will be among dedicated employees exhibiting RTD's values of passion, respect, diversity, trustworthiness, collaboration, and ownership. RTD is committed to an inclusive and diverse workplace. As part of our diversity value statement, we encourage our employees to honor diversity in thought, people, and experience. Come join RTD on this great journey to be the trusted leader in mobility, delivering excellence and value to our customers and community.
RTD Employee Benefits: https://www.rtd-denver.com/careers/benefits
(RTD Represented Employee Benefits: Please refer to the Labor Agreement included in the above link for details.)
The Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) is responsible for implementing policy set by the Board by overseeing and directing the daily operations of RTD’s services.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
ESSENTIAL:
Manage a multi-modal, complex customer-centric, taxpayer-financed transit organization with an emphasis focused on increasing ridership by delivering safe, reliable and high-quality services.
Work in tandem and collaboratively with the board to unify the agency with a common vision, message and approach to delivering services to the customer.
Build strong collaborative trusting relationships and partnerships with the local, regional and state elected and appointed officials including the Governor and Colorado General Assembly, Mayors, Managers and Council Members as well as other stakeholders (i.e. customers, advocacy groups, community leaders and the business community).
Serve and lead the organization as the public face, cheerleader, champion and voice of RTD by instilling trust, confidence and brand positivity.
Oversee a strong, positive and effective marketing and public outreach program that promotes RTD.
Represent RTD publicly and effectively communicate agency priorities to the media, public, elected officials, and other stakeholders.
Foster, instill, promote and maintain a culture that embraces diversity, multi-culturalism, inclusion, equity, and equality at all levels of the organization.
Encourage, empower, and challenge the executive leadership team and their departments to think “outside the box” and offer customer-centric solutions that are innovative, effective, efficient and properly respond to customer needs.
Foster an open, collaborative, professional, and safe work environment that promotes innovation, teamwork and positivity.
Provide leadership to encourage employees to take initiative and develop within the organization.
Attract, mentor and empower high-performing C-level staff to successfully lead others.
Take action to advance the goals of Equal Employment Opportunity, Small/ Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, Title VI and ADA Plans, thereby ensuring RTD's hiring programs, work environment, contracting and procurement practices, and transit services/programs are fair, equal, and non-discriminatory.
Promote and develop innovative and equitable solutions to first- and last-mile challenges.
Oversee an asset management program for RTD’s aging fleet of vehicles and infrastructure.
Evaluate and appropriately use emerging and existing technologies to enhance operations, service delivery, and customer needs.
QUALIFICATIONS:
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
The successful candidate will have a minimum of ten (10) years management experience with at least five (5) years of executive leadership experience working at a transit agency or another public or private entity of significant complexity and size.
Success leading an organization with both union and non-union employees is highly desired.
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and an advanced degree are highly desired.
An equivalent combination of education and experience consistent with the required qualifications will also be considered.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
Visionary and high-impact leader with commanding executive presence to serve as RTD’s chief champion.
Principle-driven executive who commands respect through unwavering integrity, transparent leadership, and an engaging, collaborative communication style.
Ability to blend creative problem-solving with a disciplined sense of urgency to navigate complex regional challenges.
Must be a principled strategist that pairs influence and persuasive advocacy with the deep emotional intelligence and uncompromised ethics necessary to inspire staff, engage diverse stakeholders, and cultivate a culture of absolute public trust.
Excellent interpersonal, public speaking, and verbal and written communication skills.
Strong financial management skills.
Proven leadership skills which include being a:
Unifier, integrator, and team builder,
Problem solver and visionary,
Mentor and motivator, and
Creator of productive partnerships with appropriate parties.
Capable of identifying and securing institutional grants to fund RTD.
Ability to “think outside the box” and adapt to address RTD’s brand, reputation and relationships with stakeholders.
Ability to garner public support to address budget gaps by identifying and securing funding including institutional grants that will ensure long-term financial sustainability for operations, maintenance, on-going state of good repair.
Strategic leader with excellent team building, problem solving, and conflict resolution skills.
Executive leader who embraces diversity, equity, equality, multi-culturalism and inclusion.
Verifiable track record of developing and maintaining strong relationships with customers, elected officials and other stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to oversee the effective use of technology to support organizational performance, communications, service delivery, and the customer experience.
Demonstrated willingness to become part of the community.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
The work environment and physical demands described here are representative of those required by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodations.
The work environment is a typical office environment with minimal exposure to excessive noise or adverse environmental issues.
The annualized base salary range for this position is $411,000-$509,000, based on qualifications and experience. The anticipated total compensation value, including base salary and employer-provided benefits, is approximately $446,000-$622,000 annually, depending on the selected candidate’s salary and applicable benefit elections. Compensation may comprise a