The Associated Press today reports Barack Obama's naming of Valerie Jarrett as his White House senior adviser.  The report notes:

Jarrett, who hired Michelle Obama for a job in the Chicago mayor's office years ago, is one of the president-elect's closest friends and advisers. Her name has been floated for several top administration jobs. But Obama settled on the senior adviser role, said a person close to the president-elect and willing to speak only on background because the decision has not been officially announced.

A White House senior adviser can handle a range of duties. President George W. Bush's top political aide Karl Rove held the title in the current administration.

Jarrett has a background in real estate and politics in Chicago.

The AP could easily have embellished on that background in real estate, which has been common knowledge for some time.  In June, the Boston Globe described one of Jarrett's adventures in real estate: