Type: full-time
Location: Chicago, IL
Position Summary
Part of the University Communications team of Strategic Marketing and Communications, the FOIA Office and Communications Specialist will coordinate and manage responses to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests according to office procedures. Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor for University Communications, this role will coordinate, collaborate and assist with media, writing, special projects and general office functions, including project management.
The Strategic Marketing and Communications team is a collaborative group that develops and executes strategies that inform, inspire and engage others to become part of UIC's global academic and research mission. This role values a team of teams approach and is a detailed thinker, researcher and deadline-driven communicator who values processes and systems.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Coordinate document collection and retrieval to comply promptly with assigned FOIA requests.
- Review and process responsive documents, mark redactions and prepare response letters and other notices to requestors.
- File and post FOIA records and communication according to office procedures
- Ensure compliance with FOIA-related timelines and university confidentiality requirements as pertains to records
- Assist with data collection and verification related to FOIA processing
- Work closely with FOIA officers within the University of Illinois System to ensure best practices and alignment.
- Create, maintain and update project management tools to track, plan and execute a variety of initiatives, priorities and events. Communicate accordingly with teams working on projects and assist with specials projects, initiatives and events.
- Edit and proofread a variety of communications for format and style.
- Research articles for daily news summaries. Curate items along with reviewing, producing and distributing, by offering careful evaluation of news sources for applicability, timeliness and impact on institution.
- Create and maintain email and postal mail list for news summaries, media/news release and publications. Assist with mass mail and processing, including formatting, submitting and releasing emails.
- Perform other duties as they emerge in an ever-evolving communications and marketing landscape.
- Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.
Required Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, library science, social sciences, or a related field.
- Three years of professional business or office experience.
- Demonstrated experience with project and records management programs, systems, and processes.
- Demonstrated experience with FOIA or other governmental records-release processes.
- Demonstrated experience reviewing, analyzing, and interpreting documents in response to regulatory or information requests (e.g., FOIA or similar).
- Proficiency with Adobe Suite and Microsoft Office Suite.
Required Skills & Abilities
- Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
- Ability to work independently while following established protocols and processes.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to gather information, conduct research, and present conclusions.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working in legal, government, higher education, or communications settings.
- Demonstrated experience with FOIA or other governmental records-release processes.
- Familiarity with privacy regulations in higher education, research, or health-care settings.
- Experience supporting issues-management or crisis-communications efforts.
- Familiarity with NIMS (National Incident Management System).
- Experience using data or metrics to assess progress toward goals.
- Experience collaborating with system-level or multi-campus entities.
The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.
The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position; however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.