Communications Assistant (Administrative Associate)

Fairfax County•Fairfax (Eh05), VA

10h

About The Position

The Communications Assistant serves as the primary backup to the Board Support and Training Manager and supervises a three-person Board Support and Training team. The position prepares written materials and oral presentations about retirement benefits for Fairfax County employees, and helps maintain documents on the Fairfax County Retirement Systems (FCRS) website in accordance with County policies. The role plans and conducts events and training for Retirement Systems Board members and County employees; coordinates monthly Board of Trustees meetings, including agendas, materials, minutes, and action-item follow-up; and occasionally researches historical Board matters. It also performs agency HR Manager duties, including tracking and enforcing disciplinary actions, with general support from an internal HR liaison. The position develops reports, analyses, and action items related to agency communications and maintains knowledge of the Employees’ Retirement System (ERS), Police Officers Retirement System (PORS), and Uniformed Retirement System (URS). The Communications Assistant uses FCRS pension software to review member records and answer questions, and EmployeeU to manage class offerings, enrollments, and completion status. Other duties include assisting with Board elections, updating meeting dates on the County public meetings calendar and FCRS website, maintaining office signage, and arranging meals or refreshments for Board meetings. The successful candidate demonstrates strong oral and written communication, attention to detail, proofreading, and direction-following skills, along with tact, discretion, initiative, and independent judgment.

Requirements

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).
Complete a criminal background check to the satisfaction of the employer.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Attention to detail, proofreading skills, and the ability to follow directions.
Ability to exercise tact, discretion, initiative, and independent judgment.
Ability to input, access, and retrieve information from a computer.
Ability to lift up to 30 pounds.
Ability to stand for extended periods when conducting training and giving presentations, up to four hours per day.

Nice To Haves

Experience and intermediate skills using Microsoft Office, specifically Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Basic experience using Adobe Acrobat, Photoshop, and InDesign, and willingness to expand that knowledge.
Three or more years of customer service and problem-solving experience.
Three or 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.
Project management support experience, including setting priorities, managing multiple tasks with different deadlines, and organizing time efficiently.
Experience working independently with limited direction and collaborating as a team member on projects and training opportunities.
Bilingual ability in English and another language is encouraged.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary backup to the Board Support and Training Manager and supervise a three-person Board Support and Training team.
Prepare written documents and deliver oral presentations about retirement benefits for Fairfax County employees.
Assist with updating and maintaining documents on the FCRS website in compliance with County policies.
Plan and conduct special events and training opportunities for Retirement Systems Board members and County employees.
Coordinate monthly Board of Trustees meetings, including preparing agendas and Board materials, taking minutes, and following up on action items.
Occasionally conduct historical research related to Board items.
Perform agency HR Manager duties, including tracking and enforcing disciplinary actions, with support from an internal HR liaison.
Develop and prepare reports, analyses, and action items related to agency communications.
Maintain knowledge of ERS, PORS, and URS.
Use FCRS pension software to review member records and answer member questions.
Use EmployeeU to manage class offerings, enrollments, and completion status.
Assist in coordinating Board of Trustees elections.
Update Board meeting dates on the County public meetings calendar and the FCRS website.
Create and maintain signage throughout the Retirement office.
Order and set up meals and refreshments as needed for Board meetings.