President & Chief Executive Officer Full Time NEW

Posted: 20-Apr-26

Location: Dallas, Texas

Type: Full Time

Categories:

Operations

Years Of Experience:

11+

About DART

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is one of the nation’s largest and most innovative transit agencies and provides a range of services including light rail, regional rail, bus, Golink on-demand service, and paratransit to 13 cities in North Texas: Addison, Carrollton, Cockrell Hill, Dallas, Farmers Branch, Garland, Glenn Heights, Highland Park, Irving, Plano, Richardson, Rowlett, and University Park which span approximately 700-square miles of service area. Combined, DART provides service to a population of approximately 2.6 million people.

DART is governed by an appointed 15-member Board of Directors and operates 75 bus routes as of 2025, 93 miles of light rail, regional rail and other services including Paratransit, Mobility as a Service (“MaaS”), carpool and vanpool. DART also jointly operates the Trinity Railway Express with Trinity Metro, a commuter rail system that provides riders with access between downtown Dallas, Fort Worth, DFW Airport, the American Airlines Center, and other areas conveniently and efficiently. The Silver Line, DART’s first east-west rail connection, launched in October 2025 spans 26 miles and links major employment and commercial centers in Addison, Richardson, Plano, Dallas, and Carrollton. It also provides another access point to DFW International Airport and our regional partners, Trinity Metro and OCTA.

DART’s fiscal year 2026 annual budget is $1.812 billion. This consists of an operating budget of $757.9 million, a capital/non-operating budget of $830.7 million, and $223.4 million of debt service. DART is among the leading transit agencies in the country in developing innovative approaches to providing rider-facing services. DART’s revenue comes from the voter-approved one-cent sales tax, federal funds, investment income, short and long-term financing, and farebox revenue. This revenue funds DART’s operating and capital priorities in support of agency strategic goals and the multimodal Transit System Plan.

DART is committed to the region’s growth and economic development, providing residents with safe, reliable, affordable, and timely transportation services that will transform the region, increase housing and retail development around DART’s rail stations which will in turn generate thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. DART will also focus on optimizing the Agency’s efficiencies to provide transit solutions that meet customers’ needs.

More details about DART can be obtained by visiting DART’s website at www.dart.org.

General Purpose

The President & Chief Executive Officer (P&CEO) plans, administers, directs, oversees, and assumes full responsibility for the activities of the Agency and is accountable to the Board of Directors for the overall performance of the Agency in carrying out DART’s mission. This P&CEO will build strong relationships with DART’s service area cities and maintain those relationships with ongoing, frequent and transparent engagement by listening to their needs and adapting services to meet their expectations. As part of this, the P&CEO must continuously challenge DART’s teams to adapt with innovative services that service area cities value commensurate to the sales taxes collected in those cities that fund DART. The P&CEO must be visible and engaged with DART regional partners, communities and stakeholders and represent the Agency at local, regional, state, and national levels.

This position is responsible for developing a positive organizational culture, leading the Agency’s Senior Executive Team to provide excellent customer service throughout all its operations and programs. This position provides policy guidance, advice, and strategy to the DART Board of Directors regarding strategic policy and problem solving and assumes responsibility for implementing policy decisions made by the DART Board of Directors.

Essential Functions

The following is a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the P&CEO. The P&CEO may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties as needed to successfully lead DART.

