Town Manager

The Town of Mountain Village, CO is seeking applications for Town Manager. To view full
posting go to: www.KRW-Associates.com/open-positions

The Town of Mountain Village, CO (incorporated in 1995) is a beautiful mountain resort
community nestled in the heart of the Uncompahgre National Forest, in southwestern
Colorado. Located just above Telluride in the San Juan mountains, its founders envisioned a
charming, sophisticated European-style ski-in/ski-out and pedestrian-friendly destination to
complement Telluride and the Telluride Ski Resort. That’s exactly what you’ll find here. While
often associated as one, Mountain Village and Telluride are two distinct towns connected by a
gondola system that serves as both transportation and a popular attraction for visitors seeking
mountain access and spectacular views. Mountain Village’s population is a unique mix of full-
time and part-time residents. Roughly 1,400 call Mountain Village home year-round and
housing data suggests upward of 2,600 part-time homeowners or seasonal residents. During
peak tourism season (summer and winter), its population soars as visitors flock to the area. In
addition to skiing, hiking, mountain biking, golfing, fishing and other outdoor activities, the area
is also known for its festivals, arts and culture.

Mountain Village is a full-service town with some unique services and challenges due to its size
and its remote and secluded location. The Town owns and operates 257 rental units in Village
Court Apartments and has continued to build workforce housing throughout its history. The
Town also runs its own childcare facility, Mountain Munchkins, which is the only provider of
infant care in the region. The Town has its own police department. The Town’s transportation
department operates the gondola and seasonal bus service. The region’s highly-rated schools,
fire protection, transportation and medical care are each provided by independent public
bodies.

Realizing virtually all of the Town’s goals, including housing, gondola replacement, water and
wastewater improvements and economic development, depend on cooperation with four local
entities: the Town of Telluride, San Miguel County, the Telluride Mountain Village Owner’s
Association (TMVOA) and the Telluride Ski and Golf Corporation. A Town Manager with
exceptional collaborative skills is essential.

The Town’s exceptional and experienced staff of 160 (nearly one-third of whom operate the
gondola) is perhaps our greatest asset. Inspiring and skilled leadership of this team is a must.
The Town’s financials are strong with reserves of $55 million and debt of $37 million. The
operating budget is $50 million.

The Town is roughly a six-hour drive from Denver, Albuquerque and Salt Lake City. Many
medical and retail services are 90 minutes away in Montrose, or further. Thanks to tourism
there are good connections from the Montrose airport and a daily flight to Denver from the
Telluride airport. Long winters are alleviated by the abundant winter sports. Any applicant
should be enthusiastic about living in a remote, small town with stunning beauty and
outstanding recreation. To learn more, go to: Home | Town of Mountain Village.

The Position

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 – 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 micro-manager.

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.

Compensation & Benefits – 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.

Qualifications

A Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, or closely related field.
A Master’s degree (MPA, MBA or related advanced degree) preferred. A minimum of five (5)
years of progressively responsible experience in municipal government or public-sector
management. An equivalent combination of education, training and relevant experience in
public or private sector leadership / management that would provide the necessary experience
and competencies for success will be considered in lieu of the stated requirements. Experience
serving as a liaison with resort, ski area or regional stakeholder entities is highly desirable.
Possession of a valid driver’s license is required.

Opportunities & Challenges

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.

Apply Online www.KRW-Associates.com/open-positions

Provide a cover letter, resume and six (6) professional references. Deadline: Friday, August 7,
2026- 5:00 PM Mountain Time.

Questions? KRW Associates LLC is assisting the Town of Mountain Village, CO with this search.
Questions may be directed to: KRW-Associates.com/contact or by phone to KRW Associates
Managing Partner Lorne Kramer | 719-310-8960 or KRW Senior Associates Mark Collins | 307-
460-1941 or Gina McGrail | 303-249-9572.
The Town of Mountain Village, CO is an equal opportunity employer.