Senior Vice President: Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation - Denver International Airport

City and County of Denver • Denver, CO

8d • $157,385 - $267,554 • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Vice President (SVP), Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation (CEEA), serves as the senior leader responsible for advancing DEN’s workforce development, innovation, and next generation initiatives. This role provides strategic direction, operational oversight, and external leadership for a rapidly expanding division central to DEN’s long-term success and Vision 100 strategy. CEEA leads DEN’s end-to-end career pathways ecosystem, including youth engagement, workforce pipeline development, employee learning, leadership development, and executive growth. The SVP ensures the integration and execution of these programs while positioning DEN as a global thought leader in aviation workforce development, innovation, and inclusive economic growth.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in a field related to the specific functional or operational area.
• Five (5) years of leadership experience, which must have included director-level management responsibilities.
• One (1) year of management experience must include budget and fiscal oversight responsibility, evaluation of business processes, and policy and decision making experience with planning and organizing multiple programs, projects, operations or functions.
• 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.
• 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.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in aviation, transportation, infrastructure, or public sector environments
• Experience managing programs with significant growth trajectories and cross-functional coordination
• Oversight of multiple initiatives, teams, and stakeholder groups simultaneously
• Track record of delivering measurable impact in high-visibility, high-accountability environments
• Background in workforce development, talent pipeline strategy, or education partnerships
• Experience leading multi-functional portfolios (e.g., workforce, innovation, education, or economic development)
• Proven ability to manage cross-functional teams and enterprise-wide programs

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic direction and growth of CEEA, aligning initiatives with DEN’s Vision 100, particularly the “Empowering Our People” pillar.
• Translate enterprise priorities into scalable programs that strengthen the aviation talent pipeline and leadership capabilities.
• Serve as a key advisor within the Chief of Staff portfolio on workforce, innovation, and integration strategy.
• Oversee DEN’s comprehensive career pathways portfolio, spanning youth programs, employee development, executive leadership initiatives and research and innovation.
• Ensure program scalability, measurable outcomes, and alignment across internal stakeholders and external partners.
• Drive strategies that build a diverse, future-ready aviation workforce reflective of the communities DEN serves.
• Lead CEEA’s Research & Innovation Lab, advancing solutions that address complex aviation challenges and enhance operational performance.
• Establish DEN as a national and global hub for aviation innovation through partnerships with academia, industry, and community organizations.
• Champion an innovation ecosystem that integrates employees, partners, and emerging technologies.
• Oversee a diverse portfolio including: Career Pathways (23+ active programs facilitated throughout the year), Research & Innovation programming, Airport-wide childcare initiative, CEEA facility operations and activation, ORAT (Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer) responsibilities tied to future growth.
• Ensure operational excellence, fiscal accountability, and program integration across all functions.
• Represent DEN and CEEA at the executive level with airlines, industry partners, government entities, and global stakeholders.
• Build strategic partnerships that expand access, innovation, and economic opportunity across the aviation ecosystem.
• Elevate DEN’s national profile as a preeminent aviation thought leader.
• Lead, develop, and scale a high-performing team (including directors, managers, and program staff).
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement that aligns with DEN’s vision and mission.
• Strengthen cross-functional alignment across DEN divisions and partner organizations.

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 and 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: Executive