Director - Office of Labor Relations
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
Detroit’s Office of Labor Relations plays a critical role in building a fair, safe, and inclusive workplace for the thousands of public servants who keep the city running every day. The office leads labor negotiations, contract administration, union partnerships, and labor-management strategy with an explicit commitment to respecting worker voice, strengthening equity, and ensuring Detroit’s workforce is treated with dignity.
The office works closely with Human Resources, the Law Department, the Office of Budget, departmental leadership, and Detroit’s labor unions to address long-standing workplace challenges, improve conditions for frontline employees, and elevate transparency and accountability across all departments. Under Mayor-Elect Sheffield’s administration, Labor Relations is positioned as a driver of a more collaborative, just and people-centered government—one that prioritizes fair compensation, safer workplaces, stronger employee protections, and meaningful labor-management partnerships that support both worker well-being and effective city operations.
ABOUT THE ROLE
The Director of Labor Relations serves as the City’s chief labor negotiator and senior advisor on labor strategy, helping to shape a workplace culture that reflects Detroit’s values of fairness, respect, and shared responsibility. The Director leads collective bargaining, contract administration, labor-management relations, and dispute resolution across all City departments, ensuring agreements and processes support both high-quality public service and a stable, supported workforce.
This role requires deep expertise in public-sector labor law, specifically Michigan law, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to build trusted, collaborative relationships with Detroit’s unions and labor partners. The Director provides strategic guidance to the Mayor, Chief of Staff, Human Resources, the Law Department, and department leaders on labor issues that affect staffing, service delivery, and organizational performance. A successful candidate brings a steady, solutions-oriented approach and a strong understanding of the City’s operational needs, workforce challenges, and long-standing labor dynamics.
This role will drive the administration’s labor priorities, including:
Strengthen collaborative labor-management relationships that support worker dignity, safety, and respect.
Ensure collective bargaining supports fair compensation, reliable staffing, and high-quality public-service delivery.
Enhance workplace equity through improved HR practices, accountability systems, and contract compliance.
Support workforce stabilization efforts, including hiring, retention, and labor-management planning.
Improve transparency in grievance processes, communication, and contract administration.
Align labor agreements with citywide initiatives such as youth employment, senior services, and public-safety reforms.
Provide proactive guidance on issues such as overtime, scheduling, job classifications, and training.
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:
Serve as the City of Detroit’s chief labor negotiator and lead all collective bargaining efforts.
Develop and implement labor-relations strategy consistent with administration priorities and labor law.
Oversee administration of all labor agreements, including interpretation, compliance, and implementation.
Direct the grievance process, including hearings, settlements, and arbitration.
Collaborate with the Law Department on MERC proceedings, arbitration cases, and prohibited-practice issues.
Advise the Mayor, Chief of Staff, Human Resources Director, and executive leadership on labor-relations impacts.
Build and maintain productive relationships with union leadership, stewards, and members.
Monitor developments in labor law, arbitration decisions, and MERC rulings to inform City strategy.
Support workforce planning, job-classification reviews, and updates to personnel policies.
Lead labor-management meetings, communication processes, and conflict-resolution efforts.
Oversee Labor Relations staff, budget, operations, and performance systems.
Represent the City at hearings, negotiations, mediations, and formal labor proceedings.
Qualifications:
Extensive experience in labor relations, Michigan labor law, collective bargaining, labor law, human resources, or a closely related field.
Deep knowledge of Detroit’s labor landscape, including historic and current relationships with the City’s unions, labor federations, stewards, and frontline worker networks.
Demonstrated experience working with Detroit-based labor partners, public-sector unions, and community or workforce organizations that shape the city’s labor ecosystem.
Understanding of how labor relations intersect with economic development, including experience with workforce development systems, job quality initiatives, or strategies that align labor, industry, and community needs.
Strong preference for candidates with lived or professional experience in Detroit, or substantial familiarity with the city’s municipal operations, labor history, and community dynamics.
Familiarity with public-sector labor law, arbitration, MERC procedures, contract interpretation, and grievance administration.
Proven track record serving as a chief negotiator or senior labor strategist for a large or complex organization.
Ability to interpret and apply labor statutes, case law, arbitration rulings, and collective bargaining agreements in fast-moving environments.
Experience supervising labor-relations teams, legal staff, or operational units.
Strong communication, relationship-building, and conflict-resolution skills rooted in respect for worker voice and collaborative problem solving.
Experience advising executive leadership on labor implications of policy, budgeting, staffing, and organizational transformation.
Commitment to equity, transparency, worker dignity, and high-quality public service.
Law degree preferred; equivalent experience will be considered.
Rate of Pay: $135,679– $193,006 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