Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Officer

Job Title: Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Officer

Reports to: FOIA Supervisor

Grade: 20 (Full-Time/Non-Union)

Salary: $81,000 - $92,000

Location: 50 W Washington/Daley Ctr/27^th floor

Bureau: Administrative Services

Division/Unit: FOIA

Application Deadline: April 18, 2026

Working Environment: Hours: Monday Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Primary Function:

The Cook County State's Attorney (CCSAO) is seeking a FOIA Officer for the Freedom of Information Act Team to work alongside the CCSAO's FOIA Officers in processing requests made under the Freedom of Information Act.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Log incoming FOIA requests and track their due dates.
• Review FOIA requests to determine what records are being sought from the requestor.
• Work with individuals in the bureaus and branches throughout the CCSAO to locate responsive records and order all files, or otherwise gather, all necessary records.
• Work with the Civil Division when necessary.
• The FOIA Officer will respond to correspondence in accordance with the Act and handle correspondence with the appropriate skill and care that ensures legal compliance.
• Scan records (in the event we only possess hard copies of the requested records), review them for FOIA exemptions, and produce to requestor.
• Draft response letters to each FOIA request that will be submitted with the records upon delivery to the requestor
• Uphold the mission and values of the SAO at all times
• Exhibit strong attention to detail.
• Exercise integrity and decorum in all situations
• Perform additional duties and responsibilities as needed or required

Qualifications:

Required:

• A bachelor's or associate's degree in any liberal arts, criminal justice, law, legal studies, or another related field.
• Exceptional organizational, case management and time management skills.
• Must be able to work independently.
• Experience in managing large-scale projects.
• Excellent communication skills, interpersonal skills, and ability to promote team building and be a self-starter.
• Proficient use of Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Word.

Preferred:

• Three (3) or more years of FOIA experience.
• Law Degree from an accredited law school.
• Experience responding to the Public Access Counselor.
• Knowledge of the Freedom of Information Act and the IL Attorney General's training and guidelines to FOIA.
• Experience with GOVQA

Physical Requirements: Light work. Light work involves lifting no more than 20 pounds at a time with frequent lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 10 pounds. Even though the weight lifted may be very little, a job is in this category when it requires a good deal of walking or standing, or when it involves sitting most of the time with some pushing and pulling of arm or leg controls. To be considered capable of performing a full or wide range of light work, you must have the ability to do substantially all these activities. If someone can do light work, we determine that he or she can also do sedentary work, unless there are additional limiting factors such as loss of fine dexterity or inability to sit for long periods of time.

Equal Employment Opportunity: The Cook County State's Attorney's Office (CCSAO) is an equal opportunity employer, which seeks to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. The CCSAO does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Upon request, the CCSAO will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals due to a disability or pregnancy. The EEOP report can be found on our website at www.cookcountystatesattorney.org.

Benefits: At Cook County, we believe in investing in you, our valued employee. We understand that your wellbeing directly impacts the quality of service we provide to our community. That's why we offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support your health, financial stability, and work-life balance. Here's a snapshot of what we offer:

Choose from a variety of medical, dental, and vision plans to best suit your lifestyle and needs. We provide a robust Paid Time Off (PTO) program, including vacation, personal, and sick leave, as well as 13 paid holidays. As a public service employer, our employees may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Our Employee Assistance Program offers confidential counseling and referral services to help you navigate life's challenges. And of course, a pension plan through Cook County.

Follow this link to the Cook County Benefits and this link to Cook County Pension Fund if you want to learn more about our amazing benefit coverage. The CCSAO does not provide relocation assistance.