Compliance Officer, Operations (Bus & Microtransit)

RTD

2d • $100,284 - $141,650 • Onsite

About The Position

This position oversees contractor compliance for RTD’s fixed‑route bus and microtransit services. The role monitors scheduling, dispatch, vehicle operations, and customer care to ensure safe, reliable, and compliant service in accordance with operating rules, service plans, and federal, state, and local regulations. It provides daily oversight of contractor activities, reviews reports, audits performance, and ensures delays, incidents, and service disruptions are properly documented and addressed. This position coordinates responses to service interruptions, working with contractors, emergency responders, and law enforcement to support incident management and service recovery. It monitors contractor training and certification requirements, including turnkey microtransit functions, and supports contract administration through documentation review and maintenance of compliance materials. Success requires strong analytical, communication, and coordination skills to ensure contractors meet safety, operational, and contractual standards.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Transportation, Public Administration, or Business Administration required, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience.
• A minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in fixed-route bus operations, microtransit operations, transit operations, contract compliance, or service delivery.
• Experience must include working directly with internal and external stakeholders, contractors, and regulatory agencies.
• Experience supporting or monitoring contracted bus or microtransit services, including contractor performance oversight, service delivery monitoring, compliance management, and coordination of operational improvements.
• Experience with contract administration and vendor oversight, including reviewing corrective action reports, assessing compliance with contract provisions, and supporting continuous improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge of applicable local, state, and federal regulatory requirements governing bus and microtransit operations, including FTA, APTA, ADA, EPA, and OSHA or other relevant safety and operational standards.
• Must have a valid Colorado driver's license with no more than 4 moving violations in the past three 3 years; cannot have a violation of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs within the last 5 years.
• Strong knowledge of bus and microtransit operations, including transit center and station operations, scheduling, dispatch, customer care, service delivery, and operational reliability requirements.
• Knowledge of contract administration, vendor oversight, and performance-based service management within a public-sector transit environment.
• Knowledge of applicable local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and requirements governing bus and microtransit services, including ADA, FTA, APTA, EPA, and OSHA safety and compliance standards.
• Ability to monitor and evaluate contractor performance, ensure compliance with policies, procedures, work instructions, and contract provisions, and track corrective actions and performance metrics.
• Ability to analyze operational and compliance data, identify trends, risks, and root causes of service incidents or failures, and recommend improvements, operational efficiencies, and corrective strategies.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively across internal departments, contractors, external agencies, and stakeholders to resolve operational and compliance issues, coordinate service changes, and ensure alignment with agency goals.
• Ability to develop, implement, and maintain compliance manuals, policies, procedures, and work instructions to ensure contractor adherence to contractual, regulatory, and statutory requirements.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the preparation of reports, correspondence, presentations, and briefing materials for executive leadership, internal stakeholders, and external agencies.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, make timely, well-reasoned decisions, and act as a lead point of contact for operational incidents, service disruptions, and emergency situations.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, tasks, and operational issues simultaneously, prioritizing workload with attention to detail.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite and other business systems used for reporting, compliance tracking, and performance monitoring.
• Ability to maintain confidential information with discretion and professionalism, and to influence contractors and stakeholders to ensure compliance, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• An equivalent combination of education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities.

Responsibilities

• Ensure contractor compliance with contract requirements, agency policies, service plans, safety standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for operational compliance, overseeing adherence to service rules, procedures, work instructions, and statutory requirements.
• Support the development and updating of standard operating procedures, work instructions, and service plans due to changes in legislation, customer needs, operations, or contract terms.
• Maintain and monitor contractor compliance with training, certifications, qualifications, and competency assurance programs.
• Support special projects and service initiatives to ensure compliance with operational, contractual, and regulatory requirements.
• Fulfill Disaster Response Worker responsibilities, including supporting emergency operations during disasters.
• Monitor and assess contractor performance for bus and microtransit operations, including fixed-route, dispatch, reservations, and customer care.
• Analyze operational and service data, KPIs, and real-time dispatch decisions to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Prepare reports, correspondence, presentations, and briefing materials for leadership and stakeholders regarding contractor performance and compliance.
• Participate in evaluating new service initiatives, expansions, or modifications through technical reports, feasibility studies, and analyses.
• Review and audit contractor activities such as scheduling, dispatch decisions, vehicle assignments, and operational adjustments.
• Ensure accurate documentation of delays, service interruptions, incidents, and vehicle issues.
• Review and assess contractor corrective action reports to ensure deficiencies are resolved in accordance with policy and contract terms.
• Inspect contractor operations, audits, and compliance with service rules and operational standards as needed.
• Recommend operational adjustments or procedural enhancements to maintain safe, reliable service.
• Oversee compliance with safety standards and ensure contractor adherence to required procedures during normal operations and emergency situations.
• Support emergency response and service recovery efforts, coordinating with internal teams and external partners.
• Serve in emergency operations roles as needed, including during 24-hour EOC activations.
• Coordinate with internal departments and external partners such as emergency responders, law enforcement, and service partners to ensure service reliability.
• Represent RTD at interagency, community, and stakeholder meetings related to bus and microtransit operations.
• Build strong relationships across departments to promote collaboration, accountability, and transparency in operational compliance.
• Work across multiple operational areas (Regional Operations Center, Operations, Maintenance, Service Planning & Scheduling) depending on business need.
• All job-related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• 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.)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level