Communications Assistant (Administrative Associate)

Communications Assistant (Administrative Associate)

Salary

$60,894.29 - $106,565.06 Annually

Location

RETIREMENT AGENCY, 12015 LEE JACKSON MEMORIAL HWY, SUITE 350, FAIRFAX (EH05), VA

Job Type

FT Salary W BN

Job Number

26-01756

Department

Retirement Administration

Opening Date

11/07/2026

Closing Date

11/13/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Pay Grade

S21

Posting Type

Open to General Public

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Job Announcement

Serves as the primary backup to the Board Support and Training Manager and supervises a three-person team of Board Support and Training (formerly Communications) staff. Prepares written documents and provides oral presentations covering educational materials for Fairfax County employees pertaining to retirement benefits. Complies with county policies to assist in updating and maintaining documents that are used on the Fairfax County Retirement Systems (FCRS) website. Executes projects that include planning and conducting special events and training opportunities for Retirement Systems Board members and county employees. Coordinates monthly Board of Trustees (BOT) meetings, including agendas and Board materials, utilizing Diligent Board software; takes meeting minutes and follows up on action items. Occasionally performs historical research related to Board items.

Responsible for Human Resources (HR) Manager duties for the agency, including disciplinary action tracking and enforcement, and receives general support from an internal HR liaison. Develops and prepares reports, analyses, and action items pertaining to agency communications.

Maintains a thorough knowledge and understanding of the three Retirement Systems, namely Employees' Retirement System (ERS), Police Officers Retirement System (PORS), and Uniformed Retirement System (URS). Uses FCRS pension software to review member records and answer member questions. Uses EmployeeU to assist in managing class offerings, enrollments, and completion status. Assists in coordinating BOT elections. Updates BOT meeting dates on the County public meetings calendar and on the FCRS website. Creates and maintains signage throughout the Retirement office (including BOT meeting times, door signs, and other informational items for visitors). Orders and sets up meals and/or refreshments as needed for BOT meetings.

The successful candidate will have excellent oral and written communication skills, including great attention to detail, proofreading skills, and the ability to follow directions, along with the ability to exercise tact, discretion, initiative, and independent judgment.

Assigned functional areas: executive administrative support, retirement, information systems, communications

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 on the position description.)

General Financial Duties

Develops financial reports and data analyses for use by analysts/managers.

Monitors and tests computer systems that maintain department financial records.

Fiscal Administration

Analyzes budgets and develops recommendations for division/department.

Authorizes journal and/or budget entries.

Accounting

Approves/authorizes wire transfers.

Performs unique accounting functions that have countywide impact.

Purchasing

Identifies need for new funding sources and/or modifications to contracts.

Provides needs assessments and interacts with staff to identify fund sources and

develop a plan for purchases.

Identifies exceptional purchases (e.g., sole source justification), obtains special

approvals (e.g., agency approval for budget deviation) and insures competitive billing

process.

Purchases items, applying complex and conflicting regulations without consultation,

using multiple fund sources and determining appropriateness of expenditures.

Resolves disputes with vendors (except for precedent-setting actions outside policy).

Insures staff is trained and follows department/County policies and/or procedures.

General Executive Assistance

Makes decisions involving the functional area that are highly confidential and

politically sensitive.

Acts on executive/work unit heads behalf on issues related to standard and nonstandard department business operations.

Takes actions that require originality and thorough historical and political

understanding of the functional area.

Uses discretion and an understanding of the sensitive issues within the functional area to make decisions and resolve problems.

Acts as a resource regarding policies, procedures and precedents of the functional

area in the development of programs and policies within the functional area.

Scheduling & Coordinating

Attends meetings on behalf of the executive/work unit head, gathers information and

prepares concise, accurate reports.

Actively participates in management meetings.

Communication

Gathers data and composes concise executive summaries.

Writes technical and non-technical correspondence, and/or presentation materials.

Researches, coordinates, develops historical/political framework of issues and makes recommendations to executives/work unit head.

Writes non-technical content of reports and edits text.

Answers inquiries from the public on highly publicized or sensitive issues.

Informs internal and external staff, as well as the public, regarding executive/work

unit heads decisions regarding procedural issues and provides the reasons for those decisions.

Office Management

Actively participates in the long range, comprehensive planning of the functional area

(e.g., human resources, space, and budget).

