Marvin James, the brash architect of Mayor Brandon Scott’s political campaigns who rose to become one of his top advisers in City Hall, will depart his post next month.

The move, which city officials confirmed this week but will not be effective until April, will mark the first time in five years that James has not been a part of the mayor’s core team, although he will remain on the city payroll for several more months as an adviser.

In an interview with The Baltimore Banner, James, 37, said he will step back to care for his aging parents. He plans to remain in the campaign world where he got his start in politics, and couldn’t rule out a return to Scott’s staff.

“I love this city,” he said. “I’m not going anywhere. Be prepared to put up with me.”

James’s departure could bring a shift in posture for the Scott administration which promoted James and several other officials with campaign backgrounds as the mayor was entering a tough 2024 campaign for reelection. Under the leadership of James, who freely calls himself a “wartime” chief of staff, the mayor’s office mounted a vigorous rebuttal against criticisms from rival candidates, drawing a hard line with perceived foes and engaging in several public conflicts with State’s Attorney Ivan Bates and Councilman Mark Conway.

Scott praised James for the relationships he forged with elected officials and different constituencies across Baltimore and credited James for helping to “steady the ship.”

“He understands both sides,” Scott said. “He understands what needs to happen on the campaign end, but also how the office needs to be focused on delivering.”

A replacement for James has not been named. Several top officials within the administration are in consideration, according to City Hall sources with knowledge of the process, including J.D. Merrill, interim deputy mayor for equity health and human services, deputy chief of staff Bryan Doherty and Calvin Young III, the mayor’s former campaign treasurer who joined his staff as an adviser last year.

Whoever is named replacement, they will be the fourth person to hold the chief of staff post since Scott became mayor in December 2020. Michael Huber, a top adviser to Scott when he served as City Council president, initially filled the role before departing for a position with Johns Hopkins University. Chezia Cager served a six-month stint before she was asked to step down to a lower ranked position in the administration.

Svelte, diminutive and outfitted in bespoke suits, James has been the most visible of Scott’s top advisers. As chief of staff, he interfaces with the City Council as a representative for the administration.

In his campaign capacity, he was sharp-tongued and lively. In one scene captured in “The Body Politic,” a documentary about the mayor, James can be seen bellowing from a city curb in celebration of Scott’s 2020 mayoral victory, prompting a passing city police car to stop out of concern.

A Baltimore area native who split his youth between his parents’ home in Baltimore County and his grandparents’ house in West Baltimore, James joined Scott’s team in 2019 as he was exploring a mayoral bid. An alum of Anthony Brown’s gubernatorial campaign and Ivan Bates’s first bid for state’s attorney, James worked as an adviser for Scott as he made a successful play for the council presidency following the departure of Mayor Catherine Pugh and succession of then-Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young to mayor. James then managed Scott’s 2020 mayoral campaign.

After Scott emerged victorious from a crowded field, James joined the mayor’s office in an advisory role, serving as deputy director of neighborhoods and as a liaison to the faith community. The son of two pastors, James helped build Scott’s ties to a churchgoing constituency. During James’ tenure as chief of staff, the mayor announced a partnership with interfaith group BUILD on a $3 billion plan to revitalize vacant homes.

James was promoted to the chief of staff role in mid-2023, as Scott’s reelection campaign was in its infancy. Scott ultimately won the race, a rematch against former Mayor Sheila Dixon, by a 14-percentage point margin.

James said Scott gave him three objectives when he took the job: Stabilize the office — which had been hemorrhaging people — get crime down and win the election. Homicides in the city fell to their lowest figure since 2015 last year. Departures of key staff have slowed during James’ tenure, although some turnover has continued. Scott warned more staffing changes are likely on the way.

While working in City Hall, James kept his foot in campaign world, prompting criticism at times. In 2022, he did some campaign work for former client Ivan Bates during his ultimately successful bid for state’s attorney. He failed to claim that income and money he received from four other candidates on his city ethics disclosure, an error reported by The Baltimore Brew. James ultimately amended his filing to reflect the payments.

Those who have worked closely with James describe him as a strong partner to those in his corner and an antagonist toward those who aren’t. Scott has proven more likely to engage in public disputes during the James tenure. When Bates went public with what he said was a growing rift between him and the mayor shortly before endorsing Dixon in the mayoral race, Scott’s team responded with force, accusing Bates of political gamesmanship.

When Bates took to local television earlier this year to argue Scott’s signature crime prevention plan was not responsible for the city’s decline in homicides, the administration responded even more forcefully. Scott likened Bates to Diontae Johnson, a discontented NFL player who made a brief appearance on the Baltimore Ravens roster but was cut after he refused to enter a game.

“We don’t need any Diontae Johnsons refusing to come to the table and be partners,” Scott said, characterizing himself as quarterback Lamar Jackson in the analogy.

In the administration’s most recent dustup, James was more visible than usual. A second attempt by Councilman Mark Conway to schedule a hearing to discuss the city’s opioid crisis was met by a fiery response from the administration, which called it an attention grab and “beyond shameful.”

James posted a response to at least three social media platforms featuring a photo of a largely blank whiteboard naming Scott’s second-term priorities. Among them were “opiods” and “District 4,” the council district Conway represents.

“Politics and governing go hand-in-hand,” James said and suggested it was his role to run foes out of office.

“You have to have people who want to move the mayor’s mission down the line,” he said. “If you’re not working in tangent with the mayor, my job is to find people who will.”

James said now that the election has drawn to a close, the yet-to-be-named next chief of staff will likely take a more relaxed approach to the job. Still, James’ influence will continue to be felt. He said he’ll remain an adviser for Scott for as long as he’s needed.

James said he’s also on deck for Scott’s next campaign, whatever office the mayor may be seeking.

“I think he will always be looking for how he’s going to serve the city of Baltimore,” James said, pausing. “And the state of Maryland.”