Prior to entering politics, Jones was a high pressure liquid chromatographer. She worked at the Washington University School of Medicine and KV Pharmaceutical before becoming a sales director with Mary Kay. In April 2015, Jones was the first African-American elected to the Ferguson City Council, where she represented the city's first ward. In February 2020, Jones was selected to serve on the United States Environmental Protection Agency Local Government Advisory Committee.
In the 2017 municipal election, Jones ran for mayor, receiving 42.77% of the vote. It was the city's first election after the shooting of Michael Brown and subsequent Ferguson unrest.
In the June 2, 2020 mayoral election, Jones defeated fellow council member Heather Robinett. Jones succeeded incumbent James Knowles III, a Republican who was unable to seek re-election due to term limits. On June 17, 2020, Jones was sworn in as the first black and female mayor of Ferguson.
She is also a pastor in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.