Provides information and participates in the development of in-house policies within

the functional area.

Independently reviews and resolves problems on executive/work unit heads behalf.

Reads documents and attends meetings in order to maintain a working knowledge and understanding of the functional area.

Serves as liaison with the public, county, state, federal, private organizations, and

high level professional peers of the executive/work unit head.

Independently determines which items are to be forwarded to executive/work unit

head or redirected to other staff and prepares background information.

Information Systems/Software

Analyzes administrative procedures & policies to recommend corporate

systems/software changes/modifications.

Reports

Writes report on issues regarding operational efficiencies and/or program operations

affecting multiple functions within the Department or topics for which there are no

precedents.

Researches and analyzes information to identify trends, draws conclusions, makes

recommendations.

Payroll

Implements new county policies & procedures.

Oversees payroll operations for multiple departments/agencies. Serves as subject

matter expert on payroll policies/procedures for multiple departments/agencies.

Audits personnel actions and PARs in multiple departments/agencies for accuracy.

Researches and creates complex payroll reports regarding countywide issues.

Personnel

Manages HR and personnel administrative activities as a part of the department

management team.

Serves as point of contact for all personnel related activities (e.g., appeals panel,

grievances) including providing advice and information to employees and managers.

Analyzes changes in county policy to determine effect on department.

Drafts or revises department policies to conform to county, federal and state rules

and guidelines.

Drafts personnel letters for the Director or other senior managers.

Analyzes equity and consistency issues related to classification, selection and

compensation actions and makes recommendations to management.

Provides advice to Director & other high level managers regarding HR issues.

Composes non-professional and/or professional position descriptions using

information obtained from employee, supervisor, evaluations and samples.

Develops diversity plan.

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 organizations professional objectives and activities and in-depth

knowledge of the assigned functional area(s).

Math Skills

Ability to understand basic statistical concepts.

PC Skills

Intermediate skills in the use of applicable Microsoft Office Suite software.

Intermediate skills in the use of agency specific software applications.

Communication

Ability to write concise and understandable appropriate documents.

Information

Ability to independently gather, integrate, and analyze complex data.

Interpersonal Abilities

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with both external

and internal contacts.

Purchasing and Accounting

Ability to perform data entry into Purchasing/Logistics Enterprise Resource Planning systems and/or Financial Enterprise Resource Planning systems in at least 10 functions.

Personnel and Payroll

Ability to trouble shoot Human Capital Management Enterprise Resource Planning system problems.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Any combination of education, experience and training equivalent to an associate degree and five years of experience providing administrative support in the assigned functional area(s).

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check to the satisfaction of the employer.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience with and intermediate skills in using Microsoft Office software - specifically, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Basic experience using Adobe Acrobat, Photoshop, and lnDesign, and willingness to expand that knowledge.
• Three or more years of customer service and problem-solving experience
• Three of more years preparing agendas and taking notes for meetings involving staff, elected officials or community representatives.
• Three or more years of supervisory experience.
• Intermediate experience with pension software, EmployeeU, Foxit, and Adobe Acrobat.
• Experience with project management support, including the ability to set priorities, manage multiple tasks with different deadlines, and organize time efficiently.
• Experience working independently with limited direction but also working as a team player on projects and training opportunities with supervisor and other agency employees.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Ability to input, access, and retrieve information from a computer. Ability to lift up to 30 lbs. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations. Extended periods of standing may be required when conducting training and giving presentations (up to 4 hours/day). All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:

Panel Interview and may include a practical exercise.

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.

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. TTY 703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.

Merit Positions

Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
• Group Term Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• LiveWell Program
• Flexible Spending Programs
• Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
• Paid Holidays
• Contributory Retirement Plan
• Deferred Compensation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employees Child Care Center
• Continuous Learning Opportunities

Please click here for a summary of our benefits.

NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program: Public Service Loan Forgiveness | Federal Student Aid

For additional details please visit the Countys benefits webpage.

Non-Merit Positions

• Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage

• Flexible Spending Program

• Deferred Compensation

• Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.

• No benefits

01

What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

• Less than 12th grade
• High school diploma or GED
• Some college
• Associates degree
• Bachelors degree
• Masters degree
• Doctorate degree

02

If you answered "Some college" for the highest level of education completed, please indicate the number of quarter or semester hours you have completed towards a degree.

