Chief of Housing, Planning, Workforce and Economic Development
ABOUT THE SHEFFIELD ADMINISTRATION
Detroit is entering a historic new chapter under Mayor-Elect Mary Sheffield, the city’s first woman to serve as Mayor. Elected with a decisive mandate, Mayor-Elect Sheffield brings a steady, community-rooted approach to governing—one focused on listening to residents, healing long-standing divides, and delivering meaningful improvements in daily life across every neighborhood. She will take office on January 1, 2026, with a commitment to building a city that lifts every family and expands opportunity for all.
As she forms her administration, Mayor-Elect Sheffield is assembling a talented, diverse team of leaders who bring deep expertise, lived experience, and the courage to put forward bold, innovative ideas that move Detroit forward. Her team will drive a City government grounded in collaboration, equity, transparency, and results. The Sheffield Administration seeks mission-driven individuals who are ready to serve, ready to build, and ready to help shape Detroit’s future.
ABOUT THE OFFICE
The Office of Housing, Planning, Workforce & Economic Development is housed within the Mayor’s Office and serves as the administration’s central coordinating body for Detroit’s housing, neighborhood planning, economic development, and workforce strategy. This office aligns the work of key agencies and partners—including the Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA), Housing & Revitalization Department (HRD), Planning & Development Department (PDD), Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), Downtown Development Authority (DDA), Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity (CRIO), Detroit at Work, Detroit Means Business, and major philanthropic and industry partners—to ensure Detroit residents directly benefit from reinvestment, job creation, and long-term neighborhood stability. The office’s mission is to expand affordable housing and homeownership programs, accelerate infill and single-family housing development, reform land stewardship practices, support community-led development, strengthen local business ecosystems, and align Detroit’s talent pipelines with the high-quality jobs of today and tomorrow. All work is grounded in the values of equity, resident voice, and the belief that Detroit’s growth must be driven by and for Detroiters.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Reporting directly to the Mayor, the Chief of Housing, Planning, Workforce & Economic Development serves as a senior executive responsible for integrating Detroit’s major housing, planning, economic-development, and workforce systems into one coordinated, community-centered agenda. The Chief ensures direct alignment between neighborhood-led housing strategies, infill and single-family development, planning and zoning priorities, Detroit Land Bank and Housing Commission reforms, economic-development initiatives, and workforce pipelines that prepare Detroiters for great-paying jobs. This role oversees major citywide housing planning and development functions, including equitable incentive and tax-abatement policy; recruitment and retention of large and emerging industries; economic mobility strategies; CRIO’s inclusion and community benefit agreement compliance efforts; and workforce partnerships spanning employers, unions, and training institutions. The Chief is responsible for ensuring that resident feedback meaningfully informs policy and development decisions and that Detroiters experience visible improvements in housing quality, economic opportunity, and neighborhood stability. This position requires a visionary leader with deep policy expertise, exceptional community relationships, and the operational skill to drive large-scale, cross-agency systems toward measurable results.
This role will drive the administration’s neighborhood priorities, including:
Lead Detroit’s unified Housing, Planning, Workforce, and Economic Development strategy under one cohesive vision
Ensure alignment between community-driven housing development, infill and single-family construction, and long-term neighborhood planning
Advance business-attraction strategies to recruit major employers and emerging industries into Detroit’s economic base
Coordinate high-quality workforce pipelines that prepare Detroiters for careers in mobility, clean energy, healthcare, tech, logistics, skilled trades, and advanced manufacturing
Drive comprehensive reform of the Detroit Land Bank Authority to improve transparency, customer experience, and community benefit
Drive comprehensive reform of the Detroit Housing Commission to improve transparency, customer experience, and community benefit
Expand first-generation homeownership pathways
Facilitate small-scale development pipelines and neighborhood-based rehabilitation efforts
Guide equitable tax-abatement, incentive, and investment strategies that stabilize neighborhoods and produce clear public benefit
Oversee core economic-development functions including DEGC, DDA, CRIO, Detroit Means Business, and entrepreneurship strategy
Build and implement Detroit’s citywide Master Plan with sustained resident engagement
Source and manage federal funds for anti-displacement, home-repair, and affordability-preservation strategies benefitting Detroit residents
This description outlines the general nature and key responsibilities of the role and is not intended to be exhaustive; duties, responsibilities, and activities may be modified at the discretion of the Mayor.
Core responsibilities include:
Oversee Detroit’s integrated housing, planning, workforce, and economic-development portfolio from within the Mayor’s Office
Lead cross-agency teams including DLBA, PDD, HRD, DEGC, DDA, CRIO, Detroit at Work, and philanthropic and private-sector partners
Direct the development and execution of the citywide Neighborhood Development Plan with strong community participation
Strengthen infill and single-family housing development pipelines, including land disposition, permitting, financing strategies, and small-scale developer support
Drive major reforms to the Detroit Housing Commission and Detroit Land Bank Authority to improve customer service, community alignment, and equitable outcomes
Guide policy and operational strategies for tax abatements, incentives, zoning, and land-use tools
Develop comprehensive economic-development strategies that support legacy businesses, attract major employers, and grow Detroit’s industry clusters
Oversee Detroit Means Business, small-business supports, commercial corridor development, and entrepreneurship strategies
Align Detroit at Work and employer partnerships to build workforce pipelines that match industry needs and prepare residents for quality jobs
Promote equitable development practices and ensure CRIO’s supplier diversity and inclusion goals support Detroit-based and minority-owned businesses
Work closely with neighborhood leaders and residents to ensure housing and economic decisions reflect community priorities
Represent the Mayor in major negotiations, development discussions, and intergovernmental economic projects
Monitor neighborhood and economic indicators to guide policy decisions and ensure transparency
Coordinate large-scale funding strategies across local, state, federal, and philanthropic sources
Ensure strong collaboration between planning, housing, economic development, and workforce systems to deliver measurable improvements for Detroit residents.
Qualifications:
Advanced degree in public policy, urban planning, real estate, economics, business administration, law, or a related field preferred
Ten or more years of senior leadership experience in housing, planning, economic development, workforce strategy, or cross-agency public administration
Demonstrated experience managing core economic-development agencies or programs such as DEGC, DDA, CRIO, small-business ecosystems, or major development authorities
Proven experience leading infill and single-family housing development, rehabilitation programs, and community-driven development strategies
Experience managing land-bank operations, land disposition, real estate development strategies, or complex incentive systems
Strong understanding of Detroit’s neighborhoods, economic landscape, housing systems, land stewardship challenges, and business environment
Experience recruiting or supporting large-scale employers and emerging industries
Expertise in tax abatements, zoning, land-use policy, and economic-development finance tools
Exceptional ability to build relationships with residents, developers, employers, unions, community organizations, and philanthropic partners
Demonstrated commitment to equity, transparency, community voice, and neighborhood-centered development
Ability to work in fast-paced, politically sensitive environments and lead complex cross-departmental initiatives.
Rate of Pay: $179,000 - $200,000 annually, commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Benefits: Our goal is to attract and retain a highly skilled workforce by providing generous healthcare and other benefits to eligible employees. Learn more about benefits for City of Detroit employees.
Equal Opportunity in Employment: The Sheffield Administration is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. Even if you do not meet all of the requirements listed above, we encourage you to apply if you believe you have the skills, experience, and expertise necessary to thrive in this role. The City of Detroit is an equal opportunity employer, and we encourage candidates of all backgrounds—including those historically underrepresented in municipal government—to apply.