Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Records Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

A Records Specialist is the cornerstone of an organization's information governance framework. This role is responsible for systematically managing the entire lifecycle of a company's physical and electronic records—from their creation to their final disposition. More than just filing, this position ensures that critical business information is accurate, accessible, secure, and maintained in compliance with legal, regulatory, and operational requirements. The Records Specialist acts as a guardian of institutional knowledge, mitigating risk, supporting audits, and enabling efficient business operations through meticulous organization and control of information assets.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

The path of a Records Specialist is one of increasing responsibility and strategic importance within the information governance landscape.

Entry Point From:

Administrative Assistant or Office Coordinator
Document Control Clerk
Paralegal Assistant or Legal Secretary

Advancement To:

Senior Records Specialist or Team Lead
Records Manager or Information Governance Manager
Compliance Analyst or Officer

Lateral Moves:

Archivist
Business or Systems Analyst (with a focus on EDRMS)
Paralegal

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

A successful Records Specialist is entrusted with a wide array of critical tasks that ensure the smooth and compliant management of company information.

Manage the entire lifecycle of physical and electronic records, from creation and receipt to maintenance, use, and final disposition, in accordance with established company policies and retention schedules.
Implement and enforce records retention policies, ensuring the timely and legally-defensible destruction or archival of information assets.
Perform complex classification, indexing, and coding of documents into the electronic document and records management system (EDRMS) for rapid and accurate retrieval.
Conduct regular quality control checks and audits of the records inventory to guarantee the accuracy, completeness, and integrity of both physical and digital files.
Respond to internal and external requests for information, retrieving records for audits, legal discovery (e-discovery), and operational needs while upholding strict confidentiality.
Administer legal holds by identifying, preserving, and tracking documents and data relevant to litigation, investigations, or regulatory inquiries.
Train company staff on records management best practices, policies, and the proper use of records management systems and software to foster a culture of compliance.
Process, scan, and digitize physical documents, ensuring high-quality images and accurate metadata are captured for seamless integration into the electronic repository.
Maintain the organization and security of physical records storage facilities, including managing off-site storage vendors and coordinating the retrieval and refiling of boxes.
Assist in the development, review, and updating of records management policies, procedures, and classification schemes to adapt to changing business and regulatory landscapes.
Serve as a subject matter expert on the organization's records management program, providing clear guidance and support to all departments.
Coordinate the transfer of inactive records to off-site storage and the efficient retrieval of those records as needed for business purposes.
Prepare detailed reports on records management activities, such as destruction logs, inventory lists, and system usage statistics for management review.
Ensure full compliance with data privacy and protection regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, or other industry-specific rules when handling sensitive and personal information.
Manage user access rights and permissions within the EDRMS to ensure that employees can only access information appropriate to their roles and responsibilities.
Troubleshoot issues related to records retrieval, system access, and document classification, providing effective first-level support to end-users.
Participate in cross-functional projects related to system migrations, software upgrades, or the implementation of new information governance technologies.
Create and maintain comprehensive documentation and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all key records management processes.
Oversee the boxing, labeling, and inventorying of physical records for archival, ensuring a meticulous chain of custody is maintained at all times.
Collaborate closely with IT, Legal, and Compliance departments to align records management strategies with broader information governance and cybersecurity initiatives.
Monitor official records intake channels, processing and distributing incoming documents to the appropriate workflows in a timely manner.
Support the vital records program by identifying and protecting information essential to the continued operation of the organization in the event of a disaster.

Secondary Functions

Assist legal and compliance teams with e-discovery processes and litigation hold requests.
Contribute to the continuous improvement of records management policies and procedures.
Provide training and onboarding support to new employees regarding information handling protocols.
Generate periodic reports on records management metrics for departmental and executive review.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficiency in Electronic Document and Records Management Systems (EDRMS) such as OpenText, FileNet, M-Files, or Microsoft 365/SharePoint.
Strong understanding of the full records lifecycle management (creation, use, maintenance, disposition).
Deep knowledge of federal, state, and international regulations related to records retention (e.g., Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA, GDPR).
Experience with document imaging, high-volume scanning technology, and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Familiarity with classification systems, taxonomy development, and metadata standards.
Advanced competency in using the Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel for tracking, reporting, and data analysis.
Ability to perform database queries and manage information within relational databases.
Practical understanding of legal hold and e-discovery processes and their technical requirements.
Experience with physical records center operations, including inventory control and off-site storage vendor management.
Knowledge of archival principles and best practices for the long-term preservation of historical records.

Soft Skills

Meticulous attention to detail and an exceptionally high degree of accuracy in all work.
Exceptional organizational and time-management skills to effectively prioritize and handle multiple concurrent tasks.
Unwavering commitment to confidentiality, professional ethics, and exercising discretion with sensitive information.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities to identify and resolve discrepancies in records systems.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to explain complex procedures to non-technical staff.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or equivalent, supplemented with relevant work experience.

Preferred Education:

Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree. Professional certifications such as Certified Records Analyst (CRA) or Information Governance Professional (IGP) are highly valued.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Information Management or Library Science
Business Administration or Public Administration
Archives and Records Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2-5 years of direct experience in a records management, document control, administrative, or paralegal role with significant information management duties.

Preferred:

Experience working within a regulated industry such as legal, healthcare, finance, or government, where compliance and accuracy are paramount.