• Less than 45 quarter hours
• 45 to less than 90 quarter hours
• 90 to less than 135 quarter hours
• 135 to less than 180 quarter hours
• 180 or more quarter hours
• Less than 30 semester hours
• 30 to less than 60 semester hours
• 60 to less than 90 semester hours
• 90 to less than 120 semester hours
• 120 or more semester hours
• Not applicable

03

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have providing administrative support in the functional areas of executive administrative support, retirement, information systems, communications, or general administrative support?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven or more years

04

How many full-time equivalent years of experience do you have providing customer service?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years

05

Do you have any customer services experience in any of the following areas? Check all that apply.

• Face-to-face customer service
• Telephone customer service
• Responses in writing to customer inquiries
• Research and experience to resolve difficult customer issues
• Public speaking and presentations to groups
• Scheduling and coordination of presentations
• None of the above

06

This position requires lifting boxes and/or equipment weighing up to 30 pounds unassisted. Are you able to lift weights up to 30 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodations?

• Yes
• No

07

Please indicate which of the following software programs you have an intermediate or higher level of proficiency using. Check all that apply.

• Adobe Photoshop
• Diligent Boards
• Adobe InDesign
• PensionGold
• Microsoft Teams
• Foxit Phantom PDF
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Adobe Acrobat
• None of the above

08

How many years of full-time equivalent do you have producing and editing documents for style, format and/or layout?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years

09

Due to the nature of the responsibilities associated with the position, this position has non-standard working hours that may include working occasional early morning and evening hours as well as occasional overtime. Do you have any issues with potential changes to the standard schedule?

• Yes
• No

10

How many full-time equivalent years of experience do you have preparing agendas and taking notes for meetings involving staff, elected officials, or community representatives?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years

11

How many full-time equivalent years of supervisory experience and/or experience reviewing the work of less experienced staff do you have?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five or more years

12

Please indicate your level of proficiency with Microsoft Excel.

• Beginner (Basic knowledge of creating a worksheet; performing calculations in a worksheet; modifying and formatting a worksheet; printing workbook contents)
• Intermediate (Knowledge of inserting and modifying graphic objects in a worksheet; customizing and enhancing workbooks; analyzing data using Pivot Tables, Slicers, and Pivot Charts)
• Advanced (Extensive knowledge of increasing productivity and improving efficiency by streamlining workflow; collaborating with others using workbooks; auditing worksheets; analyzing data; working with multiple workbooks; importing and exporting data, using Excel with the web)
• No experience

13

Please indicate your level of proficiency with Microsoft PowerPoint.

• Beginner (Basic knowledge of opening, saving and closing files; creating backwards compatible files for working with older versions of PowerPoint; utilizing the find and replace tool; applying and modifying pre-designed WordArt; spacing and arranging objects and images; converting bulleted list into flowcharts)
• Intermediate (Knowledge of applying templates and themes; converting text to diagrams and tables; inserting images and clip art; adding sound effects and music clips, adding video and animation; adding and configuring interactive action buttons; incorporating review comments and embedded MS Office content; use advanced features for saving and distributing your file)
• Advanced (Extensive knowledge in customizing PowerPoint for your own work environment; fully leveraging the power of master slides to creating consistent and easy-to-update designs; simplifying internal communication or reviews with embedded notes and comments; reusing (not re-entering) data from other applications; adding multimedia elements; recording voice-overs for presentations; setting up a self-running slideshow display for a lobby or event kiosk)
• No experience

14

Please indicate your level of proficiency with Microsoft Word.

• Beginner (Basic knowledge of creating, editing, formatting, and saving simple documents; inserting simple tables; and proofreading documents for accuracy)
• Intermediate (Knowledge of common commands such as creating a title; using, modifying, and creating styles; setting up the ruler; indenting paragraphs, using tabs and tables; inserting captions, footnotes, endnotes, special characters, or hard page breaks; using page numbering; creating headers and footers; inserting graphics; inserting an equation, adding comments and tracking changes.)
• Advanced (Extensive knowledge of almost all function of program including mail merge, macros, creating a table of contents, creating bookmarks and cross-referencing.)
• No experience

Required Question

Employer Fairfax County

Address 12000 Government Center Pkwy. Suite 270

Fairfax, Virginia, 22035

Phone 703-324-3311

Website http://agency.governmentjobs.com/fairfaxcounty/default.cfm