Sustainability Jobs in Thornton, CO

Manager Of Climate Adaptation

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.

The City and County of Denver offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. The salary range for this position is $101,050.00 - $133,892.00. 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

The City and County of Denver supports a hybrid workplace model. Employees work where needed, at a job site 3 days per week and off-site as needed. The Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency requires 3 days in office at the Wellington Webb Municipal Building. Employees must work within the state of Colorado on their off-site days.

The Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency's (CASR) vision is to build a carbon pollution free, sustainable, and resilient Denver for all. Guided by science and shaped by community input, CASR delivers bold solutions through policies, programs, and capital projects that reduce emissions, advance environmental justice, and strengthen climate resilience. This work is driving measurable progress toward a healthier, more sustainable Denver for generations to come.

As the Manager of Climate Adaptation, you will provide strategic leadership and operational direction to the Climate Adaptation team, ensuring high-performance execution of complex, multi?year initiatives that strengthen Denver's natural and built environments adapting to a changing climate. You will lead staff, cross?departmental partners, consultants, and community collaborators in advancing data?driven, equity?centered adaptation strategies that reduce risk from extreme heat, flooding, drought, wildfire, poor air quality, and other climate hazards.

Specifically, as the Manager of Climate Adaptation you will:

• Lead and manage a high performing Climate Adaptation team by setting clear priorities, implementing effective work plans, and ensuring accountability for results.
• Support the development, implementation, and updates of the Climate Plan while tracking Climate Protection Fund investments to ensure compliance and impact.
• Utilize climate data, vulnerability assessments, and risk analyses into actionable policies and programs.
• Lead cross departmental coordination to embed adaptation considerations across city-wide projects.
• Monitor program outcomes and budgets, deliver clear reports and briefings to leadership and stakeholders, and oversee consultant and interagency contracts to ensure quality deliverables, precise scopes, timely execution, and effective budget management.
• Strengthen partnerships with community-based organizations, regional agencies, utilities, and research institutions to co?create adaptation solutions and leverage external expertise.
• Champion racial equity and environmental justice, ensuring adaptation initiatives reduce disproportionate climate burdens on under resourced communities.
• Provide exceptional leadership by coaching, mentoring, and supporting staff in continuous improvement and growth; formally evaluate employee performance, document progress, and deliver meaningful feedback while fostering an innovative, impact driven work environment.
• Other duties as assigned.

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:

• At least 5+ years of experience leading and managing professional teams, including setting strategic direction, supervising staff, developing talent, managing performance, and fostering collaborative, mission driven work environments.
• A strong track record of managing complex climate, environmental, adaptation or infrastructure programs; including budget oversight, priority setting, workflow design, risk management, and cross sector coordination.
• Applied experience with climate adaptation planning, hazard mitigation, nature-based solutions, resilience metrics, or climate?risk assessment tools.
• Ability to synthesize climate data, geospatial analyses, and vulnerability assessments into clear strategies and recommendations for leadership.
• Demonstrated success collaborating within municipal government or large organizations, navigating interdepartmental processes, and building consensus among diverse stakeholders.
• Advanced communication skills, including presenting technical information to a wide range of audiences, preparing polished written materials for leadership, city council and community partners.
• An understanding of the concepts of institutional and structural racism and bias and their impact on under-resourced communities, along with the desire to incorporate perspectives of multiple communities.

Required Minimum Qualifications:

• Education requirement: Bachelor's Degree in a related field based on a specific position(s).
• Experience Requirement: Three (3) years of experience leading professional staff in functional or operational management, which must have included management of professional individual contributors.
• Education/Experience Equivalency: One (1) year of the appropriate type and level of experience may be substituted for each required year of post-high school education.
• Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirements.
• License/Certifications: Requires a valid Driver's License at the time of application.
• Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment.

Application Deadline: This position is expected to stay open until Sunday, October 11, 2026. Please submit your application as soon as possible and no later than that date at 11:59 p.m. to ensure consideration.

To be considered for this position, you must include the following on your job application (upload the attachment(s) to the Resume/CV section on the My Experience tab):

• Cover letter showcasing your climate adaptation related work and leadership experience.
• Resume