Detroit, MI – Chief of Housing, Planning, Workforce and Economic Development

About the Office

The Office of Housing, Planning, Workforce & Economic Development is housed within the Mayor’s Office and serves as the central coordinating body for Detroit’s housing, neighborhood planning, economic development, and workforce strategy. The office aligns the work of key agencies and partners—including DLBA, HRD, PDD, DEGC, DDA, CRIO, Detroit at Work, Detroit Means Business, and philanthropic and industry partners—to ensure reinvestment, job creation, and long-term neighborhood stability directly benefit Detroit residents. The office advances affordable housing, homeownership, land-use reform, community-led development, strong local business ecosystems, and workforce pipelines aligned with quality jobs.

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 housing, planning, economic-development, and workforce systems into a unified, community-centered agenda. The Chief ensures alignment between neighborhood-driven housing strategies, infill and single-family development, planning and zoning priorities, economic-development initiatives, workforce pipelines, and land-stewardship reforms, while ensuring resident feedback meaningfully informs policy and development decisions. This role requires a visionary, results-oriented leader with deep policy expertise and the ability to drive large-scale, cross-agency systems toward equitable outcomes.

Core Responsibilities

The Chief oversees Detroit’s integrated housing, planning, workforce, and economic-development portfolio; leads cross-agency coordination among housing, planning, workforce, and economic-development entities; directs development and implementation of the citywide Master and Neighborhood Development Plans; strengthens infill and single-family housing pipelines; leads reforms of the Detroit Land Bank Authority and Detroit Housing Commission; guides tax-abatement, incentive, zoning, and land-use strategies; advances business attraction and industry-growth initiatives; oversees small-business, corridor, and entrepreneurship strategies; aligns workforce pipelines with employer needs; promotes equitable development and CRIO compliance; manages large-scale funding strategies; represents the Mayor in major negotiations; and tracks neighborhood and economic indicators to ensure transparency and measurable results.

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, 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, housing systems, land-stewardship challenges, and economic landscape
• Experience recruiting or supporting large-scale employers and emerging industries
• Expertise in tax abatements, zoning, land-use policy, and economic-development finance tools
• Exceptional relationship-building skills with residents, developers, employers, unions, community organizations, and philanthropic partners
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, transparency, community voice, and neighborhood-centered development
• Ability to lead complex initiatives in fast-paced, politically sensitive environments

Salary and Benefits

This position offers an annual salary of $179,000–$200,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience, along with generous healthcare and other benefits provided to eligible City of Detroit employees.

How to Apply:

Apply online with a resume, cover letter and contact information for five professional references.

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.