Principal Project Manager

About Our Job

With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver means seeing yourself working with purpose for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver.

What We Offer

The City and County of Denver offers competitive pay commensurate with education and experience. New hires are typically brought into the organization between $160,000- $200,000/annually, based on experience and education. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but are not limited to:

• A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service

• 457B Retirement Plan

• 140 hours of PTO earned within first year + 12 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday, 1 Wellness Day and 1 volunteer day per year

• Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date

Location & Schedule

The City and County of Denver supports a hybrid workplace model. Employees work where needed, at a job site several days a week and off-site as needed. In this position you can expect to work 3-5 days in office. For your in-office days, you can expect to work on-site at the Denver International Airport. Employees must work within the state of Colorado on their off-site days.

Who We Are & What Youll Do

Denver International Airport ( DEN ) is the third-busiest airport in the United States and one of the top ten busiest airports in the world, connecting our community globally through flight and business. DEN is the primary economic engine for the state of Colorado, generating more than $47.2 billion for the region annually and employing nearly 37,000 people. At DEN, we are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace. We celebrate individuality and uplift all races, ethnicities, gender identities, national origins, ages, abilities, religion, and LGBTQIA+ communities. We know that our diversity makes us stronger, and we strive to keep Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility (EDIA) at the center of all that we do.

The DEN Special Projects team is looking for an experienced Principal Project Manager who brings a depth and breadth of technical proficiency; strong leadership, critical problem solving, communication and facilitation; financial acumen; stewardship; and an ability to invest in the success of the Airport. You will succeed in this position by demonstrating your experience and knowledge in vertical, commercial construction, building and leading a team and by building trust and cooperation with the project team and stakeholders.

Specifically, as a Principle Project Manager you will:

• Performs project management work on large, complex, multi-disciplinary regional design and construction projects; directs the activities of engineers, architects, technical support staff, consultants, and contractors; and prepares, reviews, and approves designs, plans, specifications, and contract documents. Coordinates projects and works in conjunction with city departments, elected officials, other municipalities, business organizations, and other internal/external stakeholders.

• Consults with DEN leaders, and other stakeholders to determine and establish project plans and goals, formulates and defines scope of work and objectives, and develops project work plans including time frames, funding limitations, contract costs, risk factors, staffing requirements, and allotment of available resources to various phases of a project.

• Reviews project design(s) and schematics for quality, technical competence, and code and standards compliance, monitors the progress and quality of a project, and resolves problems and project barriers by identifying strategies and approaches to overcome barriers.

• Develops project budgets, schedules, work plans, and cost estimates/projections in order to identify cost savings, administers and monitors contracts including contract negotiation and preparation of contract recommendations, and monitors projects for conformance to approved plans and contract specifications.

• Directs the development of pre-bid materials defining scope of work and related information necessary for request for qualifications (RFQ) and request for proposals (RFP); sets up selection boards and responds to questions concerning the project and/or contract(s); reviews bids; and prepares recommendation(s).

• Develops a communication plan and related project status reports for key stakeholders and provides updates on project activities and information on risks and mitigation strategies.

• Prepares and monitors the budget for project planning, design, regulatory, and/or construction phases, recommends project budget needs for annual appropriations, and ensures project deliverables stay on-time, on-target, and on-budget.

• Interacts with utility companies, city agencies/departments, and other governmental agencies to obtain necessary permits and clearances and to ensure regulatory compliance.

• Matrix manages and/or coordinates and directs the work of consultants and related personnel who have been assigned responsibility for various projects and/or portions of a project and defines and manages the overall change control processes and quality assurance aspects of the project to ensure project success.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

What You'll Bring

Our ideal candidate has some or all the following experience, skills, and characteristics:

• Experience with horizontal and vertical construction

• Proven ability to deliver multifaceted programs

• Excellent facilitation and conflict resolution skills

• Experience managing across a large organization

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or Architecture.

• Experience: Five (5) years of professional experience at the type and level of an Engineer/Architect Manager, Engineer/Architect Supervisor, or Engineer/Architect Specialist.

• Education and Equivalency: Two (2) years of the appropriate type and level of experience may be substituted for each required year of post-high school education. A combination of appropriate education and experience may be substituted for the minimum education and experience requirements.

• Licensure & Certification: Requires a valid Driver's License at the time of application.

Application Deadline

This position is expected to stay open until Sunday, July 13, 2025. Please submit your application as soon as possible and no later than Sunday, July 13, 2025, by end of business to ensure consideration.

FBI Background Check: FBI criminal background check is required for all positions at Denver International Airport (DEN). Employees are also required to report any felony convictions and/or moving violations to maintain this clearance and be eligible for continued employment. By position, a pre-employment physical/drug test may be required.

Snow / Emergency Duties: Denver International Airport is a 24/7/365 team operation. If weather conditions warrant or an emergency crisis occurs, all DEN employees may be required to work extended hours and/or shifts.

About Everything Else

Job Profile

CE2784 Project Manager Principal

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here .

Position Type

Unlimited

Position Salary Range

$131,770.00 - $224,009.00

Target Pay

$160,000- $200,00/annually, based on experience and education

Agency

Denver International Airport

Redeployment during Citywide Emergencies

City and County of Denver e mployees may be re-deployed to work in other capacities in their own agencies or in other city agencies to support core functions of the city during a citywide emergency declared by the Mayor.

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.

It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact Jobs@Denvergov.org with three business days notice.

Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.