University Records Officer

Department: Library

Classification: Administrative Faculty

Job Category: Administrative or Professional Faculty

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible; up to 2 days of telework 

Salary: Salary not less than $80,000; commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

Motor Vehicle Records Check: Yes

About the Department:

The University Records Management (URM) program in the Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) at George Mason University Libraries assists all university offices and programs across every campus worldwide with the implementation of their records processes and compliance with federal and state regulations. URM actively supports the goals and objectives of the university by offering online training, consultations, and records evaluation to assist faculty and staff in this compliance work. URM staff provide excellent service to the campus community through education, the application of best practices for records management, and secure services to ensure the proper retention and disposition of public records in accordance with Virginia state laws, federal policies, and university guidelines.

About the Position:

The University Records Officer serves as the designated State Records Officer for George Mason University (GMU) in accordance with responsibilities as defined by the Virginia Public Records Act of the Code of Virginia (42.1-76et.seq.) and as one of the university’s data stewards. The University Records Officer is responsible for operational planning, policy, and procedure development, assessment, and supervision of the intake, processing, preservation, and retention of analog and electronic university records. This position is the contact for all university records creators, and serves a consultative and practical role in all matters relating to records retention, disposition, and disposal at GMU. The position provides leadership in the university’s and SCRC's electronic records initiatives, serves on selected university committees, and participates in selected professional areas of SCRC activities. The University Records Officer establishes a formal outreach and education/training program for all constituent units of the university in proper and best records management practices and processes. The role participates in committees and/or workgroups as required to share knowledge, develop best practices, and implement and advance the work of the Libraries.

Responsibilities:

Records Management:

• As agency Records Officer, oversees all aspects of the George Mason University Records Management program (both analog and electronic records), including records management policies and procedures, the identification and assessment of university records, creation as needed of specialized retention schedules, and the proper maintenance and ultimate disposition of such records as required by state disposition schedules;
• Appraises all university records for appropriate disposition life-cycles (temporary, permanent, non-record) as needed;
• Consults with the University Archivist to identify and accession any permanent records transferred to University Archives;
• Supervises the Records Management Specialist; and
• Maintains membership in Virginia Association of Government Archivists and Records Administrators (VAGARA) and other appropriate records management associated professional organizations.

Education and Outreach:

• Develops and implements an online training program required for designated university records coordinators, and for university staff in techniques and procedures to manage the records their office creates and/or maintains;
• Provides instruction on basic records management practice, developing office/unit specific policies to ensure compliance with state and federal requirements throughout the life cycle of records, in all formats;
• Presents records management sessions as requested to university offices, seminars, and conferences;
• Develops, updates, and publishes guides for high-demand records management inquiries to facilitate more streamlined response to frequent records management questions;
• Consults with SCRC and University Libraries on marketing and promotion strategies for the URM program; and
• Contributes records management-related content for SCRC social media platforms.

Legal Responsibilities:

• Consults with the Office of University Counsel and the Office of Access, Compliance, and Community, and Library of Virginia to review and implement policies, standards, and procedures for the management of university records, regardless of format;
• Ensures records compliance with all pertinent local, state, and federal records requirements such as the Virginia Public Records Act, the Health Insurance Portability And Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA);
• Provides litigation and FOIA support, particularly with regard to retrieval and certification of both analog and electronic records in the University Records Center needed for litigation and FOIA requests;
• May be subpoenaed to appear in litigation cases in relation to the University Records Management program; and
• Maintains currency with archives, records management, and related disciplines and knowledge of current statutes, regulation, policy, pending legislation, and other areas which affect university records.

Information Technology:

• Researches, investigates, reviews, and identifies all appropriate records management-related technology and software to follow best practices and standards;
• Oversees administration and access of URM software applications, including administrative- and client-end users; and
• Updates and maintains the URM website to provide timely records information.

Preservation and Security:

• Advocates for appropriate resources and oversees access to the University Records Center and University Records Management-owned applications and databases according to best practices and emerging standards to guard against identity theft and other unwarranted access to sensitive and/or confidential information; and
• Works in conjunction with other key university staff, including the University Libraries’ Head of Preservation Services, University Informational Technology Security, and the Environmental Health and Safety Office to ensure adequate preservation both of temporary records management records, and also vital records, irrespective of format (analog and electronic).

Other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Experience with information technology applications in an archives and/or library environment, including electronic databases;
• Experience with physical and electronic records management practice for appraisal, retention, and disposition;
• Experience with records management outreach, including developing and maintaining relationships with university departments and offices, surveying office records, and creating local retention schedules;
• Familiarity with digital preservation concepts and metadata standards;
• Strong communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills to collaborate across diverse academic and administrative units;
• Solid analytical and organizational skills;
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively;
• Demonstrated ethics, discretion, and sound judgment; and
• Ability to supervise various classifications of staff.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Degree with coursework in archives/records management;
• Certification in one of the following: CRM (Certified Records Manager), IGP (Information Governance Professional) or CIP (Certified Information Professional), Essentials in Records and Information Management (ARMA);
• Records management experience in an academic setting;
• Experience with electronic records management database (i.e., Infolinx), and strong aptitude for skills acquisition relating to new technologies and software tools;
• Experience in a higher education institution or academic library;
• Working knowledge of state and federal laws relating to university records, including FERPA, HIPPA, and Virginia FOIA, and working knowledge of records appraisal adhering to Commonwealth of Virginia general schedules;
• Knowledge of digital preservation tools, platforms (e.g., Preservica, Archivematica), and content management systems;
• Familiarity with university policy development and institutional risk management practices; and
• Commitment to accessibility in records and archives work.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for the University Records Officer at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter and resume for review.

Please note: Candidates selected for the final interview will be expected to come to the Fairfax campus and present, based on an assigned prompt, to a hybrid audience (in-person and online) consisting of Library faculty, staff, and other constituents.

Posting Open Date:  May 8, 2025

Posting Close Date:  May 22, 2025