Staff Aide (Administrative Aide)

The Office of Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith is seeking a highly motivated and community minded individual to serve as a Staff Aide. This role supports the Supervisor's work to advocate for Fairfax County residents, address constituent concerns, advance policy initiatives, and contribute to effective county governance.

Issue areas associated with this position may include:

• Economic development
• Budget policy
• Taxes
• Health & human services

• Responds to constituent inquiries by phone, email, and in person.
• Coordinates with county departments, state agencies, community organizations, and other stakeholders to gather and share information.
• Researches, organizes, and maintains legislative, administrative, and reference materials.
• Assists with planning and executing special projects, programs, meetings, and community events.
• Drafts and edits correspondence, reports, and summaries for internal and public use.
• Provides staff support for board and community meetings, including setup, monitoring, and recording.
• Maintains logs, files, and permanent board and legislative records.
• Engages and supports community members of diverse backgrounds in a professional and inclusive manner.
• Manages a portfolio of issue areas and supports related policy research and development.
• Identifies constituent needs, works toward solutions, and ensures timely follow up.

* Basic understanding of local budget processes, revenue sources, and tax structures.
* Knowledge of local government operations, public policy, and legislative processes.
* Strong written and oral communication skills.
* Ability to interpret and explain laws, regulations, and policies.
* Understanding of program objectives and their relationship to departmental goals.
* Ability to establish effective working relationships with colleagues, constituents, and community partners.
* Ability to collect, compile, and analyze qualitative and quantitative data.
* Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple assignments.
* Skill in preparing reports and written summaries for internal and public audiences.
* Ability to utilize basic graphic presentation tools.

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")
Bachelor's degree in political science, public policy, public administration, business administration, English, communications, or a related field.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check to the satisfaction of the employer. Due to the scope and responsibilities associated with the position, the appointee must be willing and able to work some evening and weekend hours. Resident of the Sully District or willing to locate to the area shortly after employment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bilingual fluency in Spanish, Korean, or another widely spoken community language.
• Experience serving the public or supporting community focused programs.
• Experience working in a fast-paced environment with the ability to meet deadlines while managing multiple projects and shifting priorities.
• Ability to assess issues, identify root causes, and recommend solutions.
• Demonstrated initiative in improving processes and managing special projects.
• Ability to question established procedures to support continuous improvement.
• Strong multitasking skills and ability to work independently while exercising sound judgement.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities.
• Experience working directly with the public on community issues.
• Experience interpreting financial documents, budget reports, or tax assessments.
• Strong analytical skills, including ability to identify discrepancies and trends.
• Experience working with financial data, spreadsheets, and charts.
• Ability to adapt in a fast paced, politically sensitive environment.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others.) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.