Special Projects Manager - City Manager's Office

Special Projects Manager - City Managers Office

City of Aurora, CO

Salary commensurate with experience

The hiring range for this position is $121,500 - $151,875/annually

The deadline to submit applications is November 2, 2026. Please note, The City of Aurora will conduct ongoing screenings of applications on a first come, first-serve basis; as soon as we determine to have a qualified pool of applicants, this position may close quickly and without notice.

OVERVIEW OF POSITION / DEPARTMENT

Reporting to the City Manager's Office, the Special Projects Manager will oversee designated projects and initiatives having significant city and community impact. The position will be responsible for planning, administering and completing assigned projects, which may cross several functional areas and departments. Assignments may vary in length and complexity but are generally not permanent. This role will not supervise staff but will delegate to, and collaborate with, individuals supporting a project.

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Perform a wide range of duties to assist executive management in managing and coordinating city initiatives, policies, and projects.

Lead special projects which may include identifying, verifying, analyzing, and implementing process improvement opportunities to eliminate unnecessary complexity.

Support projects and strategic planning from inception to delivery, working cross-departmentally providing technical and analytical support.

Establishes and guides short, mid, and long-range financial plans and strategies including preparation and effective management of project budgets.

Partner with executive management to identify strategic opportunities and translate them into actionable project plans.

Conduct research, data analysis, and feasibility assessments to support project decisions.

Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to align on objectives, deliverables, and timelines.

Participates in the city's development and strategic planning initiatives.

Serve as a catalyst for a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

Identify market trends, emerging technology, and process variations as part of establishing continuous improvement in collaboration with departments.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & WORKING CONDITIONS

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that demonstrates required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.

Education:

Bachelors Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Political Science or directly related field

Experience:

7 years progressively responsible experience in project management

Licenses and Certifications:

Colorado Drivers License with a good driving record.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master's degree in public administration, political science, business administration or related field preferred

Professional experience in local government, public administration, urban planning, or within a preferred public sector environment

Knowledge:

Understanding of public sector budgeting, financial management, regulatory requirements, and strategic planning principles including capital plans and operational plans.

Applicable Federal, State, and local laws and regulations affecting the work of the municipal government

Abilities:

Ability to set-up, facilitate and lead service improvement sessions with a range of business stakeholders

Strong interpersonal skills for establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with employees, department leadership, elected officials, other governmental agencies, and the public

Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, including Project, Visio, Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint

Leads teams with empathy, ensuring a positive, inclusive, and collaborative work environment

Ability to design and implement framework of continuous improvement

Identifies and facilities team-based solutions

Communicate effectively both orally and in writing including synthesizing complex information into useful format for decision-makers and tailoring messages to various audiences.

Gather, correlate and analyze facts and devise solutions to administrative and technical problems

Ability to work various shifts, nights, holidays, and weekends

Adapts quickly to a changing environment, demands, business needs, and shifting priorities

High level of integrity and ability to handle sensitive and confidential information

Skills:

Strong analytical, project and people management skills, including a thorough understanding of the City of Aurora policies, procedures, and processes to interpret business needs and translate them into operational requirements.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact professionally with a diverse group of Consultants, Executives, City leaders, Directors, Managers, staff, and subject matter experts.

Strong emotional intelligence and active listening skills with proven ability to collaborate in cross-functional teams.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Essential Personnel:

When a local announcement of emergency or disaster is declared by the city, all City of Aurora employees may be required to work as essential personnel.

Physical Demands:

Sedentary physical work requiring ability to lift a maximum of 10 pounds.

Occasional walking and standing.

Vision to read and interpret reports and other written documents.

Speech communication and hearing to maintain communication with employees and citizens.

Work Environment:

Works primarily in a clean, comfortable environment.

Equipment Used:

This position may require the incumbent to use personal equipment (e.g. vehicle, cell phone, tools, etc.) in the course of their employment.