Copa Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

BID/JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Freedom of Information Act Officer
Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA)
Number of Positions: 2
(Additional vacancies possible pending budget approval)
Starting Salary: $68,616
This position is open to the public and all current City employees covered under the City's collective bargaining agreement with AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY, AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES (AFSCME) - BARGAINING UNIT 1, 3, 4 & 5. Only employees in City job titles in this bargaining unit are eligible to bid.
BID INSTRUCTIONS: Apply on the bid site: https://chicago.taleo.net/careersection/103/jobsearch.ftl?lang=en AND
1. Check the box on your profile titled "Currently employed by the City of Chicago"
2. Enter your employee ID (located on your pay stub labeled 'payee/employee number')
3. Select your correct bargaining unit
FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS WILL RESULT IN A REJECTED BID APPLICATION
Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59pm CDT on 09/03/2026
Under general supervision, receives and responds to requests for information of public record, and
court subpoenas using multiple resources and streams of data to research and locate relevant
information, and speaks and writes about findings, and performs related duties as required.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
• Responds to requests for information filed by citizens, journalists, and outside entities pursuant to the State of Illinois Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA")
• Responds verbally and in writing to inquiries from the general public, business establishments, community organizations, media and governmental agencies regarding city programs, services, and business matters of public record
• Researches, examines, and analyzes documents to provide responsive documents in response to FOIA requests and other releases of information and makes appropriate redactions of exempt information
• Resolves information requests within the required timeframes and where appropriate requests extensions in writing
• Assesses whether the magnitude of information requested proves burdensome in adherence with the State of Illinois Freedom of Information guidelines
• Obtains necessary information from manual, computerized and archived files, and records
• Responds via the internet in writing to requests for information sent electronically through the internet concerning departmental programs, services or matters of public record, as required
• Oversees and participates in the mailing of responses to written requests for information
• Trains and orientates clerical and administrative staff to track down information, redact exempt information from public documents, photocopy, and scan documents, as required
• Prepares and maintains statistical and narrative work activity reports
• Maintains and updates log of all FOIA requests
• Works with all internal departments and other city agencies to fulfill FOIA requests when necessary
• Attends internal meetings related to major cases and other high-profile incidents
• May review information to be posted onto the intranet and internet websites for accuracy regarding departmental programs and services, as required
• May represent the department at public hearings and community meetings to explain and promote city services, programs, and upcoming events, as required
Additional duties may be required for this position
Location: COPA
Address: 1615 W Chicago Avenue
Days: Monday - Friday
Days off: Saturday and Sunday
Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (with on-call rotation availability)
THIS POSITION IS IN THE CAREER SERVICE
Qualifications
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism, Communications, English or a directly related field, plus two (2) years research and analysis work experience
Should the above criteria not be fulfilled, the following options are acceptable:
• Six (6) years of research and analysis work experience
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with an Associate's Degree in Journalism, Communications, English or a directly related field, plus four (4) years research and analysis work experience
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's Degree or higher in Journalism, Communications, English or a directly related field, plus one (1) year research and analysis work experience
Licensure, Certification, or Other Qualifications
• Certification by the State of Illinois as a Freedom of Information Officer is required, within six (6) months of hire
NOTE: Candidates must pass a background investigation, drug screen, and other pre- employment procedures as determined by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
SELECTION REQUIREMENTS
This position requires applicants to complete an interview which will include a written exercise and/or a skills assessment test as part of the interview. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the oral and written parts of the interview will be selected.
Preference will be given to candidates possessing the following:

• Previous experience processing FOIA requests
• Previous experience performing office administration duties
• Previous customer service experience
• Proficiency utilizing Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Professional proficiency in a language other than English

For Information on our employees benefits please visit our benefits website at:
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/benefits-office.html
For Information on our salary and title structure visit our classifications website at:
City of Chicago :: Classification and Pay Plan
APPLICATION EVALUATION: Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resource staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY: To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates. To learn more about our hiring practices click here.
ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.
The City of Chicago is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Friendly, and Fair Chance Employer.
City of Chicago
Brandon Johnson, Mayor