Portland’s first city administrator is… the same person who’s been quietly keeping the city running for the last few years.

Michael Jordan, who’s served as the interim city administrator since July, is expected to stay on until next year. The position is responsible for overseeing all of the city's bureau operations, with deputy city administrators managing each service area.

Prior to stepping into the city administrator role, Jordan was Portland’s former chief administrative officer in the Office of Management and Finance. He also led the city’s transition team after the passage of Portland’s charter reform measure in 2022 and helped craft the city's new organizational structure.

Mayor Keith Wilson nominated Jordan for the role and will bring his recommendation to the City Council for approval Wednesday, Feb. 5. 

The move comes after Wilson previously signaled his intent to keep Jordan in the role, as Wilson was working with former Mayor Ted Wheeler and Jordan during his transition process shortly before taking office.

Wilson called his appointment of Jordan to the city’s top management role “a vital step in our transition” and said having Jordan at the helm will ensure continuity of operations. 

“With his extensive qualifications and service to Portland, Michael Jordan is uniquely suited to help guide our city through ongoing organizational changes,” Wilson stated in a memo to City Council. 

Wilson said Jordan will stay on as the city embarks on a national recruitment for a permanent city administrator this spring, in hopes of appointing someone to the role by January 1, 2026. 

Jordan has spent decades working in Oregon public agencies. He was previously the director of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services and has also served as chief operating officer for Oregon’s executive branch and Metro, the regional government entity that includes Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas Counties.

In the memo to City Council, Jordan said being the first to serve in the city’s top administrator role “would be the highlight of my career” and said he’s honored to assist the Council and the mayor in leading the city’s staff through the government transition.

The City Council is also expected to confirm Robert Taylor as the city attorney- a role he's held since 2021. Taylor joined Portland's City Attorney's Office in 2017.