Thornton is the 6th largest city in Colorado and benefits from its proximity to downtown Denver, Denver International Airport, and the foothills of the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Thornton has a current population of just over 153,000 people and is expected to grow by another 90,000 people in the next 30 years.
Thornton is a home rule city operating under a Council - Manager form of government. The City Council consists of the Mayor who is elected at large, and eight Council Members, two elected from each of the City’s four wards. The City Council enacts ordinances, approves the City budget, and appoints the City Manager, City Attorney, and Municipal Judge. The City Manager administers the daily operations and programs of the City through the department heads, other staff members, and employees. The Transportation Director reports to the Assistant City Manager.
The Transportation Director leads, directs and manages the multimodal transportation system and right-of-way infrastructure in a manner to reduce congestion, enhance user safety, address service gaps, and reliably connect the community and its resources. This role provides visionary leadership to link land use, housing, and economic development strategies with the transportation system. The Director also implements the approved strategic workplan and addresses the city priorities through thoughtful leadership and policies.
The ideal candidate will be a leader who is both politically savvy but also grounded in a technical background through their experience. They will have the ability to navigate and communicate between various groups, interests, and audiences and advocate for the city’s priorities. They will advance the city’s transportation-related strategic plan actions by recognizing opportunities between private development, transportation organizations, and city capital improvements. They will be comfortable leading, developing culture, and managing change as they will be establishing a new department with new team members.
Requirements for this position include: • Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or related field from an accredited college or university • Eight years’ experience in management-level civil engineering, traffic engineering, public works, and/or utilities operation, including five years of supervisory experience • Colorado Professional Engineering License is highly desired.
Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.
The City of Thornton offers a competitive salary range of $182,914-$241,446 annually commensurate with the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience.
