Records Manager/Information Governance Specialist

• Records Manager/Information Governance Specialist

Business Services London Records Manager/Information Governance Specialist Description Role Purpose

To develop and improve our existing information governance and records management programme ensuring that appropriate quality standards and compliance with relevant legislation are met. The role-holder will provide active leadership to the Records Management team and ensure strategic and operational goals are met.

Main Responsibilities

General Duties:

• Support the London General Counsel/Head of Risk & Compliance in furthering the department's goals and aims; Concerning the Records Management team, ensure that service to practice area/department needs is met and can be demonstrated
• Identify and implement process improvements to all Records Management services and collaborate with the Risk & Compliance Team (R&C Team) to achieve overall departmental improvement.
• Promote Information Governance (IG) and Records Management (RM) services to the London office and externally in RM networks and conferences. Building and managing relationships with stakeholders within the London office

Information Governance and Records Management Duties:

• Develop and maintain a cohesive information governance programme (projects and services) which includes physical and electronic records. This will include devising and implementing information governance frameworks and ensuring the current policies and procedures are kept up to date
• Ensure consistency and sustainability of IG and RM practices across the London office
• Identify the most appropriate records management resources to meet service requirements (including staffing, and tools)
• Provide specialist advice to the senior management team on information governance legislative compliance and good practice
• Provide a wide range of training and awareness programmes about IG and RM for a range of audiences from subject matter experts within the team to the wider office
• Administer the Information Barriers policy for the London office and liaise with relevant local and global teams
• Manage the delivery, handling, and storage of physical records including managing weekly deliveries and collections and supporting teams within the London office to manage the storage, scanning, and destruction of hard copy files
• Ownership of and administration of the London office record retention and destruction policy including working with external vendors and internal teams to ensure the destruction of records that have reached the end of their retention period promptly
• Implement a file audit process for electronic files to ensure the office complies with Firm policies regarding client file management
• Provision of training and support to teams on relevant RM/IG processes including Information Barriers and file management
• Support with data protection projects and compliance with policies where capacity permits
• Guide and advise on the resolution of specific information management risks and issues by effective use of software, advice, and other RM/IG resources

People Management:

• Line management of the Records Management team, including Recruitment and performance management of the team, ensuring regular feedback is provided
• Professional development of the Records Management team through training, coaching, and mentoring. Ensuring that all training needs of individuals are identified
• Ensure that workload, workflow productivity, and quality monitoring of output and service of the whole Records team happens

Financial Management and Supplier Management:

• Create the London Records Management budget, in conjunction with the Head of R&C
• Procurement of external RM services including offsite storage and relevant technology solutions (currently Iron Mountain and ICompli).
• On-going monitoring of spending in RM and assisting re-forecasting process.
• Manage and oversee the invoice and payment processes
• Regular supplier relationship management especially around service and product development

Projects:

• Take responsibility for IG and RM projects assigned by the Head of R&C. Creating relevant project documentation as well as project planning, testing, implementation, and change management. Leading on communication of project status and progress both within the RM team and with key stakeholders

About The Team

Function

The London Risk & Compliance team has a wide remit, including fulfilling the following functions:

• Legal, regulatory, and policy compliance
• General Counsel and advisory
• Partnership Secretarial
• Business Protection

You will report to the Head of Risk & Compliance

Your direct reports are the Records Management team

Key relationships: London Office - Partners, Lawyers, Secretarial Services and Business Support

About The Candidate

Technical skills, qualifications and experience

• Extensive information governance and/or records management experience, preferably in a legal, professional services or commercial environment
• Information governance or records management qualification or accreditation would be desirable
• Able to demonstrate extensive and in-depth knowledge of relevant legislation and good practice for both physical and electronic information
• Extensive knowledge of both technology and non-technology solutions available for effective and robust organizational information governance
• Able to tailor specialist technical knowledge when giving advice or guidance on information governance and records management to a non-expert audience
• Competent with MSOffice (including Excel, Word, SharePoint) and comfortable with technology; able to demonstrate working in partnership with IT departments
• Able to organize work to allow others easy access to information and documents and can support and facilitate knowledge and information sharing
• Knowledge of data protection laws would be beneficial but not essential

Professionalism and development:

• Able to anticipate future requirements and act upon them, seeing the big picture and understand cause and effect
• A creative and analytical thinker, bringing new ideas to the table.
• Able to spot problems before they occur, solve problems, and refer potential areas of concern to the Head of R&C
• Demonstrate a commitment to own professional development - product and technical awareness as well as trends in the market
• Recognise own strengths and weaknesses and take responsibility for seeking feedback and own development as a manager
  Demonstrate a willingness to accept change and strive to be an effective change manager. Ability to provide leadership and make constructive changes regarding the delivery of information governance and records management services

Client Service:

• Continually strive to deliver the highest level of service
• Work to understand (internal)clients' needs. Regularly seeks feedback to improve the service offered and implements performance improvement measures based on feedback
• Utilize resources appropriately and be aware of the commercial and legal implications in a situation

Communications Skills:

• Good English communication skills, both written and verbal
• Can adapt communication style to suit the audience and able to persuade and influence at all levels
• Is positive, polite, and attentive in all situations, responding promptly to requests

Work Management:

• Will constantly seek more efficient ways of doing things
• Manage and control expenditure within budget, justify and defend financial management decisions
• Able to manage own workload and time effectively
• Aware of other team members' workloads and actively seeks to support and assist colleagues
• Able to plan and manage several projects in a dynamic environment.

People Management:

• Able to motivate and lead a team
• Provide constructive, timely, and honest feedback on performance at all levels - identifies and rewards positive behavior and encourages team members to develop both technical and practical skills
• Demonstrate best practice in delegating to, supervising, and involving people effectively, seeking to play to the team's strengths
• Ensure that the team adheres to team standards, procedures, and templates.
• Willing to challenge the team on how things are done and offer solutions to improve efficiency
• Build effective working relationships with colleagues at all levels and across teams

Why Join Us?

Baker McKenzie is a truly global law firm. Founded in 1949, we advise many of the world's most dynamic and successful business organisations through our 13,200 people in 74 offices in 45 countries. Yet big does not mean impersonal. We work hard to ensure that everyone knows their role and has the support they need to perform it to the highest standard. Our culture encourages this - how we work, think and behave in a collaborative and fulfilling way.

In London you will be part of a 1,000 person office, which is also our largest office globally. Originally opened in 1961, Baker McKenzie London is well established in the UK as a leading international law firm and is regularly involved in some of the country's most high-profile legal matters. We can offer you the work, pride and experience of being part of a leading law firm but in a local office environment that is hardworking, friendly and supportive.
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