Foundation Liaison to the Mayor
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 Mayor’s Office serves as the central coordinating body for the City of Detroit’s strategic priorities, partnerships, and resident-centered agenda. Detroit’s philanthropic community plays an essential role in advancing neighborhood revitalization, public health, economic mobility, workforce pathways, housing stability, cultural vibrancy, and quality-of-life initiatives. The Foundation Liaison works within the Mayor’s Office to build and sustain long-term partnerships with Detroit’s robust philanthropic ecosystem—aligning shared goals, mobilizing investment, and ensuring that philanthropic resources meaningfully advance the needs of Detroit residents. The Office leads with transparency, community voice, and a belief that cross-sector collaboration is essential to the city’s future.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Reporting directly to senior leadership in the Mayor’s Office, the Foundation Liaison serves as Detroit’s primary relationship manager to the philanthropic sector. The role is responsible for building aligned, long-term, trust-based partnerships that strengthen the Administration’s ability to deliver for residents. The Liaison develops strategy, coordinates regularly with foundation staff and executives, and ensures the Mayor’s priorities are clearly communicated and supported through philanthropic collaboration. This role requires an experienced partnership-builder with exceptional judgment, strong political and civic awareness, and deep understanding of Detroit’s community landscape. The Foundation Liaison will maintain a strong grasp of the Mayor’s full portfolio of initiatives and will work to braid philanthropic interest areas into new and existing programs that deliver measurable, equitable outcomes for Detroiters.
This role will drive the administration’s priorities, including:
Establish and steward long-term, strategic relationships with Detroit’s philanthropic partners
Align philanthropic investment with the Mayor’s priorities in housing, neighborhoods, health, youth services, workforce, economic mobility, public safety, and cultural vitality
Proactively identify opportunities where philanthropic collaboration can accelerate resident-centered outcomes
Ensure transparent communication between the Mayor’s Office and foundations regarding initiatives, milestones, and needs
Develop coordinated philanthropic strategies that strengthen cross-sector partnerships and minimize duplication of efforts
Create mechanisms for ongoing philanthropic engagement, including briefings, roundtables, and co-designed initiatives
Support the Administration’s commitment to equity, community voice, and neighborhood-centered development through targeted philanthropic partnerships
Track regional and national philanthropic trends to position Detroit for competitive funding and innovative partnerships
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 primary liaison between the Mayor’s Office and philanthropic institutions in Detroit, the region, and national networks
Develop and execute a comprehensive philanthropic engagement strategy aligned to the Mayor’s vision
Cultivate and manage strong relationships with foundation executives, program officers, and sector leaders
Coordinate communication between the Mayor’s Office, city departments, and philanthropic partners to ensure alignment and progress
Maintain deep knowledge of Administration priorities in housing, economic development, public health, human services, small business, workforce, youth, arts, and neighborhood revitalization
Create regular briefings, updates, and engagement opportunities for philanthropic partners
Support philanthropic investment in city initiatives by preparing proposals, strategy documents, and partnership frameworks
Identify opportunities for collaborative, multi-foundation investment strategies
Ensure all philanthropic partnerships uphold transparency, ethical standards, and community-centered values
Track, evaluate, and report on impact of philanthropic partnerships in alignment with city goals
Collaborate with policy, data, and departmental leaders to identify high-impact opportunities for philanthropic alignment
Support the Mayor’s Office in preparing for meetings, speeches, and events involving philanthropic stakeholders
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in public administration, public policy, urban studies, business, or related field preferred
Seven or more years of experience in philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, government relations, fundraising, or strategic partnerships
Demonstrated success cultivating long-term institutional partnerships and managing complex stakeholder environments
Strong understanding of Detroit’s philanthropic landscape, community organizations, and economic and social issues
Ability to translate policy and program goals into compelling partnership strategies
Exceptional communication, writing, and presentation skills
High emotional intelligence, diplomacy, and the ability to navigate sensitive political and civic contexts
Experience working with or within government, foundations, or large nonprofits preferred
Commitment to equity, transparency, and resident-centered decision making
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced executive environment
Rate of Pay: $80,000– $120,000 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.