What are the responsibilities and job description for the Administrative Technician - FOIA Specialist position at City of Richmond?
The City of Richmond Police Department is seeking a diligent and detail-oriented Administrative Technician to join our Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) team as a FOIA Specialist. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in managing and responding to a high volume of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements, and facilitating efficient communication between our department and the public.
Successful completion of an interview, and thorough background investigation, which may include a polygraph exam and drug/alcohol screening, is required. Please note that the Police Department background process may take up to 45-60 days. An applicant disqualified from the Police background process may reapply a year after disqualification.
Responsibilities:
- Research, compile, and respond to a high volume of FOIA requests received by the OLA.
- Ensure timely responses to FOIA requests in accordance with statutory deadlines.
- Identify sensitive or complex requests requiring coordination with departmental legal counsel.
- Redact documents and body worn camera (BWC) footage as necessary to ensure compliance with legal and privacy requirements.
- Acknowledge receipt of new FOIA requests via departmental email inbox and establish both physical and electronic files for each request.
- Input FOIA requests into the OLA FOIA spreadsheet for proper tracking and management.
- Draft and send extension letters when necessary, ensuring clear and accurate communication with requestors.
- Prioritize FOIA requests to optimize efficiency in response times.
- Regularly communicate with departmental staff, officers, and other city agency employees regarding FOIA requests.
- Correspond with requestors to obtain necessary information for processing FOIA requests effectively.
- Document and close files for completed FOIA requests, updating the OLA FOIA spreadsheet and filing closed files appropriately.
- Utilize departmental programs and software, including Records Management System (RMS), TREDS, Netviewer, and Evidence.com, to research and generate reports on police incidents, crashes, 911 records, CAD reports, calls for service, and crime statistics.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- High School Diploma or GED
- Two years of related clerical or office support experience
- An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the classification
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with various software programs and databases.
- Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and ability to prioritize tasks effectively.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Prior experience in administrative support or legal assistance.
- Familiarity with FOIA regulations and legal procedures.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS: Working conditions may include exposure to travel to other locations within the City of Richmond as well as outside of the City of Richmond; exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, etc.; atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, and poor ventilation; inadequate lighting; intense noise; and environmental hazards such as disruptive people, imminent danger, and a threatening environment.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Due to the nature of work assignments, incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and under time constraint. The essential duties of this classification may require the ability to regularly balance, crouch, reach, walk, pull, work with one's fingers, talk, hear, see, use repetitive motions, and feel; and frequently stand, grasp, push, lift, stoop, and kneel. In terms of the physical strength to perform the essential duties, this classification is considered to be light work (exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects), but may differ based on area of focus. The working conditions may contain environmental hazards, depending on area of focus.
* Internal use: HR Generalist to review.
Salary : $41,600 - $55,890
