Sr Director of Human Resources - Denver International Airport

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 a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. New hires are typically brought into the organization between $180,000-$206,000 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 on site at Denver International Airport (DEN) 3–4 days per week. Specific scheduling requirements for this position include availability during core business hours and occasional evening or weekend support during operational needs or emergencies.

Who We Are & What You’ll Do

About DEN 

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 $36.4 billion for the region annually and employing nearly 40,000 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 diversity, equity and inclusion at the center of all that we do. 

We are currently seeking a Senior Director of Human Resources to join our team!

As the Senior Director of Human Resources, you will lead the Service Team within DEN’s HR Division, overseeing HR strategy, labor and employee relations, employee experience, HR business partnerships, and workforce planning, development and engagement strategies. You will serve as a strategic advisor to DEN executive leadership, aligning HR practices with airport-wide goals and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities Wil Include:

• Lead the Service Team within DEN’s HR Division, overseeing employee relations, HR business partnerships, and workforce engagement strategies.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to DEN executive leadership, aligning HR practices with airport-wide goals and operational excellence.
• Manage and mentor a team of HR professionals, fostering their development and ensuring delivery of exceptional HR support to over 1,500 airport employees
• Collaborate with citywide HR leadership, including the Office of Human Resources (OHR), to implement enterprise-wide initiatives and ensure compliance with city policies and employment laws.
• Translate DEN’s strategic objectives into a cohesive multi-year HR strategy that strengthens operational excellence, workforce readiness, and organizational performance.
• Set a clear vision for HR service delivery and hold the team accountable for high performance, strong partnership, and measurable business outcomes.
• Leverage workforce analytics and people metrics to diagnose trends, build business cases, and influence executive decision-making.
• Partner with DEN operational leaders to redesign teams, structures, and workflows to improve efficiency and performance, while leading change management strategies for major airport-wide initiatives.
• Shape and lead DEN’s approach to complex employee and labor relations matters, ensuring consistent, equitable, and compliant practices.
• Build strong, trust-based partnerships with business leaders, frontline teams, unions, and key stakeholders, establishing HR as a proactive, solutions-oriented partner.
• Develop clear, concise executive-level communications such as workforce dashboards, briefings, and strategic recommendations that support informed decision-making.

What You'll Bring

We value diversity of ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, sexual identity, gender, religion, language, ability, and experience and exemplify this through the makeup of our team at all levels. You'll be right at home here if you cultivate strong relationships and push yourself, your work, the people around you and Denver to the next level.

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

• Proven experience driving HR strategy in large, complex, and operationally intensive environments (i.e. airport, transportation, or public sector)
• Deep expertise in HR leadership, employee relations, organizational development, and workforce engagement
• Demonstrated ability to lead through change and ambiguity with a focus on service delivery and continuous improvement
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of an organization
• Experience using data and metrics to drive HR strategy, decision-making and business solutions
• Prior strong experience managing staff and leading and developing a high-performing HR team, fostering their professional growth and ensuring the HR function delivers exceptional service and support to the organization.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Education Requirement Bachelor's Degree
• Experience Requirement Five (5) years of leadership experience, which must have included director-level management responsibilities. One (1) year of management experience must include budget and fiscal oversight responsibility, evaluation of business processes, and policy and decision making experience with planning and organizing multiple programs, projects, operations or functions.
• Education & Experience 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 None

Internal Candidates Only: Please note that probationary employees are not eligible to apply to open positions until they’ve successfully passed probation. Please only apply if you have already passed probation. 

Application Deadline

This position is expected to stay open until 12/26/2025. Please submit your application as soon as possible and no later than 12/25/2025 at 11:59 PM.

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 can be required to work extended hours and/or shifts

About Everything Else

Job Profile

CA3099 Executive Manager

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

Position Type

Unlimited

Position Salary Range

$122,009.00 - $207,415.00

Target Pay

$180,000 - $206,000/Based on Education and Experience

Agency

Office of Human Resources

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.