Records Management Strategic Lead

This vacancy is only available to existing Civil Servant employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). Please review the "Eligibility" section before you apply.

As Records Management Strategic Lead you will lead and support activities to ensure HMCTS meets its obligations under relevant standards and frameworks including Public Records Act 1958 and 1967 (PRA), UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018, Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) Court Procedural Rules and MoJ/HMCTS policy frameworks.

As Records Management Strategic Lead, you will build a strong relationship with the MoJ Records Management Team who have overarching responsibility for electronic and paper records in compliance with the provisions of the Secretary of State's Code of Practice on the management of records issued under section 46 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

As Records Management Strategic Lead you will act as the HMCTS SME for records management, providing strategic direction while delivering practical improvements that strengthen governance, maturity, accountability and compliance. Working with stakeholders across the organisation, you will lead awareness programmes, develop policies, drive assurance activities and lead initiatives that improve the management of information throughout its lifecycle.

You will help identify and mitigate record management risks and provide general records management advice, to support a culture of excellence and transparency in how records are managed across HMCTS including courts and tribunals.

Job description

Level of Clearance:To apply for this role, you will be required to successfully completeSecurity Clearance (SC) level as a condition of appointment.

• Demonstrable experience of delivering record management programmes, projects, or information management initiatives within a complex organisation
• Proven experience in the development of record management strategies, frameworks, policies and standards
• Strong understanding of records management principles, information lifecycle management and governance controls
• Strong knowledge of relevant legislation and standards relating to information and records management including PRA, GDPR, DPA and FOIA
• Experience of managing organisational change and delivering improvement programmes
• Proven communication and influencing skills with the ability to explain risks, impacts and mitigations clearly and providing constructive challenge where required
• Self-motivated, discreet, highly organised and able to manage competing priorities in a calm and professional manner whilst exercising sound judgment
• Experience of managing positive relationships across organisational boundaries, working collaboratively with internal/external stakeholders to drive shared outcomes
• Ability to communicate complex record management issues to technical and non-technical audiences
• Experience producing high-quality reports, briefings, and recommendations for senior leaders.

The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates

• Professional qualification in records management, information governance or a related discipline.
• Membership of a recognised professional body such as the Information and Records Management Society (IRMS).
• Understanding of wider information governance disciplines, including data protection, freedom of information and information security.

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.

Vacancies advertised “cross-government” are only open to all Civil Service employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who were appointed on merit following a fair and open competition; or were appointed to a permanent post through an exception in the Civil Service Commissioners' rules.

We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods

CV or Work History, Statement of Suitability

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Salary

The national salary range is £42,914 - £46,182 London salary range is £49,325- £53,081 Your salary will be dependent on your base location

Working Pattern

Full Time, Flexible Working

Vacancy Approach

Cross Government

Location

National

Region

National

Closing Date

02-Nov-2026

Post Type

Permanent

Civil Service Grade

SEO

Number of jobs available

1

Reserve List

12 Months

Job ID

23388

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales. Our roles support our service users and colleagues, where people and businesses access potentially life-changing justice. We’re looking for individuals who are committed to public service and want to make a difference in people’s lives in delivering justice. If you’re interested in developing a career with a real purpose, please apply.

As Records Management Strategic Lead, your key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Lead the design and continual improvement of a HMCTS records management framework aligned to MoJ and regulatory requirements to provide assurance to the MoJ Departmental Records Officer (DRO) that HMCTS are meeting its obligations.
• The co-ordination of requests and commissions from the Records Management Team including identifying records in scope of inquiries and other ad hoc requests
• Engaging with users across HMCTS to understand their information and records management challenges, offering practical solutions and tailored advice
• Lead HMCTS initiatives to improve records creation, storage, retention, disposal and archiving arrangements in accordance with the Record Retention and Disposition Schedules (RRDS)
• Build effective relationships with stakeholders across HMCTS to ensure that records management considerations are incorporated into requirements for corporate applications.
• Lead the remediation of record management control gaps, audit findings, and non-conformities, ensuring actions are implemented and embedded across HMCTS
• Coordinate the delivery of records management risk treatment plans, holding stakeholders accountable for implementing agreed measures within defined timescales.
• Produce actionable reporting and dashboards that provide senior leaders with clear visibility of information records management performance, risks, delivery progress, and areas requiring intervention
• Promote a culture of continual improvement by identifying opportunities to increase the maturity, effectiveness, and efficiency of records management controls and processes
• Work with and attend as necessary HMCTS and MoJ Boards and committees promoting best practice in records management
• The development and scoping of activities relating to the management of courts records and active participation in MoJ and HMCTS initiatives to enhance ongoing compliance

Reports to HMCTS Head of Data Protection Governance Policy and Information Security Policy.

As Records Management Strategic Lead you will have not immediately have line management responsibility, but this may change in the future.

To apply for this position, you must submit the following as part of your application:

• An anonymisedCV, setting out your career history, key responsibilities and achievements. Your CV will be assessed against the essential criteria outlined within the Essential Skills section of this advert. Should there be a high number of applications, you will initially be sifted on your CV.

• A Statement of Suitability which should give us real life examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role. Within your statement of suitability, you should align your answer to the below behaviours:
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and influencing

We recommend following the STAR format.

Successful candidates who passed the sift will be invited to interview via Microsoft Teams. At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following - Strengths and Behaviours. Details can be found under the interview stage assessment section on the advert.

To apply for this role, you will be required to successfully complete Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) / Security Clearance (SC) level as a condition of appointment. To meet these requirements, you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least:

• SC - 5 years

New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the band minimum.

Existing Civil Servants applying on promotion, will usually be appointed on the salary minimum of the new pay band, or receive an increase of 10 percent on the current base salary, whichever is higher (This is restricted to the pay maximum of the new band).

Additional Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.

Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles: All successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) – See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its location’s respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended).

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer.

All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. MoJ welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

• A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.

For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. You can determine your eligibility at .

• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please watch our animated videos.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Contact Information

Please quote the job reference 23388

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Guidance for the Statement of Suitability

You should give us real life examples of how your skills and experience match those needed for this role. Within your statement of suitability, you should align your answer to the below behaviours:

Delivering at Pace

Communicating and influencing

Evidence of Experience

Interview Dates

Interviews expected w/c 16th November but this could be subject to change.

Seeing the Big Picture

Changing and Improving

Leadership

Working Together

Strengths will be assessed but these are not shared in advance.

DBS Basic

Security Clearance (SC)

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.