Chief Executive Officer - KCATA

KL2Connects; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 199,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) seeks a Chief Executive Officer to be the agency’s public face and lead a dynamic transit organization. The CEO will report to the Board of Commissioners, shape strategy, and ensure safe, reliable transportation across the seven-county metro while advancing regional goals.

The ideal candidate has a strong background in public administration and executive leadership, with at least nine years in public sector leadership.

Qualifications

• Minimum nine years of executive-level public administration experience.
• Experience in public transit preferred.
• Ability to develop policies, manage budgets, and ensure regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and implementation of agency policies and initiatives.
• Oversee senior leadership team and operations.
• Ensure financial sustainability and budget adherence.
• Cultivate external relationships with government, business, and community partners.

Skills

Executive leadership

Budgeting

Strategic planning

Public administration

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Public Administration, Planning, or related field

Master's degree preferred

Job description

• Client Name Kansas City Area Transportation Authority
• Date Opened 05/12/2026
• Job Type Full time

Job Description

Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) is seeking an exceptional individual to serve as its Chief Executive Officer. As the agency’s leader, the CEO is the public face of the organization. This position reports to the Board of Commissioners and is responsible for maintaining safe and reliable transportation for its member jurisdictions and meeting the needs of a diverse constituency. KCATA is looking for a CEO to strengthen its organization; improve regional relationships; and enhance transit services through improved performance, transparency and accountability to maximize the benefit of the regional Compact.

Operating in the seven-county Kansas City metropolitan area, KCATA is a bi-state agency created by an act of Congress and legislated by both states via a Compact between the States of Missouri and Kansas. KCATA operates RideKC bus service; MAX Bus Rapid Transit service; Flex demand-response routes; IRIS microtransit; RideKC Freedom paratransit service for senior citizens and people with disabilities; and RideKC Van vanpool service, collectively delivering more than 11.6 million trips annually.

KCATA seeks a transformative leader who can shape the agency’s internal culture and external relationships to reflect a more dynamic organization with regional reach and a focus on transit mobility; housing development; and transit-oriented design benefits. The CEO will successfully collaborate with the Board to develop and implement policies and initiatives that direct the agency toward its long-range goals while maintaining best-in-class performance and regulatory compliance at all levels. The CEO is responsible for building and managing a senior leadership team; ensuring budget adherence and financial sustainability; maintaining strong external relationships with the business community; legislators; elected and appointed officials; and other public and private organizations to ensure funding for the agency’s projects and services and to fulfill the transportation needs within its regional service area.

A typical way of demonstrating qualifications is having:

A bachelor’s degree in Business, Public Administration, Planning, or a related field (master’s preferred).

At least nine (9) years of executive work experience in public administration, preferably in a public transit organization.

An equivalent combination of training, education, and experience that provides the required skills, knowledge and abilities may be considered.

Additionally, the selected candidate will demonstrate competence in management and administration principles; policy development and implementation; budget development and adherence; public transit-related laws and regulations, interpersonal skills, and strategic and critical thinking. Well-qualified candidates will receive an attractive compensation package with an annual salary ranging from $199,000 to $300,000 plus competitive benefits.

View our brochure for more information.

Job posting closes at 5pm CDT on Friday, June 19, 2026.