Junior Associate, Economic Innovation & Strategy (Management Analyst I)

Salary : $60,894.29 - $106,565.06 Annually
Location : RETIREMENT AGENCY, 12015 LEE JACKSON MEMORIAL HWY, SUITE 350, FAIRFAX (EH05), VA
Job Type: FT Hourly W BN
Job Number: 26-01733
Department: Economic Initiatives
Opening Date: 11/07/2026
Closing Date: 11/20/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Pay Grade: S21
Posting Type: Open to General Public

Job Announcement

The Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives seeks a highly organized professional to support economic development and innovation projects. This entry-level role will be integral to advancing key initiatives that strengthen our local economy, supports businesses and entrepreneurs, and foster innovation. The Associate will provide both project and administrative support across teams, support program delivery, data tracking, and customer service. The role requires strong organization skills, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate with staff, partners, and stakeholders.

Note: The assigned functional areas for this position are project and program management, data metrics and management, customer and meeting assistance, and general office administration/support.
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 in the position description.)

• Conducts professional-level work in functions or activities, such as financial, budgetary, procurement, contract administration, human resources, training, information technology, and similar functions;
• Assists with a variety of technical and professional work related to monitoring and reporting on departmental business processes, activities, and outcomes;
• Performs designated segments of projects or programs with well-defined objectives, including activities such as data collection, synthesis of data gathered to support analysis, and documentation of findings and recommendations;
• Performs data collection activities in support of existing studies, projects or programs, including conducting research; participating in interviews; administering customer, organizational or employee surveys; assisting in the facilitation of focus groups; participating in work group collaboration; and mapping or charting of workflow processes;
• Assists with measuring and analyzing indicators of performance, quality, quantity and efficiency of services;
• Compiles and provides business information to management;
• Maintains index or log of standard forms for gathering information from a variety of audiences;
• Formats data sets and performs qualitative and descriptive statistical analysis to aggregate and assimilate data for displaying potential patterns and trends;
• Assists in implementing business improvements, such as changes to policies, work practices, processes and procedures;
• Contributes to position papers, evaluation reports and presentations.

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).

• Basic knowledge of mission, goals and objectives of the organizational unit, program or activities to which incumbent is assigned;
• Knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques governing management, organization, operations and programmatic services;
• Knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques relating to the functional area of business operation (e.g. personnel, budgeting and financial management, contract administration and management);
• Ability to identify possible solutions for solving business problems;
• Ability to perform a variety of fact-finding techniques (e.g., interview, case analysis, observation, research, benchmarking) to gather information in support of programs, projects, studies, assessments and evaluations;
• Ability to aggregate and assimilate data to identify major patterns, trends and themes regarding organizational and program effectiveness and efficiency;
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing;
• Ability to use word processing and presentation software to prepare documents, and to use spreadsheet and statistical analysis software packages to store, manipulate, analyze and present data;
• Ability to train, lead, and/or supervise paraprofessional staff.

Employment Standards
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to") Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in the field related to the assigned functional area.

BRIDGE CLASS EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS:
Four years of increasingly complex technical experience in the assigned functional area, comparable to experience at the Admin Assistant IV, or higher, level. This class can serve as a bridge class enabling individuals who do not meet the educational or professional experience standards listed above to qualify for this class by possessing four years of increasingly complex technical experience in the assigned functional area, comparable to experience at the Admin Assistant IV, or higher, level. The purpose of this bridge class is to promote upward mobility within the Fairfax County workforce. However persons qualifying for this class on the basis of their technical experience may not substitute this technical experience for education, or for professional experience, in order to qualify for other employment opportunities.

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 working within a government setting (federal, state, or local) providing support for a team.
• Experience analyzing data and generating reports.
• Experience coordinating projects to ensure timeliness and goal attainment in accordance with standards and guidelines.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and tasks with competing deadlines and operating in a team environment with shared responsibilities.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical department staff.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Business Intelligence tools such as Tableau, Power BI, and Finance application such as Fairfax County Unified System (FOCUS).

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Job is generally sedentary. Visual acuity is required to read data on computer monitor. Must be able to operate keyboard driven equipment. Employee may be required to lift up to up to 10 pounds. Physical requirements can be performed with or without reasonable accommodations. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.
SELECTION PROCEDURE:

Panel interview and may include exercise.
Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including ) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.

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
• Deferred Compensation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employees' Child Care Center
• Continuous Learning Opportunities

Please click 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:

For additional details please visit the
Non-Merit Positions

1. 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
2. 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
• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's 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

Please indicate your area(s) of study or major(s)/minor(s) towards a degree. Check all that apply.

• Business administration
• Public administration
• Project management
• Data analytics/science
• Other (related field)
• Other (non-related field)
• Not applicable

04

If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list all of your majors and minors. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable".
05

If you are a Fairfax County employee and using the Bridge Class in order to meet the minimum qualifications of the job classification, do you have at least four years or more of increasingly complex technical experience in project and program management, and/or data analysis and management comparable to experience at the Administrative Assistant IV, or higher, level?

• Yes
• No
• Not applicable (I am not using the bridge class to meet the minimum qualifications)

06

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience in the functional areas of project and program management, data metrics and management, customer and meeting assistance, and general office administration/support do you possess?

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

07

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working within a government setting (federal, state or local) providing support for a team?

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

08

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have coordinating projects to ensure timeliness and goal attainment in accordance with standards and guidelines?

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

09

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have analyzing data and generating reports?

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

10

Please indicate which of the following systems you have proficient skills utilizing. Check all that apply

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Powerpoint
• Finance application such as Fairfax County Unified System (FOCUS)
• Tableau, Power BI or similar Business intelligence tool
• None of the above

Required Question