• Assumes full management responsibility for all of DART’s activities and operations to ensure the implementation and achievement of DART’s mission and goals to operate an integrated regional high-capacity transportation system serving the 13 service area cities in DART’s service area that brings value to those cities where the transit sales tax is collected.
• Serves as the leader of the Senior Executive Team, assists in identifying key challenges and opportunities; reports to and interacts with the Board of Directors as necessary and appropriate. Provides leadership to the Agency’s strategic planning processes and ensures effective alignment of all budgeted resources including talent, infrastructure, and funding to the Agency’s mission and the strategic business plan.
• Builds and maintains a trusted, productive, transparent, and strategic relationship with the Agency’s Board of Directors, internal staff, DART’s 13 service area cities, local, state and national partners and supports the Board of Directors in accomplishing its role as the governing body of the Agency.
• Serves as the key internal leader, attracting, developing, coaching, and retaining high-performance team members; listens, observes, structures, leads, and empowers teams; participates in organizational design, provides guidance to the senior management team on goal alignment of all departments with established overall organizational objectives. Allows senior management space to be creative, solve problems and implement solutions.
• Oversees and participates in the development and administration of the Agency’s operating and financial budgets; directs, monitors, and evaluates all aspects of the Agency’s fiduciary responsibilities; approves the forecast of funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; approves expenditures and implements budgetary adjustments as appropriate and necessary.
• Manages the current and trending financial state of the Agency, operations and maintenance of the Agency; partners with and advises the Board and works with service area cities on DART’s finances and how those sales tax dollars are being utilized to provide transit solutions needed for their communities.
• Leads DART’s government and community relations activities; establishes working relationships with local elected officials, service area city leadership, legislators and congressional representatives at the state and federal level to advocate the Agency’s positions and opportunities as needed to deliver on DART’s commitments and as approved by the Board of Directors; visits with, participates in, makes presentations and represents DART to service area cities, community groups, and associations on current and planned programs and services.
• Works with Agency representatives on employee relations and strategic operations, evaluates and makes recommendations on public private partnership opportunities and how to maximize efficiencies to generate alternative funding opportunities to support DART’s services.
• Develops strong partnerships with DART’s 13 service area cities and balances the needs of those cities so all are treated equally and all feel equally represented and responded to.
• Leads through adaptive approach which is transparent, collegial and respectful and which listens to and responds with solutions-based results that are tailored to each service area city and while assuring continuous alignment with DART’s regional vision of greater development, jobs, housing and mobility.
• Actively listens, engages, responds to and resolves difficult and sensitive community inquiries and complaints; explains, justifies, and defends Agency programs, policies, and activities; negotiates and resolves sensitive and controversial issues that strategically result in the best possible outcomes for both DART and its service area cities.
• Works closely with the Board of Directors, elected officials, community partners and staff to align DART’s goals and establish a single vision for the region around economic development, transit-oriented development and transit and mobility services that are efficient, effective and desired.
• Collaborates and partners with the Regional Transportation Council (RTC) to ensure that transit is part of the broader regional vision for innovative and efficient transportation solutions.
• Engages broader region in dialogue to develop a comprehensive financial plan for regional transit solutions that accommodate for the future growth.
• Pursues opportunities for Transit Oriented Development focused on economic expansion including commercial and residential growth around DART’s rail stations that will generate revenue for transit services.
• Promotes opportunities for regional rail that unite all commuter rail services across a large geographical area.
• Champions and models DART’s core values and demonstrates values-based behaviors in everyday interactions across the Agency and in the community and with DART’s service area cities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Education Requirements

• Minimum education requirement is a 4-year Bachelors Degree in public administration, government relations, political science, business administration, communications, planning, engineering, or a related field or discipline.
• A Masters Degree is preferred.

Years Of Experience

• Requires 15+ years of experience as an individual contributor and experience in the public sector, local, state or national government, transit industry and/or in a public or private business where customer service, community engagement and value-based service is necessary is highly desirable.
• Requires 10 years of supervisory experience in senior management, executive level management, administrative, and supervisory responsibility.
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required Knowledge And Skills

