15557 - Records Access and Retention Officer
| Posting date: | 09 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £33,551 to £35,564 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 23 March 2026 |
| Location: | SW1H 9AJ |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 2 days per week |
| Company: | Ministry of Justice |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 15557 |
Summary
Job Title Records Access and Retention Officer
Group Profile ISD – Information Services Division
DRO Team
Access, Retention & Library
Grade EO
Overview of Security and Information Directorate (SID)
SID is part of the Service Transformation Group. The Group oversees the building of a strategic vision for modernising and digitising our legacy systems, generating a coordinated plan across the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and its agencies for transformation, and tracking delivery of this transformation.
Security and information management are fundamental building blocks of enabling the department to deliver. We have highly skilled experts working collaboratively with the department, Government Security Group, Government Knowledge and Information Management profession and other partners to enable the whole of the MoJ to function securely, lawfully and transparently.
We identify, manage, and mitigate MoJ’s security, data protection and information risks, and provide assurance against those risks. We’re also home to the Counter Fraud Centre of Expertise. Part of our mission is to up-skill the department so that security becomes second nature to our people and partners.
Team Profile
Information Services Division is responsible for ensuring the MOJ:
• Manages its information so that it knows what is held and where it is held - Knowledge management and Records management
• Holds its information in compliance with legislation and is accessible – Data protection and freedom of information
• Is clear who owns the information and that they understand their responsibilities – Knowledge management
• Holds its information securely – Information assurance
The role sits under the Departmental Records Officer (DRO).
Access, Retention & Library
Access, Retention & Library comprises two services:
Access & Retention:
• Supports criminal justice professionals, victims and others by provides access to closed records using a Protocol to confirm that disclosure is lawful
• Provides guidance on retention of records and moratoria imposed by Public Inquiries
• Supports the Departmental Records Officer’s oversight of compliance with the Public Records Act 1958 and the Code of Practice on the Management of Records issued under section 46 the Freedom of Information Act 2000
MoJ Library:
• Provides access to peer-reviewed research and legal information through subscription databases to its customers
• Assists with complex literature searches, including training library users in advanced search techniques
• Manages a collection of digitised departmental publications as part of the department’s corporate memory.
• Offers guidance on compliance with copyright legislation and supports the Departmental Records Officer’s responsibilities for managing Crown Copyright in both publications and records
Summary
This post sits in the Access & Retention team and reports to the Records Access & Retention Manager.
The post holder will answer requests for access to closed records and enquiries about records retention (how long we keep records), and will provide administrative support to the Access, Retention & Library team.
This post involves a requirement to read records of criminal court cases. These cases often contain distressing witness descriptions of serious crimes such as murders and sexual offences.
This post is based in London because the post holder will be required to read records at The National Archives in Kew, sometimes at short notice, and to host visits at the MoJ Headquarters building.
Responsibilities, Activities and Duties
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities, and duties which include but are not limited to:
• Respond to requests for access to closed records, liaising with colleagues and archives as appropriate, and complying with data protection and other relevant legislation
• Respond to routine enquiries about retention periods (how long records should be kept) and moratoria on deleting/destroying records
• Manage the shared mailbox
The following tasks will be split between the two Records Access and Retention Officers:
• Publish Records Retention and Disposition Schedules (RRDS) and providing administrative support when RRDS are reviewed
• Provide administrative support for projects that will enhance the MoJ’s compliance with the Public Records Act 1958 and the Code of Practice on the Management of Records issued under section 46 the Freedom of Information Act 2000
• Compile monthly statistics and management information for Access, Retention & Library team
• Provide administrative support to Head of Access, Retention & Library
• Support communications and marketing campaigns for the DRO’s team as required
• Any other duties commensurate with grade
Group Profile ISD – Information Services Division
DRO Team
Access, Retention & Library
Grade EO
Overview of Security and Information Directorate (SID)
SID is part of the Service Transformation Group. The Group oversees the building of a strategic vision for modernising and digitising our legacy systems, generating a coordinated plan across the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and its agencies for transformation, and tracking delivery of this transformation.
Security and information management are fundamental building blocks of enabling the department to deliver. We have highly skilled experts working collaboratively with the department, Government Security Group, Government Knowledge and Information Management profession and other partners to enable the whole of the MoJ to function securely, lawfully and transparently.
We identify, manage, and mitigate MoJ’s security, data protection and information risks, and provide assurance against those risks. We’re also home to the Counter Fraud Centre of Expertise. Part of our mission is to up-skill the department so that security becomes second nature to our people and partners.
Team Profile
Information Services Division is responsible for ensuring the MOJ:
• Manages its information so that it knows what is held and where it is held - Knowledge management and Records management
• Holds its information in compliance with legislation and is accessible – Data protection and freedom of information
• Is clear who owns the information and that they understand their responsibilities – Knowledge management
• Holds its information securely – Information assurance
The role sits under the Departmental Records Officer (DRO).
Access, Retention & Library
Access, Retention & Library comprises two services:
Access & Retention:
• Supports criminal justice professionals, victims and others by provides access to closed records using a Protocol to confirm that disclosure is lawful
• Provides guidance on retention of records and moratoria imposed by Public Inquiries
• Supports the Departmental Records Officer’s oversight of compliance with the Public Records Act 1958 and the Code of Practice on the Management of Records issued under section 46 the Freedom of Information Act 2000
MoJ Library:
• Provides access to peer-reviewed research and legal information through subscription databases to its customers
• Assists with complex literature searches, including training library users in advanced search techniques
• Manages a collection of digitised departmental publications as part of the department’s corporate memory.
• Offers guidance on compliance with copyright legislation and supports the Departmental Records Officer’s responsibilities for managing Crown Copyright in both publications and records
Summary
This post sits in the Access & Retention team and reports to the Records Access & Retention Manager.
The post holder will answer requests for access to closed records and enquiries about records retention (how long we keep records), and will provide administrative support to the Access, Retention & Library team.
This post involves a requirement to read records of criminal court cases. These cases often contain distressing witness descriptions of serious crimes such as murders and sexual offences.
This post is based in London because the post holder will be required to read records at The National Archives in Kew, sometimes at short notice, and to host visits at the MoJ Headquarters building.
Responsibilities, Activities and Duties
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities, and duties which include but are not limited to:
• Respond to requests for access to closed records, liaising with colleagues and archives as appropriate, and complying with data protection and other relevant legislation
• Respond to routine enquiries about retention periods (how long records should be kept) and moratoria on deleting/destroying records
• Manage the shared mailbox
The following tasks will be split between the two Records Access and Retention Officers:
• Publish Records Retention and Disposition Schedules (RRDS) and providing administrative support when RRDS are reviewed
• Provide administrative support for projects that will enhance the MoJ’s compliance with the Public Records Act 1958 and the Code of Practice on the Management of Records issued under section 46 the Freedom of Information Act 2000
• Compile monthly statistics and management information for Access, Retention & Library team
• Provide administrative support to Head of Access, Retention & Library
• Support communications and marketing campaigns for the DRO’s team as required
• Any other duties commensurate with grade