You've probably looked at how the City of Denver serves -- and sometimes doesn't serve -- residents and thought, "Hey, I could do better than the folks in charge!" Well, now you have a chance to prove it by applying to head a city agency.
One catch: First you have to apply. And to be real, for the sake of the rest of us, you should probably be qualified if you want to snag the job.
Mayor-elect Mike Johnston's transition committee Vibrant Denver just announced a slew of department head gigs open to the public. In the mix are some big ones. He's looking for a new City Attorney, heads of Community Planning and Development and the Department of Housing Stability among the 24 available positions.
"To make Denver the best city in America, we are building a diverse team of thoughtful, dedicated, and transformative individuals," said Johnston in a statement. "I'm thrilled to announce that job postings for some of our most critical leadership positions are officially open, and I look forward to building the team of leaders who will make Denver a more prosperous, more equitable, and more vibrant city."
Don't read this as a referendum on Mayor Michael Hancock's administration.
Hiring a fresh cabinet and staff for key jobs in the mayor's office is the norm during a transition. In fact, part of what the people hire, when they choose the city's CEO, is a boss who can assemble a competent, informed team and help manage more than 13,000 city workers.
"Mike had a meeting with all of these department heads and basically asked them to help bridge the transition until Aug. 31 or until a candidate is hired," said Jordan Fuja, Vibrant Denver's spokesperson. "That's pretty par for the course for transition administration. It would be absolutely insane to hire 24 department heads in six weeks."
Mayor Michael Hancock has asked all department heads to submit letters of resignation -- a formality, according to Fuja. If current heads want to stay in the role, they, like you, can apply.
Here are the positions available and what they might pay.
- Chief of Staff: $146, 005 - $248, 209
- Chief Operating Officer:$146,005.00 - $248,209
- Chief Financial Officer (CFO): $185, 366
- Director of Scheduling and Advance: $86, 801 - $143,222
- Chief Equity Officer: $125,176.00 - $212,799
- Director of Communications: $107,319- $182,442
- Press Secretary: $80,371 - $132,612
- Director of Digital Media: $80, 371 - $132, 612
- City Attorney: $216,061
- Executive Advisor to the Mayor: $54,699 - $90,253
- Executive Director, Children's Affairs: $107,319 - 182,442
- Executive Director, Arts & Venues: $125,176 - $212,799
- Executive Director, Community Planning & Development: $184,257
- Executive Director, Denver Department of Public Health & Environment: $188,766
- Executive Director, Department of Economic Development & Opportunity: $157,686 - $268,066
- Executive Director, Department of Housing Stability: $157,686 - $268,066
- Executive Director, Department of Human Services: $175,876
- Executive Director, Department of Public Safety: $206,481
- Executive Director, Department of Transportation & Infrastructure: $195,220
- Executive Director, Emergency Management: $115,904 - $197,037
- Executive Director, Excise & Licensing: $154,381
- Executive Director, General Services: $177,332
- Executive Director, Parks & Recreation: $170,523
- Legislative Director: $86,801 - $143,222
Interested in applying? Here's how.
There's an application portal at the City and County of Denver website. Go and peruse the positions.
If you decide to give it a shot, send in your résumé and two-page-or-less answer to the following questions:
There's only one job you probably won't get if you apply, and that's because there's already a preferred candidate, which is acknowledged at the application portal: Chief of Staff. The transition committee is not ready to announce who that person is yet.
For those who have served the city well in their executive roles and will be out of a job in the next few weeks, congrats and good luck with whatever's next.
Changes are coming to the city. Let the best candidates for these key positions win. And just maybe, that's you.
If you do apply, we'd love to hear from you at [email protected].