• A visionary leader who drives results, holds people accountable, empowers those around them to lead, is a solutions-oriented problem solver.
• A leader who empowers their team to provide innovative transit approaches and solutions to a vastly growing region.
• An executive who is adaptable, willing to grow, sincere, inclusive and treats everyone equally and fairly, and is a people person with a positive attitude.
• Manage boldly, bravely, and responsibly.
• Ability to set and take steps to achieve the long-term vision and goals for the Agency.
• A leader who operates with integrity, builds support, is trustworthy, collaborative, transparent and sensitive to the diversity of DART’s employees and community.
• A unifier who can push back and stand firm in maintaining a regional system focus.
• An executive who will continue the current progress being made and successes being achieved.
• Advanced principles and practices of government and legislative processes, public administration, and local government administration.
• Best practices in working with local, county, state, and federal government officials including appointed and elected office holders.
• Planning successful ballot initiatives.
• Understanding of the local cultural and political landscape for the Agency’s public transportation planning and operations.
• Knowledge and experience leading in a large complex operating environment where maximizing efficiencies, developing broad based solutions impacting and benefiting multiple parties using innovating solutions and technology.
• Understanding of the region, the uniqueness and differences of DART’s 13 service area cities and its people and communities and how they collectively make the N. Texas region unique.
• Willingness to partner with traditionally underrepresented communities and groups to ensure DART is providing equitable opportunities for employment, operational support, and service to other stakeholder and community groups.
• Laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations affecting public transit and transportation.
• Strategic long-term fiscal planning and cost management, financial management, and information management systems required to operate a large complex quasi-government or government operating entity or high-capacity transit system.
• Planning, designing, and managing public transit projects.
• Advanced principles and practices of program development and administration.
• Knowledge of and experience leading:
• The operations, services, and activities of a regional transit authority.
• Principles and practices of governmental budget preparation and administration.
• Principles of supervision, training, and performance evaluation.
• A team of executives to lead their respective departments with transparency, collaboration, and focus on customer centric solutions that are outcomes-oriented to deliver on DART’s mission.
• Continuous improvement efforts for large public agencies.
• Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers.
• Collaborative, transparent, visionary partner to the Board of Directors in developing policy that can be executed by DART’s leadership and employees.
• Partner with, listen to, and engage with community representatives, employees, labor, customers, business partners and other key stakeholders and address organizational issues, concerns, and needs.
• Manage and direct a comprehensive regional transit authority with coordination with the Board of Directors, executive leadership team, divisions, consultants, and associated staff.
• Meet with, engage, negotiate, and effectively partner with local jurisdictions and agencies, utilities, contractors, and community groups.
• Lead, motivate, engage, empower, and positively influence staff, drawing upon superior interpersonal and management techniques and demonstrating a consistent commitment and ability to observe, listen to, learn from and work with diverse work groups and individuals.
• Foster a positive and progressive culture in a customer service environment.
• Delegate appropriate authority and responsibility.
• Apply appropriate and adaptive oral and written communication techniques to various individuals ranging from Agency employees, contractors, the general public, elected officials, community leaders, and local, state, and federal agencies.
• Economic, political, social, environmental, and psychological factors related to the provision and use of public transit.
• A proven leader with high emotional intelligence to understand complex situations and circumstances who can lead and unite people and groups towards a common goal or vision.
• Prepare and administer large capital projects (as needed) and the associated complex budgets.
• Analyze problems, consequences of proposed actions, identify alternative solutions, and implement recommendations in support of goals; bring other partners, stakeholders, employees to the table to identify best practices; be open minded and willing to follow direction of others when needed.
• Makes decisions/judgments on problems and opportunities that are strategic, often unprecedented, and impact broad segments of the organization.
• A leader who is willing and capable of accepting criticism and taking responsibility and works to find ways to mitigate or alleviate negative impacts from challenges.
• Research, analyze, and evaluate new service delivery methods and techniques.
• Analyze and review budgetary information to determine the impact on the Agency; prepare clear and concise administrative and financial reports.
• Interpret and apply applicable federal, state, and local policies, laws, and regulations.
• Ability to translate complex information to distilled, simplified communications for audiences with diverse levels of technical expertise to understand and navigate new and complex concepts.
• Use a variety of professional management and/or technical concepts in accordance with Agency objectives to solve complex problems in creative and effective ways.
• Work effectively under pressure, meet deadlines, and adjust to changing priorities.

Preferred Knowledge And Skills

• Experience and/or understanding of the uniqueness of DART’s 13 service area cities, the State of Texas and how to lead a large complex organization whose goals, mission and vision is set on delivering solutions and results to a diverse region comprised of cities with differing needs and expectations.

Disclaimer

DART is an equal employment opportunity employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment action based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class.

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About Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)

Krauthamer & Associates (K&A), a retained executive search firm, has been engaged to assist with the recruitment. To request more information or to submit a resume and cover letter, please contact: Gregg Moser, Partner at K&A at gmoser@kapartners.com.

Connections working at Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)

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