What does a Records manager do?
A records manager administers policies and procedures that govern the entire lifecycle of organizational documents. This professional establishes controls for retention and disposition to guarantee compliant recordkeeping practices across all departments. They safeguard sensitive information against unauthorized access, alteration, or loss while coordinating with oversight entities to validate compliance. The role requires precise application of legal holds and timely transfer of permanent-value records to archival institutions.
- Develop and implement comprehensive records management policies that define requirements for documentation creation, maintenance, use, and final disposition. These procedures establish clear roles and assignments within the organization to communicate status and accountability for every record series. The manager authors specific instructions for temporary and permanent disposition guidance to align internal practices with regulatory standards.
- Apply retention labels and declaration controls within systems like Microsoft Purview to manage restricted actions and automate lifecycle events. This technical configuration ensures records remain immutable during their active period and triggers review processes when they reach the end of their retention schedule. The manager validates disposition evidence to confirm that deletions or transfers occur strictly according to approved schedules.
- Coordinate records management activities with legal teams to handle litigation-related preservation needs and production requests. This workflow involves placing legal holds on specific data sets to prevent destruction during active disputes or investigations. The manager evaluates compliance through periodic assessments and feedback loops to identify gaps in safeguarding protocols.
- Transfer permanent-value records to the National Archives and Records Administration in a timely manner to ensure long-term preservation. This process requires meticulous documentation and evidence submission to prove that records were maintained correctly before archiving. The manager also designs and delivers training materials to educate staff on proper recordkeeping behaviors and compliance obligations.
How to hire a Records manager on Upwork
Step 1: Post a job
Define your compliance needs and retention requirements clearly to attract qualified candidates. Use the Job Post Generator powered by Uma™, Upwork's Mindful AI to draft a precise description. Describe your specific records lifecycle challenges in a few sentences, and Uma drafts a job post tailored to this role. You can write a new post, update a saved draft, or reuse an existing post to save time.
- Specify required experience with Microsoft Purview retention labels and NARA-approved disposition schedules.
- List deliverables such as records management policies, procedure documentation, and training materials.
- Clarify if the role involves coordinating litigation holds or transferring permanent-value records to federal archives.
Step 2: Evaluate candidates
Look for proof of established governance frameworks and audit-ready disposition evidence in portfolios. Uma can run instant video interviews and build shortlists with side-by-side comparisons to speed up screening.
- Verify past work authoring retention schedules that distinguish between temporary and permanent record series.
- Check for documented success in safeguarding records against unauthorized access, alteration, or loss.
- Review samples of compliance evaluation outputs that demonstrate periodic assessment of organizational adherence.
Step 3: Interview your top choices
Discuss their approach to applying retention controls and managing restricted actions within digital systems. Schedule and conduct interviews within Upwork Messages, which generates an immediate transcript and summary after each session.
- Ask how they validate disposition evidence when records reach the end of their approved retention period.
- Query their method for coordinating records management activities with external oversight entities.
- Explore their experience handling record holds during active litigation or investigation phases.
Step 4: Agree on scope and begin work
Set clear milestones for policy creation, schedule implementation, and staff training completion. Use Upwork Messages and the contract workroom for communication and project management, plus identity verification, payment protection, hourly tracking, and project funds for security.
- Define specific outputs like updated records disposition authority tables and user training guides.
- Establish checkpoints for reviewing and validating disposition actions before final deletion occurs.
- Agree on a cadence for compliance status reports and feedback assessments throughout the contract.
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