Senior Project Manager – Strategic Infrastructure Program Affairs

City and County of Denver • Denver, CO

3d • $109,134 - $180,071 • Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) enhances the quality of life in Denver by efficiently delivering effective, high quality, safe and equitable public infrastructure, and services. DOTI is committed to providing attention and resources to the areas, assets, and people of the city with the greatest need through equitable contracting, equitable investments, and equitable workforce development. DOTI’s culture revolves around four key principles: (1) Invest in Our People, (2) Operate with Discipline, (3) Use Data to Drive Decisions, and (4) Deliver Results. As the Senior Project Manager of Strategic Infrastructure Program Affairs, you will support project teams in achieving delivery goal outcomes and lead coordination and engagement with the public interface across multiple bond projects to meet the City’s commitments to the voters. In this role, you will perform advanced professional level work by leading management of strategic public affairs, communications, and coordination to support the successful delivery of the Elevate, RISE, and Vibrant Denver bond programs. In this role, you will help align project delivery with voter commitments, guide stakeholder engagement efforts, and ensure effective collaboration across internal and external partners. This position requires strategic, critical thinking and a broad understanding of legislative processes, capital project delivery, stakeholder communication and engagement, and citywide policies to help deliver cohesive, transparent, and well‑coordinated program outcomes.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Management, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Three (3) years of professional project management experience in the related occupational group including planning, managing, and scheduling projects and preparing and reviewing contract documents.
• Demonstrated ability to think critically and strategically and facilitate informed decision making using structured problem‑solving to evaluate risks, define options, and recommend clear, well‑supported paths forward; capitalizing on opportunities and managing risks.
• Proven success facilitating complex discussions and navigating sensitive or politically charged issues with diplomacy, confidence, and sound judgment. Perceives organizational and political reality and acts accordingly.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, including experience presenting to executive leadership, elected officials, or public audiences and tailoring messages for diverse stakeholders; communicate purpose in a succinct and organized manner that is appropriate for context, time, and place.
• Experience managing multi‑stakeholder projects or initiatives, including developing work plans, setting goals, holding teams accountable, and driving coordinated execution.
• Strong influencing and relationship‑building skills, with a track record of establishing trust, resolving conflict, and securing cooperation across agencies, departments, and external partners; showing respect for the views and contributions of other team members; demonstrating empathy and active listening.
• Ability to synthesize complex information into clear, compelling narratives that support decision‑making, reinforce public trust, and reflect awareness of organizational and political dynamics.
• Successful project and portfolio management experience through initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and closing project, complying with established control systems and rules. Including experience monitoring processes, progress, and results; determining objectives, setting priorities, delegating work, and providing others with a clear direction; and working with others towards an agreement that may involve exchanging specific resources or resolving differences.
• One (1) year 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.

Responsibilities

• Provide project management leadership and direction and serve as the primary public point of contact and spokesperson for Elevate Denver and RISE Denver bond project delivery; develop and drive political and stakeholder risk mitigation strategies to support successful Elevate Denver and RISE Denver bond project delivery, and support our teams ability to deliver on commitments made to voters.
• Provide strategic public affairs support for project delivery, project status communications and coordination for the Vibrant bond program.
• Implement a programmatic approach across all bond projects for engagement and reporting on project delivery status and performance metrics, ensuring accurate, clear, consistent, and timely information is shared with elected officials, stakeholders, and the public; providing stakeholders with relevant and timely information for review and decision making.
• Build, cultivate, and maintain strong relationships with agencies, departments, legislative offices, and external partners to advance bond program goals.
• Identify, synthesize, and frame complex, sensitive, or high‑visibility issues; determine appropriate escalation paths; and support informed leadership decision‑making.
• Coordinate with bond project delivery teams to monitor progress and quality, identify political and stakeholder barriers and risks, and develop and implement strategies to manage risks, resolve issues, and maintain forward momentum.
• Manage, coordinate, and direct large, complex, multi‑disciplinary initiatives to ensure organizational alignment, strategic legislative and stakeholder affairs approaches and communications to meet bond program delivery goals and expectations.
• Monitor and control the execution of the initiatives, ensuring legislative and stakeholder communications strategies and tactics, and general team conversation and tone effectively communicate the information available in a manner that builds trust and confidence for stakeholders.
• Formulate scopes of work and objectives for the initiatives, and develop work plans including time frames, funding limitations, risk factors, staff and consultant resource planning, Matrix‑manage consultants, external and internal agencies, and partner organizations to ensure cohesive and consistent communication, aligned project delivery, and consistent financial and status monitoring and reporting of bond projects.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• 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: Senior