Deputy Chief People Officer

Please complete the application in its entirety. Include all previous employment so that it may be taken into consideration. Please include a resume attachment with submittal of your application. Resume should document months and years with your dates of employment. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received before the closing date and time listed.

At Regional Transportation District (RTD), We make lives better through connections!

When you join RTD, you will be among dedicated employees exhibiting RTD's values of passion, respect, diversity, trustworthiness, collaboration, and ownership. RTD is committed to an inclusive and diverse workplace. As part of our diversity value statement, we encourage our employees to honor diversity in thought, people, and experience. Come join RTD on this great journey to be the trusted leader in mobility, delivering excellence and value to our customers and community.

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.)

The Deputy Chief People Officer (DCPO) is a senior-level leader responsible for translating RTD's people strategy into exceptional operational execution. Reporting to the Chief People Officer (CPO), the DCPO oversees a multidisciplinary HR leadership team and drives operational excellence across talent acquisition, total rewards, employee and labor relations, talent and organizational development, Department of Transportation (DOT) compliance and office services, and HR administrative services. This role ensures HR operations are agile, equitable, data informed, and aligned with RTD's mission, values, and strategic priorities.

By translating the agency's people strategy into operational execution, the DCPO enables the CPO to focus on enterprise wide initiatives, executive leadership engagement, and long-term workforce vision. The DCPO champions a modern, people-first, service-oriented culture that strengthens RTD's ability to attract, engage, develop, and retain a high performing workforce.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Operational Leadership and People Services Delivery

• Provides dynamic leadership for all day-to-day HR operations, ensuring services are timely, consistent, and people centered.
• Supervises and supports management of HR teams responsible for Employee and Labor Relations, Talent and Organizational Development, Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards, DOT Compliance and Office Services, and HR Administration Services.
• Ensures proactive development and consistent application of HR policies, practices, and procedures across the department and agency.
• Oversees and drives continuous improvement for workflows, service delivery standards, and operational performance metrics.
• Monitors progress toward HR goals and ensure timely completion of deliverables aligned with program objectives.
• Serves as a senior leader in the annual HR budget process, partnering with department budget holders to support accurate forecasting and expense management.
• Serves as the primary operational liaison between HR and internal stakeholders to ensure HR is a responsive, proactive, solutions-driven partner to the agency.

Employee and Labor Relations Leadership

• Oversees the operational delivery of employee and labor relations programs, ensuring consistency, fairness, and compliance.
• Supports labor negotiations, contract administration, and grievance processes in partnership with CPO, Director, and executive leadership.
• Maintains strong, constructive relationships with labor partners and represented work groups.

Talent Acquisition and Workforce Pipeline Development

• Ensures inclusive, efficient, and data-driven recruitment operations to meet evolving workforce needs.
• Oversees improvements to sourcing strategies, hiring processes, candidate experience, and workforce forecasting.
• Champions equitable hiring and onboarding practices that strengthen workforce diversity and retention.

Total Rewards Program Operations

• Leads the administration of compensation, benefits, well-being, HRIS, leave management, and performance programs.
• Partners with CPO to support compensation philosophy and benefits strategy.
• Ensures compensation and benefits programs are competitive, compliant, and consistently executed across the agency.
• Oversees Workday Human Capital Management system functionality, reporting, and enhancements.

Talent, Development and Organizational Effectiveness

• Oversees enterprise-wide learning, development, and organizational effectiveness initiatives.
• Ensures delivery of high-quality employee development resources and tools.
• Supports leadership development, coaching, upskilling, and succession pipeline planning.
• Strengthens organizational culture and improves employee experience through modern development programs.

Compliance, Policy, and Governance

• Maintains rigorous compliance with all federal, state, and local employment laws and DOT requirements for safety-sensitive positions.
• Ensures timely reporting, audits, data governance, and HR documentation processes.
• Oversees policy implementation and operational updates to align with best practices and evolving agency needs.

