About Us

Career Opportunities

Suburbs Alliance Internships

• Photography
• Redevelopment Evaluation Researcher

• Volunteer

Michigan Suburbs Alliance Mission

The Michigan Suburbs Alliance unites and strengthens metropolitan Detroit’s mature suburbs by elevating regional cooperation, reforming public policies and innovating redevelopment strategies.

Equal Opportunity Employment Policy

The Michigan Suburbs Alliance is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The organization is committed to maintaining a workplace free of discrimination and harassment. We recruit, hire, train and promote individuals in all positions without regard to race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, sex, physical or mental disability, being a disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era or other eligible veteran. At the Suburbs Alliance, we are committed to a fair and equitable workplace where everyone is a respected and valued member of the team.

Organizational Background

The Michigan Suburbs Alliance, a nonprofit registered in the State of Michigan, was established by a group of mayors and city managers from Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties. These leaders gathered in April 2002 and agreed to explore how they could work together to educate themselves and the public about the root causes of problems facing older, established suburbs. In June 2002, representatives from fourteen metro Detroit suburban cities unanimously agreed to form the Michigan Suburbs Alliance, which has since grown to encompassthirty-two member cities with more than 1,000,000 residents.

Through a certification system, the Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) program bolsters the competitive attractiveness of older suburbs by making their development processes more efficient and less complicated. During the course of the program, cities work to incorporate a set of expertly designed best practices into their redevelopment processes and receive professional planning services from RRC consultants. One of the first of its kind in the nation, RRC enables cities to condense project timelines, reduce costs and potential risks and win back badly needed investment to their communities.

Internship Description

The Michigan Suburbs Alliance is seeking a motivated, detail-oriented individual to serve as a Photography Intern. This individual should possess a strong desire to learn about the use of photography in a nonprofit’s marketing, publication design and brand development as well as an eagerness to offer thoughtful suggestions and critical analysis. The position will emphasize extensive photograph-taking in locations throughout southeast Michigan, while incorporating image editing and administrative responsibilities. This internship is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in building a diverse portfolio while developing skills in nonprofit communications.

The successful candidate is well-organized, pro-active and committed to regional issues. She or he should be able to balance organizational responsibilities with independent project management. Anticipated assignments include taking and editing photos, updating website imagery to improve its effectiveness, selecting photos for publications, partnering to develop graphics for publications, creating an online image archive system and securing partner logos.

Qualifications

• Experience taking and editing photographs

• Ability to balance multiple assignments and meet deadlines

• Positive attitude

• Independence tempered by the ability to follow direction and abide by a work plan

• Ability to interact professionally with staff and associates

• Strong organizational skills evidencing attention to detail

• An excellent sense of humor (or at least the potential for one to develop)

Benefits to the Student

• Practical, real-world experience that will help you to transition into a successful career in either the public or private sector   

• Opportunities to network with a wide variety of key stakeholders in the region

• Learn about the role that photography plays in strengthening regionalism and local governments

• Develop a portfolio of diverse imagery from locations throughout southeast Michigan

• Fun and flexible work environment!

Hours

Hours will be flexible and determined based on the student’s schedule and availability. We ask for a minimum of 20 hours per week, some of which will be completed off-site.   

Timeline

Position is filled on a rolling basis.

Internship Description 

The Michigan Suburbs Alliance seeks five motivated, detail-oriented individuals to serve as Redevelopment Evaluation Researchers. These individuals should possess a strong desire to learn about municipal redevelopment processes and an eagerness to offer thoughtful suggestions and critical analysis. Combining writing, analytic and administrative responsibilities, this position is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in economic development, urban planning and public administration.

The ideal candidate is well-organized, proactive and committed to regional issues and sustainable development. The intern will provide research and assessment support to a city participating in Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC), a certification program used to assess and evaluate the efficacy of a city’s development processes (www.redevelopmentready.com).

Assignments will include evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of a city’s community engagement processes, master plan, public official continuing education, financial redevelopment tools, zoning regulations, development review processes and marketing. The intern will assist in the development of the final evaluation report and may be asked to observe Planning Commission, City Council and Zoning Board of Appeal meetings. The program’s AICP certified planning consultants and Suburbs Alliance Associate Director will provide guidance and support.

Students have the option of being placed in any of the following cities: Benton Harbor, Flint, Muskegon Heights, Port Huron and Saginaw. Interns may earn up to $2000 if placed in two cities.

Required Qualifications

• Completed at least one term in a graduate program for urban planning or public administration
• Strong analytical and research skills
• Ability to interact professionally with city staff and public officials
• Strong organizational skills evidencing attention to detail
• Ability to balance multiple assignments and meet deadlines
• Flexibility and a positive attitude
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel
• Independence tempered by the ability to follow direction and abide by a work plan

Benefits to the Student

• $1,000 stipend
• Practical, real-world experience that will help you to transition into a successful career in either the public or private sector
• Opportunities to network with a wide variety of key stakeholders in the region
• Learn about municipal development processes and best practices
• Learn to create and implement solutions to key development challenges
• Flexible work environment!

Hours

Hours will be flexible. The position demands a minimum of 16 hours per week, eight of which must be completed on-site, at the city. 

Timeline

Position is filled on a rolling basis.

Organizational Background

Through a certification system, the Regional Redevelopment Communities program bolsters the competitive attractiveness of older cities by making their development processes more efficient and less complicated. During the course of the program, cities work to incorporate a set of expertly designed best practices in the areas of community visioning and education, continuing education for public officials, tools for redevelopment, development regulations, marketing of redevelopment sites and redevelopment plan review process. One of the first of its kind in the nation, RRC enables cities to condense project timelines, reduce costs and potential risks and win back badly needed investment to their communities.

Qualifications

• Experience taking and editing photographs
• Ability to balance multiple assignments and meet deadlines
• Positive attitude
• Independence tempered by the ability to follow direction and abide by a work plan
• Ability to interact professionally with staff and associates
• Strong organizational skills evidencing attention to detail
• An excellent sense of humor (or at least the potential for one to develop)

Benefits to the Student

• Practical, real-world experience that will help you to transition into a successful career in either the public or private sector   
• Opportunities to network with a wide variety of key stakeholders in the region
• Learn about the role that photography plays in strengthening regionalism and local governments
• Develop a portfolio of diverse imagery from locations throughout southeast Michigan
• Fun and flexible work environment!

Interested in the work we are doing? Want to get involved? Great, we need you!

We are always seeking help, so if you want to experience first-hand the inner workings of the Suburbs Alliance, give us a holler! We have various tasks to dish out, so you're sure to find something that fits your fancy. Volunteering at the Suburbs Alliance is a convenient, enjoyable way to help us improve southeast Michigan's mature communities.