Director – Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation (CEEA)

City and County of Denver • Denver, CO

9d • $125,000 - $155,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director for the Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation (CEEA) provides strategic, operational, and people leadership for CEEA’s Career Pathways and Research & Innovation portfolios, overseeing the two Managers who run each team. Bringing an enterprise mindset, the Director connects both portfolios to DEN’s broader priorities, represents DEN both internally and externally, and advances CEEA’s mission and DEN’s strategic plan through strong fiscal stewardship, data-informed decisions, and executive-level engagement.

Requirements

• Proven people leader who unifies teams, drives collaboration, and thinks at an enterprise level.
• Experience managing large, multi‑program portfolios in research, innovation, education, or workforce development.
• Comfortable using data and dashboards to guide decisions and communicate insights to executives.
• Strong change‑management skills with a track record of leading through organizational shifts.
• Exceptional communicator with polished executive‑level and public‑facing presentation ability.
• Builds strong peer partnerships and contributes effectively within a director‑level leadership network.
• Experienced in managing budgets or program funding in complex, mission‑driven environments.
• Bachelor's Degree in a related field based on a specific position(s).
• Five (5) years of experience at the type and level of functional or operational management, which must have included management of subordinate supervisors.
• Two (2) years of the appropriate type and level of experience may be substituted for each required year of post-high school education. Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirements.
• Requires a valid Driver's License at the time of application. Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment.
• FBI criminal background check is required for all positions at Denver International Airport (DEN). Employees are also required to report any felony convictions and/or moving violations to maintain this clearance and be eligible for continued employment.
• By position, a pre-employment physical/drug test may be required.
• If weather conditions warrant or an emergency crisis occurs, all DEN employees can be required to work extended hours and/or shifts.
• Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

Responsibilities

• Lead and Develop Teams: Directly lead the Career Pathways Manager and the Research & Innovation Manager, unifying goals, culture, and performance management across both teams.
• Foster Enterprise Collaboration: Bring an enterprise mindset to every decision by proactively collaborating with CEEA and DEN leaders, and aligning portfolio work with DEN’s strategic plan and enterprise-wide priorities.
• Build Leadership Capacity: Strengthen team capabilities and support succession planning across both portfolios.
• Oversee Complex Program & Portfolio Operations: Provide strategic oversight for a broad portfolio including youth engagement, internships, employee development, leadership programs, research, and innovation — including the Research & Innovation Lab/makerspace.
• Serve as Escalation Point: Address program risks, stakeholder concerns, compliance issues, and continuous improvement across both portfolios.
• Use Data to Drive Decisions: Leverage dashboards, reports, and research — including the annual CEEA Impact Report and Foresight report — to inform planning, resource allocation, and executive‑level insights.
• Drive Portfolio Performance & Accountability: Establish performance goals, success measures, and key outcomes across both portfolios; monitor progress, hold leaders accountable for results, and adjust strategies, priorities, and resources as needed to achieve desired outcomes.
• Manage Budgets & Agreements: Oversee budgets, contracts, and vendor/grant agreements for both portfolios with strong fiscal stewardship.
• Represent DEN & CEEA Internally and Externally: Act as a trusted spokesperson with executive leadership, staff, and external partners including universities, community organizations, workforce boards, and industry groups.
• Build Strategic Partnerships: Develop partnerships that expand program reach and align with DEN’s Strategic Plan; lead executive briefings and collaborate with the Senior Vice President on planning efforts.
• Lead Organizational Change: Guide change efforts across both portfolios with clarity and transparency, partnering with the Senior Vice President on transitions and role clarity.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Great benefits
• Endless opportunities
• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service
• 457B Retirement Plan
• 140 hours of PTO earned within first year
• 12 paid holidays
• 1 personal holiday
• 1 wellness day
• 1 volunteer day per year
• Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date

What This Job Offers

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