Records Management Lead

Records Management Lead 
(Primary base: Colindale with flexibility for some home-working)
Ready to shape how information is managed across one of London’s largest and most diverse boroughs? This is an opportunity to lead a council-wide function, modernise records management and embed practical, sustainable standards that make a visible and lasting difference.
At Barnet, your expertise will be valued and supported by an inclusive, collaborative team, and you will have access to excellent learning and development opportunities. This permanent hybrid role combines flexibility with regular collaboration at our Colindale office, where you will normally spend three days a week.

About the role

Barnet’s Records and Information Management Team leads the council’s approach to information governance and compliance with information law, providing trusted advice on data protection, freedom of information, records management and transparency.

We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Records Management Lead to take ownership of this important council-wide function. Your immediate focus will be to strengthen records management across services, improve digital governance, and embed innovation and good practice in everyday ways of working. This will help the council maintain compliance, improve efficiency and support financial sustainability.

Working closely with the Records and Information Service Manager, you will influence how information is managed throughout its lifecycle. In your first year, you will help establish clearer, more consistent approaches to retention, digital records and the responsible disposal of information across the council.

In this influential role, you will:

• Set a clear council-wide direction for records management by developing, implementing and continuously improving the strategy, policies, standards and procedures.
• Enable colleagues and senior managers to make sound, compliant decisions about the creation, storage, security, access, sharing, preservation, retention and disposal of records and information.
• Strengthen digital records and information management approaches, including the appropriate use and governance of SharePoint, Microsoft 365 and artificial intelligence.
• Build consistent, practical approaches to Information Asset Registers, retention schedules and the appropriate disposal of information (digital and physical).
• Shape new systems, technologies and transformation projects so that effective information management is designed in from the outset.
• Manage the contract and relationship with the council’s third-party provider for off-site records storage and scanning services.

• Promote a positive records management culture through clear guidance, relevant training, active engagement and practical support.

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About you

You will be an experienced records management professional with strong technical knowledge, sound judgement and a practical, solutions-focused mindset. You will understand how to turn legal, regulatory and organisational requirements into approaches that work in practice.

Comfortable working across a large and complex organisation, you will be able to balance strategic priorities and transformation projects with day-to-day advice and support for colleagues.

A confident communicator and relationship-builder, you will translate records management requirements into workable solutions and influence colleagues at every level. You will help senior managers, suppliers and partners understand not only what good information management requires, but why it matters.

You will bring the confidence to challenge established ways of working when needed, while understanding operational pressures and finding pragmatic solutions that services can put into practice.

If you are passionate about records management and want to shape practice across a large, diverse organisation, we would be delighted to hear from you. Apply now to help build a more consistent and forward-looking approach to managing Barnet Council’s information.