Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

About the Denver Metro Region

The Denver metropolitan area and the State of Colorado offer an exceptional quality of life, combining the energy and opportunity of a thriving major metropolitan region with the extraordinary natural beauty and outdoor lifestyle of the Rocky Mountain West. With more than 300 days of sunshine, Denver provides year-round access to world- class skiing, hiking, biking and recreation, along with acclaimed restaurants and breweries, professional sports, vibrant arts and cultural institutions, and diverse, welcoming communities. The region is home to highly regarded schools, colleges and universities and offers an outstanding environment to build a career, raise a family and enjoy an active lifestyle. From Denver’s dynamic neighborhoods and cultural attractions to the mountains just beyond the city, few places offer such a compelling combination of professional opportunity, natural beauty and quality of life.

About RTD

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) is the region’s public transit agency created in 1969 by the Colorado General Assembly, connecting Denver residents through an affordable, safe, clean, reliable, accessible, and customer-friendly, community-oriented transportation network. As a nationally recognized leader, RTD provides public transit services, including rail, bus, paratransit access, and shuttle services across 2,349 square miles to 40 municipalities (3.1 million people) within eight counties including Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Jefferson and parts of Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas and Weld Counties. RTD is governed by a 15-member, publicly elected Board of Directors (Board) each serving a four-year term. More details about RTD can be obtained by visiting the Agency’s website at www.rtd-denver.com.

SCOPE AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

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.

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of successfully managing a large, complex, and diverse organization that operates to provide the highest quality of service for its customers. Additionally, this individual will demonstrate strong financial management, communications, community and governmental engagement and relations skills to rebuild public trust and confidence in RTD.

RTD’s CEO will:

• 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.
• Takes 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.

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.

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.

SALARY AND COMPENSATION RANGE:

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 component of pay-for-performance designed to motivate and incent performance and/or retention.

BENEFITS:

Details on RTD’s comprehensive benefits can be viewed at https://www.rtd-denver.com/careers/benefits.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT:

RTD provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture, hair type, or protective hairstyles), color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, age, genetic information, disability, service in the military, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances.

JOB POSTING STATEMENT:

To apply for this opportunity, submit your application for this position to [email protected]. For your application to be considered complete, you must submit a CV or resume with a cover letter. Applications are being accepted until November 20, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. MDT.