Digital Records Officer

Job summary

Are you a Knowledge and Information Management (KIM) professional looking to further your career?

We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced individual who can work collaboratively across a wider team with minimal supervision and guidance to develop and improve our digital records management systems and processes to demonstrate compliance with the Public Records Act, data protection legislation, and Freedom of Information Act.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the UK’s largest producer of official statistics, covering a range of key economic, social, and demographic topics. These include measuring changes in the value of the UK economy, estimating the size, geographic distribution, and characteristics of the population, and providing indicators of price inflation, employment, earnings, crime, and migration.

Job description

This role is within the KIM team which forms part of the Security and Information Management (SAIM) directorate. Our aim is to ensure that information and records management in the ONS meets legislative and regulatory requirements, meets the needs of internal users, and supports ONS’ mission to deliver trustworthy, independent, high-quality statistics that underpin the UK’s most critical economic and societal decisions and inform the public.

This is an exciting time to join the KIM team and use your skills and experience to help address a range of records management challenges. We are reviewing how documents and records are managed across their lifecycle in our Microsoft 365 estate, appraising a large collection of legacy born-digital records for Transfer to The National Archives (TNA) in line with the 20-year rule, and developing future requirements for the systems and processes needed to support this work.

Responsibilities:

• Manage records through their lifecycle, applying review, appraisal, selection and sensitivity methodologies to recommend records for permanent preservation at TNA, retention or destruction.
• Oversee the appraisal, selection, transfer and sensitivity review of an extensive collection of legacy born-digital records, working alongside colleagues within the records management team.
• Catalogue records for transfer to TNA, to include the secure transfer of selected records where appropriate, supervising and supporting the wider records management team where necessary.
• Oversee the TNA retention and closure application process for digital records, ensuring deadlines are met and queries are addressed.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the wider KIM Team, and with other key stakeholders such as Digital Services, to ensure the Microsoft 365 retention model is appropriately applied, maintained and managed.
• Provide operational advice and guidance on information and records management, working with staff at all levels across the organisation to embed best practice.
• Development and delivery of training and guidance materials relating to records management policy and processes.
• Provide support to the Departmental Records Officer where required, for example through the provision of metrics and overseeing compliance with the Public Records Act and related legislation, policy and guidance.
• Horizon scanning for future changes relating to information and records management processes and best practice, particularly in relation to technical changes and advancements, legislative changes or changes to Government policy that may impact records management activities.
• Establish and maintain collaborative relationship with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Participate in a rota to monitor SharePoint-related Service Desk calls
• Line management of 2 EO Records Assistants.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Experience of working in a knowledge and information management role, with knowledge and understanding at working level of records management principles and relevant legal and regulatory frameworks, such as Public Records Act, UK GDPR and Freedom of Information Act.
• Experience of working with and responding to enquiries from a wide range of internal and/or external stakeholders.
• Experience of being organised with well-developed planning skills, strong attention to detail, and the ability to co-ordinate several activities in the same timeframe to tight deadlines.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills with a proven record of establishing and maintaining strong and productive relationships.
• The ability to be highly collaborative and flexible within a team to ensure that a range of diverse tasks are completed to a high standard.
• Experience of identifying, appraising, selecting, and transferring paper and digital records to The National Archives, or another place of deposit.

Behaviours

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

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

Technical skills

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

• Information Technology (Working)
• Records Manager (Working)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,587, Office for National Statistics contributes £10,019 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).

The Office for National Statistics is part of the Civil Service, and as such we share a number of key benefits with other departments, whilst also having our own unique offerings to support our valued colleagues across the organisation.

Whether you are hearing about us for the first time or already know a bit about our organisation, we hope that our careers site will give you a great insight into the benefits and facilities available to our colleagues, and our fantastic working culture.

Inclusion & Accessibility

At ONS we are always looking to attract the very best people from the widest possible talent pool, and we are proud to be an inclusive, equal opportunities employer. As a Disability Confident Leader we’re committed to ensuring that all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment process.

As part of our application process, you will be prompted to provide details of any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process that you need. If you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments before applying, please contact the recruitment team in the first instance.

If you would like an accessible version of any of the attachments or recruitment documents below or linked to in this advert, please contact the recruitment team who will be happy to assist.

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 inap