Records Management Manager – Records, Selection, Retention & Archive Transfer

Records Management Manager – Records, Selection, Retention & Archive Transfer

Vacancy Reference Number 23067

Number of Vacancies 1

Digital, Data & Technology

Location Bow, Bromley, Hendon, Lambeth, Sidcup, Southwark, Wimbledon, Other

Building BOW CENTRAL COMMS, LAMBETH HQ , MARLOWE HOUSE , Newlands Park, PEEL CENTRE HENDON , SOUTHWARK POLICE STATION

Band Band C

Part/Full Time Full Time

36 hours per week

Type of Contract Permanent

Job Advert

Job Title: Records Management Manager – Records, Selection, Retention & Archive Transfer

Salary: The starting salary is £48,995, which includes allowances totalling £3,009.

The salary is broken down as £45,986 basic salary, which will increase annually until you reach the top of the scale £54,863. Plus, a location allowance of £2,009 and a non-pensionable allowance of £1,000.

Location: London & Hybrid (60% / 3-days per week in office). You can choose a ‘home base’ Met location from: Bow (E3 4ND), Bromley (SE26 5NF), Hendon (NW9 5JE), Lambeth (SE1 7LP), Sidcup (DA15 7EW), Southwark (SE1 1JL) or Wimbledon (SW19 3YX). We offer the flexibility to work in a Hybrid way, where you can deliver your best, including Working from Home (WFH). Travel across the Met Estate, to attend meetings as required by the business, is expected.

This role does not attract Shift Disturbance Allowance. If you are currently in a shift-working role, SDA should cease upon appointment to this job.

Policing London is a hugely complex challenge that evolves every day.To make sure the Met is up to the task, we need the right IT and systems across our organisation. As a Records Management Manager, you will help to enable us to do our best for the London area. Join us and play your part in making London the safest capital in the world and delivering ‘More Trust, Less Crime and High Standards’.

As a member of the Met, you will also enjoy great benefits including annual leave, civil service pension arrangements, maternity/paternity support, as well as being part of a continuous learning culture.

Digital & Innovation Business Group

The Digital & Innovation Business Group brings together technology, the effective use of data, and our capability to deliver change and reform to drive the Met forward: this is central to progressing delivery of New Met for London 2. It includes the Met’s Transformation, Technology, Data and Analytics functions, as well as work underway to make the organisation more productive and efficient (referred to as Productivity & Efficiency or P&E). The Group was created in early 2026 and is led by Marie Heracleous, Chief Digital & Innovation Officer. It’s an exciting time to be part of D&I, as it builds new capabilities and ways of working to support the frontline and make a real difference to London.

D&I is committed to creating an inclusive working environment. We support hybrid working, and the hiring manager will be happy to discuss arrangements for this role.

Job Purpose

The Records Management Manager is responsible for leading the organisation's Records Selection, Retention and Archive Transfer function, ensuring compliance with the Public Records Act, Freedom of Information legislation, Data Protection legislation and organisational information governance requirements.

The post holder will lead a specialist team responsible for the appraisal, selection, sensitivity review, cataloguing and transfer of records identified for permanent preservation at The National Archives. They will ensure the organisation fulfils its statutory obligations by identifying records of historical, evidential and research value whilst ensuring records without ongoing value are disposed of appropriately and in accordance with approved retention schedules.

The role provides strategic and operational leadership for records management and archival programmes, and the post holder will also act as the organisation's principal adviser on archive selection, closure applications, records retention and transfer matters.

A key component of the role is the leadership of a high-performing specialist team, using performance data, quality assurance frameworks, workforce planning and continuous improvement methodologies to ensure delivery against statutory obligations, archive transfer schedules and organisational priorities.

Key Role Responsibilities

Leadership and People Management

• Lead and develop a specialist records management and archive transfer team, fostering a high-performance culture focused on quality, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Manage team performance, resource allocation, workforce planning and professional development to ensure effective delivery of statutory and organisational priorities.
• Promote professional standards and best practice in records and information management.

Performance Management and Service Delivery

• Lead the delivery of records appraisal, selection, sensitivity review and archive transfer programmes.
• Establish and monitor performance measures, quality standards and management information to track delivery, compliance and productivity.
• Analyse performance trends, manage risks and implement improvements to enhance service effectiveness and reduce backlogs.
• Provide performance and assurance reporting to senior leaders and governance forums.