Strategic Alignment and Culture Building

• Collaborates with the CPO to operationalize people strategies and agency-wide initiatives.
• Provides guidance, insights, and operational analysis to support workforce planning and strategic decision-making.
• Sets an example of and builds a team culture that exemplifies RTD's values of passion, respect, diversity, collaboration, trustworthiness, and ownership.

People Power Management

• Maintains appropriate staffing levels and reviews progress to ensure the quality and quantity of work meets standards and deadlines for deliverables to meet program goals and objectives.
• Recruits staff to include interviewing, hiring, assigning work, training, coaching, and counseling to ensure consistent application of the Employee Handbook, policies, processes, and procedures.
• Conducts performance reviews and holds employees accountable for optimal performance of their responsibilities.
• Fosters a safety-first culture, prioritizing prevention, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Takes action to advance the goals of Equal Employment Opportunity, Small/ Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, Title VI and ADA Plans, thereby ensuring RTD's hiring programs, work environment, contracting and procurement practices, and transit services/programs are fair, equal, and non-discriminatory.

OTHER:

• Serves as acting Chief People Officer as needed.
• Performs all other job-related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, public administration, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ten (10) years of progressively responsible HR executive or senior leadership experience spanning a broad range of HR functions.
• Five (5) years of experience managing second-level leaders.
• Five (5) years of experience working in a public sector, transit, or highly regulated, and/or unionized environment.
• Experience effectively engaging with a Board of Directors, Commissions, Councils, or elected officials.
• Experience with labor relations in a unionized environment, including contract negotiations and administration, and managing grievances.
• Experience implementing organizational change initiatives or major HR program improvements.

Preferred:

• Master's degree in human resources, business administration, public administration, or related field preferred.
• Demonstrated success implementing data-driven HR service delivery models and leading data-driven workforce planning efforts.
• Human Resources Certification (SHRM-SCP, SHRM-CP, SPHR, PHR, etc.).

OR

An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.

Key Competencies & Characteristics:

• Strong operational leadership skills with proven ability to manage multi-disciplinary HR functions, develop high-performing teams, and streamline processes.
• Demonstrated commitment to ethics, integrity, confidentiality, and the agency's values.
• Proven ability to lead staff through change and improve HR service delivery.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including working with all levels of the agency up to Boards, Commissions, Councils, elected officials.
• Ability to build strong relationships across the organization.
• Strong executive presence.
• Ability to translate strategy into execution and measurable outcomes.
• Commitment to equity, transparency, and an exceptional employee experience.
• Strong communication, influence, and relationship-building skills across all levels of the organization.
• Ability to navigate political and stakeholder-sensitive environments with diplomacy and professionalism.
• Expert knowledge of HR laws, compliance, and best practices in modern people operations.
• Innovative thinker with a passion for continuous improvement and organizational impact.

We are considering all applications for this position up until the position close date of 7/19/26 11:59PM. For consideration, please be sure to apply before the posting end date.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The work environment and physical demands described here are representative of those required by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodations.

The work environment is a typical office environment with minimal exposure to excessive noise or adverse environmental issues.

CAREER MAP:

Based on job performance, experience, education and position availability the next step on the career map for this position may be:

Chief People Officer

Pay Range:

$170,479.00 - $240,801.25 Annual

EEO POLICY AND ADA ACCOMMODATIONS

RTD is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless to the race, sex, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. RTD is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, promotions, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to our Employment ADA Coordinator Kris Frazier at adarequests@rtd-denver.com, or the Talent Acquisition team rtd.ta@rtd-denver.com.

To learn more or see our EEO policy, please visit our EEO page at: https://www.rtd-denver.com/open-records/reports-and-policies/eeo-policy

RTD posts a compensation range that represents a good faith estimate of what RTD anticipates paying for the position at the time of posting. Starting salary is based on the candidate's relevant and verified education, training and work experience. Applicants should submit all relevant and verifiable education, training and work experiences at the time of application.