Executive Director

COMTO; Colorado; Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

San Miguel Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) seeks an Executive Director to lead the Telluride, Colorado region. Reporting to the SMART Board, the ED provides strategic direction, executive leadership, and overall administrative oversight of the Authority.

SMART is a small, community-focused agency managing fixed-route bus and vanpool services with a growing remit, including the Telluride/Mountain Village Gondola.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in public administration, business administration, transportation planning, or related field.
• Ten years of management experience with transit programs, including grant administration and governmental finance.

Responsibilities

• Carry out Board policies and directions and lead organizational implementation.
• Direct staff and oversee regional transportation service delivery.
• Oversee the Authority’s finances, grants, and fiscal compliance.
• Build and sustain relationships with member jurisdictions, partners, and the public.

Skills

Grant administration

Leadership

Budgeting

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in public administration, business administration, transportation planning, or related field

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

San Miguel Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) seeks a leader to serve the Telluride, Colorado region in a momentous role: Executive Director. Reporting to the SMART Board of Directors, the Executive Director (ED) is responsible for executive leadership, strategic direction, and overall administrative and operational oversight of the Authority.

Created in 2016 to connect Telluride and Mountain Village with surrounding communities, SMART is a young and small organization that is highly community-focused. The organization maintains a 21-vehicle fleet offering fixed-route bus and vanpool services for San Miguel County and the towns of Telluride, Mountain Village, Rico, Norwood, Naturita/Nucla, and Montrose, as well as key neighborhoods within the county such as Lawson Hill and Down Valley. SMART will assume management of the Telluride/Mountain Village Gondola in January 2028, for which a major replacement project is planned for the early 2030s.

SMART’s next Executive Director will be a motivated working director. Managing a small staff, the ED will be working alongside their team and must have the ability to simultaneously be strategic and tactical, effectively balancing visionary and implementation skills. Primary responsibilities will include carrying out Board policies and directions; leading staff; overseeing the development and delivery of regional transportation services; managing the Authority’s finances and grants; and building strong relationships with member jurisdictions, transit and human service partners, community stakeholders, and the public.

A typical way of demonstrating qualifications is to:

• Possess a bachelor’s degree in public administration, business administration, transportation planning, or a related field (master’s degree preferred).
• Demonstrate ten years of management experience with transit programs, including successful grant administration and demonstrated understanding of governmental finance and budget preparation.

In addition, the Executive Director should demonstrate strong executive, organizational, interpersonal, and public-facing leadership skills as well as the ability to work effectively with elected officials, advisory committees, staff, community organizations, and regional partners. The ED is expected to be an engaged and visible leader who can move effectively between Board governance, organizational management, transportation operations, community engagement, and regional partnership development. Success in the position requires the ability to understand SMART’s rural and resort-community context, navigate a politically engaged environment, and build consensus around transportation priorities.

This is an excellent opportunity that offers attractive compensation, relocation, and equal opportunity. SMART values diversity at all levels of its workforce – diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.