Important Information for Current Barnet Council Employees

Where possible, employees who have access to Oracle are encouraged to apply via the Opportunity Marketplace (Internal Career Site). This helps to ensure applications are correctly identified as internal and avoids potential delays during the recruitment process.

About Barnet Council

Barnet is a borough with much to be proud of. Our excellent schools, vibrant town centres, vast green spaces and diverse communities all help make it a great place to live and work. As a council we want to build on these strengths as we move into the future. We are growing and developing as an organisation to meet the challenges facing our borough and we are committed to working with partner organisations and residents to make Barnet even better. As an organisation, our staff are committed to Our Values: Learning to Improve, Caring, Inclusive, Collaborative – which drive everything we do.

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.
Please click here to download the Job description for this role. (Right-click and select “Open in new tab” so you can keep the job description open while completing your application)

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.

What we offer

31 days annual leave, plus public and bank holidays
Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, which provides a valuable guaranteed income in your retirement together with security for your dependents
A comprehensive Flexible Working Policy which supports work-life balance by empowering staff and management to make decisions around when, where, and how work is done
A vast range of lifestyle discounts from major retailers, supermarkets, energy suppliers and more
Broad range of payroll benefits including cycle to work, eye care vouchers, travel and gym membership
Excellent training and development opportunities
Employee well- being training programs including confidential employee assistance

How to apply

Read the job description and person specification before clicking ‘Apply’ to commence the online application form. If you would like any further information about the role before applying, please contact Lucy Martin on Lucy.martin@barnet.gov.uk

System notice: Some dates shown on our online application system (such as “Apply Before”) appear in US date format (MM/DD/YYYY) due to Oracle system settings.

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a useful tool to support your application as a reasonable adjustment, 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, escalated to counter Fraud for further investigation and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Barnet Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Barnet operates stringent safer recruitment procedures, this may include AI Detection Screening, Biometric ID/Right to Work Checks, Qualification and Registration Checks, Up to 6 years of Employment Data and Insights to Accelerate Screening (Konfir), Up to 5 years of Employment History References, DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) Checks, Credit Checks and Social Media, Sanctions and Occupational Health Screening.

To deliver Barnet Council’s commitment to equality of opportunity in the provision of services, all staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in the services the Council delivers. As such we value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Barnet Council embraces all forms of flexible working (including part-time, compressed hours, and hybrid working) and is committed to offering employees a healthy work-life balance. Candidates are encouraged to talk about relevant requirements and preferences at interview. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise not to judge you for asking.

Barnet Council is a Disability Confident Committed Employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply

All posts with the council are subject to a probationary period of six months, during which time you will be required to demonstrate to the council satisfaction your suitability for the position in which you will be employed.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close vacancies before the stated closing date if sufficient number of applications are received. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible.

Please ensure you regularly check the email account (including JUNK MAIL folders) that you use to submit your application, as any further communication regarding your application will be sent electronically. Should you not hear from us within four working weeks of the closing date for this post, then regretfully in this instance, you have not been shortlisted.