Records Officer

(For information only)

1. Job Details

Job title: Records Officer
School/Support Department: Policy and Planning
Line manager: University Records Manager

2. Job Purpose

To provide a high-quality records management service for Policy and Planning and assist in the development, promotion and implementation of records management best practice within the department.

3. Main Responsibilities

	Approx. % of time
1. Write straightforward records management procedures for Policy and Planning and records management staff and monitor departmental compliance with them so that staff know how to use the records management system and the department has confidence that its records are controlled.	30
2. Run the Central Records Registry and process Policy and Planning records by creating paper and electronic folders, filing and retrieving information in accordance with departmental records management procedures so that staff can find the information they need quickly and easily.	35
3. Under the direction of the University Records Manager, manage the location and storage of Policy and Planning records, including: conducting an annual records audit; organising the disposal of Policy and Planning records in accordance with their retention schedule; ensuring that access to Policy and Planning records is controlled at all times in accordance with departmental policy and procedure; and taking part in work of a manual nature in relation to the movement of records between storage areas. These measures ensure that the department knows what information it has and where it is, that only authorised users have access to the information, and that the department only keeps the information it needs, thereby making efficient use of space.	10
4. Deliver straightforward training, advice and support to Policy and Planning staff on records management policies and procedures to ensure that staff are obtaining maximum benefit from the records management system and that the department’s records are controlled.	7
5. Maintain management information about Policy and Planning’ records by updating spreadsheets, Internet, Intranet and database records so that the department knows what information it has, and what should be done with it.	5
6. Provide some clerical and secretarial support to the Records Management Section to support the effective running of the section.	10
7. Undertake such other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

4. Planning and Organising

Plans the timetable for the annual records destruction exercise and the annual records audit, including setting deadlines for responses from departmental staff and reminding them of the need to meet these deadlines.
Organises meetings on request, including dealing with travel arrangements and booking rooms and equipment.
Prioritises own workload to meet immediate service standards and ensure that longer-term projects are also completed.

5. Problem Solving

Adopts a flexible and practical approach to departmental records management procedures to meet customer requirements.
Suggests alternative records classification options when customers have made an error or are uncertain.
Uses knowledge of department and filing systems to locate information filed in current or previous systems, having been provided with insufficient information to identify where the item might be.

6. Decision Making

Advises customers on how to use the records management system to meet their needs.
Writes straightforward departmental records management procedures.
Decides which enquiries require referral, and which can be dealt with by the jobholder.

7. Key Contacts/Relationships

Provides high-quality records management services to all Policy and Planning staff (c35 people), the University Secretary’s office and the Principal’s office.

8. Knowledge, Skills and Experience Needed for the Job

Educated to higher level or equivalent with good oral and written communication skills and a keen attention to detail.
Good interpersonal skills, including the ability to deal with individuals at all levels in the University, team working and customer care skills, combined with discretion.
Good time management skills, combined with a capacity to remain calm under pressure and the ability to work on own initiative with limited supervision, while recognising issues that require referral.
Good IT skills, particularly in the use of spreadsheets and FrontPage.
At least two years’ knowledge and experience of records management principles and practices at an operational level.

9. Dimensions

The job-holder must have knowledge of 3 different filing systems used in the department at different times, one of which is complex.
All Policy and Planning staff (c35 people), the University Secretary’s office and the Principal’s office use the full range of records management services provided by the Central Records Registry.
The Central Records Registry holds some 9,900 paper folders, oversees 852 electronic folders, and creates an average of 20 new paper and electronic folders a week. Records are stored in 4 rooms.

10. Job Context and any other relevant information

The job-holder will have access to confidential information.

The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336