Town Manager

This is an excellent opportunity for a seasoned executive level professional seeking a new challenge and a rewarding career.

The Town Manager serves as the chief administrative officer for the Town of Mountain Village, CO and functions under the administrative direction of the Mayor and Town Council.

The Town Manager leads the analysis, development, implementation and coordination of all Town policies and programs; directs the activities of assigned departments and ensures all departmental activities align with the Town’s strategic and community goals.

The Town Manager upholds and actively champions the Town’s values, fostering an organizational culture of accountability, respect and service excellence.

The Town Manager is expected to maintain a visible, accessible and engaged presence in the community, with a shared understanding that “community” encompasses Town residents, second homeowners, visitors, the business community and regional partners alike.

The Town Manager serves as the primary liaison between the Town Council and Department Directors, fostering collaborative relationships, improving organizational cohesion and ensuring clear, consistent communication across all levels of the organization.

The Town Manager is responsible for policy development and administration, organizational leadership and departmental oversight, Town Council and Board relations and community stakeholder engagement.

The Town of Mountain Village operates under a mayor-council form of government. The Town Manager is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Mayor, with the consent of the Town Council.

The ideal candidate will embody and operate with the following skills, principles and attributes.

Collaborator, Connector and Coalition-builder– It is critical that the Town Manager be a collaborator, connector and coalition builder and must have a proven track-record of negotiating complex business arrangements and building collaborative working relationships with key partners.

Strategic Leadership / Vision– A leader with a strategic vision and genuine ideas for the future of Mountain Village. Holds a long-term view, while recognizing operational realities. Brings the energy and drive needed to execute plans and complete projects.

Integrity & Trust– A person of integrity who leads with fairness, objectivity and a high standard of conduct. Is trusted by the staff, elected officials, regional partners and the community.

Inspirational & People Focused Leadership– An inspirational leader with excellent people skills. One who attracts, develops and retains an outstanding committed team. Earns authentic loyalty and respect — not mere compliance. Sets a clear organizational vision and creates opportunities for meaningful professional development.

Results Focused– Translates Council direction and community priorities into clear, measurable goals to drive intended results. Holds people accountable, fairly and consistently. Reconciles Council-set and staff-set goals into one cohesive plan.

Community Minded / Cultural Fit– One who genuinely embraces Mountain Village- a small, high-elevation resort community. Seeks to serve long-term. Understands and is comfortable with the realities of living in a relatively isolated mountain community for themselves, staff and family. Simply put, one who is a “good fit” for Mountain Village.

Thoughtful & Transparent Communicator– Listens intently and communicates clearly. Is comfortable addressing Council, staff, the public and key stakeholders, both when the message is positive and when difficult.

Politically Savvy & Diplomatic– Navigates the dynamics of governance and competing interests gracefully. Builds —and rebuilds — trust across municipal partners, the resort/TSG, regional neighbors and a diverse resident base.

Business Acumen & Operational Efficiency– Possesses strong financial skills and sound operational judgment. Proven experience with overseeing budgets, finance and major capital projects. Works in tandem with the finance team to negotiate and structure complex financial deals. Collaborates with department heads to ensure operational efficiency and continuous process improvement.

Experience with Complex Stakeholder Environments– Proven success building and sustaining professional relationships across interdependent public and private bodies, ideally in a resort, regional or multi-jurisdictional context.

Project & Priority Oversight– Owns major multi-stakeholder initiatives at a strategic level — sets priorities, anticipates obstacles and ensures staff has the information and resources to keep deliverables on track. Trusts directors and staff to execute the details. “Serves as the conductor of the orchestra-not a player.” A leader, not a micromanager.

Emotional Intelligence– Relates authentically across a wide range of stakeholders with varying roles, positions and influence within the organization and community.

Responsive- Ensures timely thoughtful responses and follow-up, taking into account staff workloads, budget realities and other priorities.

Curious & Adaptable– Continually learns and tests new approaches, without letting adaptability substitute for sound judgement and leadership experience. Grows and evolves as a leader/manager.

Salary Range: $211,463 – $306,621

The Town offers an extensive benefit package.

• The Town partners with CEBT* to offer Medical, Dental, Vision and Life insurance plans. Three medical plan options are available for employees and dependents, including PPO plans with Flexible Savings (FSA) eligibility and a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with Health Savings Account (HAS) eligibility. The Town generously covers 80-100% of the premiums.
• Colorado PERA serves as the Town’s retirement system in lieu of Social Security. PERA Choice options employees choose between are the PERA Defined Benefit (DB) Plan and the PERA Defined Contribution (DC) plan. Employee and Town matching contributions to the 401(k) are 100% vested immediately upon starting the plan. A voluntary deferred compensation plan is also available for additional tax advantaged retirement savings in a 457(b) option.
• Generous paid time off accrues from the date of hire. The Town Manager’s PTO schedule is negotiable and commensurate with experience.
• Annual wellness reimbursement for eligible items, prorated based on start date. Designed to cover benefits such as a Telluride ski pass.
• Discounted childcare rates are available for Town employees with children enrolled at Mountain Munchkins Child Care Center.
• Voluntary benefits: AFLAC and additional PERA life insurance plans.
• The Town Manager receives a housing allowance and is offered access to a newly-constructed townhome (3 bed, 3 bath, end unit) in a local Mountain Village neighborhood. Meadowlark at Mountain Village | Town of Mountain Village. Relocation expenses and housing allowances are negotiable.

*Colorado Employer Benefits Trust (CEBT) is a self-funded, governmental multi-employer trust that provides employee benefits for over 450 public entities with over 37,000 employees and dependents across Colorado.

Housing– Work with the County, Rural Homes, local employers and potential local funding partners to develop Phase I (approximately 49 units) and advance Phase II of a Town-owned 55-acre parcel, four miles from Mountain Village.

Wastewater Treatment Plant– Partner with the Town of Telluride to build a modern regional wastewater treatment plant on five town-owned acres on the Ilium region of Telluride/Mountain Village. Create a regional authority to finance, build and manage this facility to serve Mountain Village, Telluride and some unincorporated portions of San Miguel County.

Economic Vitality– Seek ways to create more economic activity and vitality in the Village Center, particularly in the shoulder seasons, while preserving the character of the community.

Fire Safety /Forest Health– Reduce the risk of catastrophic fires through forest health and defensible space protection.

Gondola– Successfully fund and execute on a replacement of the current aging gondola which is the main public transportation connecting Mountain Village with Telluride. This would involve collaboration with key stakeholders, such as the Town of Telluride, San Miguel Regional Transit Authority (SMART), Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association (TMVOA) and Telski.

Other goals: improvements to key areas of town; improved regional collaboration; improved access to childcare; expansion of trails, walkways, bike paths, and improved roadway safety; promoting the Telluride Conference Center.

Provide a cover letter, resume and six (6) professional references.