Records Appraisal, Selection and Transfer

• Lead the appraisal, selection and preparation of records for permanent preservation in line with National Archives guidance.
• Oversee cataloguing, sensitivity review and transfer activities, ensuring decisions are evidence-based, auditable and compliant with statutory requirements.
• Provide expert advice on complex, sensitive or high-profile selection and transfer decisions.
• Develop and implement records management and archive transfer strategies that support organisational priorities, risk management and operational effectiveness.
• Promote the value of information as a strategic asset across the organisation.

Archive Access, Closure and Freedom of Information

• Lead the preparation of retention, closure and access applications to relevant oversight bodies.
• Provide expert advice on FOI exemptions, public interest tests, prejudice tests and access arrangements relating to archived records.
• Ensure access and closure decisions are appropriately documented, proportionate and legally defensible.

Governance, Compliance and Assurance

• Serve as the organisational lead for Public Records Act compliance, records retention and archive transfer obligations.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, codes of practice, National Archives standards and internal governance requirements.
• Lead audit, assurance and risk management activities relating to records management and archive transfer.

Stakeholder Management

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with MPS specialist teams, D&I, The National Archives, government departments, regulators and other key stakeholders.
• Represent the organisation at external meetings, advisory groups and governance forums.
• Provide authoritative advice and updates on compliance, records management and archive transfer activities.

Digital Records and Transformation

• Lead the development of digital archive transfer and preservation capabilities.
• Support digital transformation initiatives through effective information lifecycle management.
• Identify opportunities to improve records management processes, systems and ways of working.

Specialist Support

• Provide expert oversight for complex, high-risk or historically significant records collections.
• Act as the escalation point for records management, retention, appraisal and archive transfer issues.
• Support business areas in resolving complex information governance and records management challenges.

Vetting Clearance

This post requires access to the most sensitive intelligence material on a daily basis. Applicants must hold or be prepared to undergo National Security Vetting (NSV) Security Check (enhanced) (SC(e)) level before taking up the post.

Working Pattern

Employment: Permanent, Full-Time (36-hours per week)

Hybrid Working available in line with the Metropolitan Police Service hybrid working policy.

You will be expected to work from a Met location for at least three days a week (60% of working time) to support our operational teams and collaborate effectively. For up to two days per week (no more than 40% of working time), you may be permitted to work from home, balancing flexibility with organisational need.

• Significant experience within records management, archive, information governance or information management functions.
• Proven experience managing specialist teams and driving performance through data, KPIs and service management frameworks.
• Experience of records appraisal, selection, sensitivity review and archive transfer activities.
• Experience of developing and implementing records management policies, retention schedules and governance frameworks.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders and external regulatory bodies.
• Experience leading continuous improvement and change initiatives.
• Experience of digital preservation and digital archive transfer programmes.

Knowledge

• Detailed knowledge of the Public Records Act and associated archive transfer requirements.
• Strong understanding of records lifecycle management principles.
• Comprehensive understanding of archival appraisal, cataloguing, sensitivity review and transfer processes.
• Strong knowledge of Freedom of Information legislation, including exemptions, public interest tests and closure processes.
• Understanding of Data Protection legislation, UK GDPR and records management best practice.
• Knowledge of The National Archives guidance, standards and transfer processes.

Skills

• Exceptional leadership and people management capability.
• Strong performance management and operational delivery skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving capability.
• Ability to interpret legislation and apply it pragmatically to operational situations.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong planning, prioritisation and organisational skills.
• Ability to make evidence-based decisions in complex and sensitive environments.
• Professional qualification in Records Management, Archives, Information Governance or Information Management.
• Membership of the Archives and Records Association (ARA) or equivalent professional body.
• Knowledge of Government Knowledge and Information Management (GKIM) frameworks.
• Experience within central government, policing, criminal justice or wider public sector organisations.
• Experience preparing submissions to archival or regulatory oversight bodies.

Required Languages English

Reports To Band B - Senior Manager for Data Retention

Disability Confident Statement

The Met is committed to being an equitable (fair and impartial) and inclusive employer for disabled people, striving to have a diverse and representative workforce at all levels. We encourage applications from people from the widest possible range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and long-term conditions, ethnic minority groups and women.

As a Disability Confident Leader, the Met has committed to making disability equality part of our everyday practice. We ensure that people with disabilities and those with long term conditions have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations.

The Met is committed to making reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process to ensure disabled applicants can perform at their best. If youneed any reasonable adjustments or changes to the application and recruitment process, we ask that you include this information within your application form. All matters will be treated in strict confidence.

Please note, if you are applying for a police officer role or to become a police community support officer (PCSO) or designated detention officer (DDO), there is a minimum requirement that you must pass a job-related fitness test (JRFT) at point of entry. This does not apply to police staff roles. Find out more about police fitness standards .

Read our full disability confidence statement.

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