Records Manager

Job summary

The Dstl Records Manager is responsible for setting and maintaining the organisation’s standards for records management. This includes ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, embedding best practice, and safeguarding Dstl’s corporate memory and heritage.

Dstl recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution.

Job description

In this role you will:

• Oversee the management of digital and/or paper-based records.
• Design, develop and review filing systems and undertake records surveys.
• Establish retention and disposal schedules.
• Liaise with archivists to identify and transfer records to the archive.
• Advise on new records management policies, providing a framework to guide staff in the management of their records.

Please see full Job profile attached at the bottom of this page

Person specification

We are looking for someone who has:

• Written and verbal communication skills to deal with senior colleagues, suppliers and contractors
• Team working skills and the ability to form strong relationships with colleagues across different areas of the business such as archives, IT services and data protection/governance.
• The ability to work independently and manage your own workload.
• Negotiation skills to persuade senior colleagues to follow agreed record storing guidelines.
• Problem-solving and analytical skills to develop an understanding of how your organisation works and build integrated records systems.

Please see the full Job description attached at the bottom of this page

Important Information

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats.

For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.

This role will require Developed Vetting and you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £50,066, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory contributes £14,504 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Benefits

Dstl’s full range of great benefits can be found in the information pack which includes:

• Financial: An excellent pension scheme starting from 26% employer contribution (find out more here). In Year Rewarding Achievement bonuses and thank you vouchers. Rental deposit scheme and cycle to work scheme.

• Flexible working: Options include alternative working patterns such as; compressed hours, job shares and annualised hours (agreed number of hours per annum paid monthly i.e. working term-time only).

• Working hours: Flexibility around your working day (e.g. start time, finish time). Ability to bank hours in a 12 month reference period including the ability to accrue and use 3 days per calendar month.

• Where you work: Depending on your role, blended working may be available including remote working to suit you and your team. This can be discussed at interview.

• Annual leave: 25 days pro rata (rising to 30 after 5 years) plus 8 public holidays with the ability to buy/sell 5 additional days per annum.

• Family: Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks with full pay, an additional 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid

• Learning and Development: Dstl encourages and supports charterships, accreditations and provides employees access to fully funded apprenticeships up to level 7 (Masters Degree). Dstl will pay for 2 memberships with relevant bodies/institutions. Employees also have access to Civil Service Learning.

• Facilities: Onsite parking, EV Charging points, restaurants, cafés and gyms.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

We want you to have your best chance of success in our recruitment process, so If at any stage of the application process you would like help or assistance please contact the Dstl Recruitment Team [email removed] and we will do all we can to support you.

At the application stage we will be assessing the essential criteria against your submitted application against the essential criteria outlined in the job profile.

Sifting will take place week commencing 31st August with interviews to be held face to face at Dstl Porton Down from week commencing 28th September.

Your interview will consist of a behavioural and technical interview and will include a presentation. Details of the presentation will be provided to candidates who are invited to interview.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete