Public Records & FOIA Specialist

City of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Chicago is seeking a Freedom of Information Act Officer to manage and respond to public record requests under Illinois FOIA. You will locate, review, and redact records and communicate findings clearly to requesters.

The role requires certification within six months, strong documentation skills, and experience with FOIA processes. Work involves collaboration with city departments and adherence to deadlines and legal guidelines.

Qualifications

• Certification by the State of Illinois as a Freedom of Information Officer within six months of hire.
• Experience handling FOIA requests and related records research.
• Proficiency in composing formal responses and redacting exempt information.

Responsibilities

• Responds to FOIA requests from citizens, journalists, and external entities.
• Identifies responsive records, photocopies/scans, and forwards via mail or electronically.
• Redacts exempt information and maintains audit logs of requests.

Skills

FOIA knowledge

Research & analysis

Verbal & written communication

Customer service

Data privacy

Education

State FOIA Officer Certification

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

GovQA

Job description

City of Chicago is seeking a Freedom of Information Act Officer to manage and respond to public record requests under Illinois FOIA. You will locate, review, and redact records and communicate findings clearly to requesters.

The role requires certification within six months, strong documentation skills, and experience with FOIA processes. Work involves collaboration with city departments and adherence to deadlines and legal guidelines.