Job Announcement

Fairfax County Park Authority is searching for a FOIA Specialist (Management Analyst II) to manage the Park Authority’s Freedom of Information (FOIA) program. Works under the direction of the agency’s Public Information Officer and in collaboration with the County’s Office of Public Affairs FOIA team. Oversees compliance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act to ensure timely response to FOIA requests. Develops plans, policies, procedures, and processes for the agency FOIA program. Evaluates opportunities for efficiency, while ensuring compliance. Prepares FOIA responses and conducts review and redaction of agency records to provide to members of the public and media. Designs, develops, and delivers training within the agency to ensure agency wide compliance with VFOIA. Often seeks guidance from the Office of the County Attorney and the Park Authority’s Director’s Office. The FOIA Specialist’s responsibilities include:

• Coordinates with appropriate agency divisions and branches, site staff and employees to ensure a timely response to all Freedom of Information Act requests. (Approximately 200 requests are submitted annually.)
• Creates and manages a tracking system for all FOIA requests and FOIA fees.
• Ensures agency-wide compliance with public meetings and public records requirements under the Open Meetings Act.
• Coordinates legally complex responses with the County Attorney’s Office and the County’s Office of Public Affairs FOIA team.
• Attends regular county-wide FOIA team meetings on changes to FOIA laws, best practices and FOIA fees.
• Maintains records on FOIA fees, including invoices and payments
• Establishes and updates community use areas (CUA) at sites, farmers markets, concert venues and ensuring that CUA maps are updated and published online.
• Provides First Amendment audit training and procedures and resources for staff.
• Establishes and updates First Amendment activity areas at all parks and facilities and ensuring that relevant maps are updated and published online.
• Manages Marketing and Communications Office’s standard operating procedures (SOP's). Coordinates review and revision process.
• Coordinates department’s agency accreditation responsibilities. Collaborates with Director’s Office and other agency teams on accreditation project.
• Manages oversight of Parkmail account. Collaborates with the Public Information Officer to manage and ensure initial response to all public inquiries within 24 hours.

The assigned functional areas of this position are Public Information/Communications, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) administration, and Information Management.

Illustrative Duties

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position description.)

• Performs a wide range of professional work in multiple administration functions within an organizational unit including analysis and project management;
• May supervise administrative and paraprofessional staff;
• Performs a variety of technical and professional work related to monitoring and reporting on departmental business processes, activities, and outcomes;
• Serves as the point-person and liaison within the department and with central county
• departments regarding a designated program and functional areas of responsibility;
• Prepares reports and presentations of analysis and findings.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)

• Knowledge of the mission, goals and objectives of the organizational unit, program or activities to which incumbent is assigned;
• Knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques relating to various functional areas of business operation (e.g., personnel, budgeting and financial management, contract administration and management);
• Knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques governing management, organization, operations and programmatic services;
• Ability to identify and describe a range of possible solutions for solving business problems;
• Ability to apply research methods to design studies and assessments, and statistical analysis techniques to identify patterns and trends in data;
• Ability to use word processing and presentation software to prepare documents, and to use spreadsheet and statistical analysis software packages to store, manipulate, analyze and present data;
• Ability to train, lead, and/or supervise paraprofessional staff.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in the field related to the assigned functional area; plus, two years of professional work experience within the functional area.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s degree and/or three years of experience in public information/communications or related field. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Strong attention to detail. Day-to-day experience and successful track record of managing Freedom of Information Act requests. Knowledge of principles and practices of public information work. Ability to work on tight deadlines. Understanding of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act as it applies to public records and public meetings, Virginia Public Records Act, and principles of first amendment access in the public sector.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
None.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
All newly hired employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (two weeks after the last required dose) as a condition of employment or obtain approval of a medical or religious exemption prior to their start date. Proof of an exemption or vaccination status will be required during the pre-employment onboarding process. New employees who obtain an exemption from the vaccine mandate for medical or sincerely held religious beliefs may be subject to a weekly testing requirement. Vaccinated employees and employees with a medical or religious exemption will complete the attestation online on their first day of employment or shortly thereafter.

The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, and child protective services registry check to the satisfaction of the employer.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Work requires the ability to operate keyboard-driven equipment and to sit for long periods. All duties may be performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include exercise.

The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 39.8% of residents speak a language other than English at home (Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and others) and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314. EEO/AA/TTY.