Georgia Secretary of State seeks a State Records Manager

Yep, you read that right: Georgia's Office of the Secretary of State -- the very same Office of the Secretary of State that is planning to close the Georgia Archives and lay off seven of its ten remaining staffers at the end of this month -- is hiring a State Records Manager who will, among other things, be responsible for contributing to "the development and implementation of the state’s digital records center." 

I honestly don't know what to make of this posting; the folks at Georgians Against Closing State Archives are equally flummoxed.  I do have a few suspicions.  The position description states that the person who takes this job will be "responsible for maintaining and expanding services at a fee-based records center and will help develop a business model to ensure the sustainability and appropriateness of the State Records Center and its services."  Someone's looking for some new sources of revenue!  I suppose that it's also possible that Secretary of State Brian Kemp, who stated yesterday that his office has had to divert resources to keep up with the citizenship checks that Georgia law now requires when anyone applies for or seeks to renew a professional license, is playing some sort of high-stakes game of chicken. 

The position description, which was posted yesterday, also indicates that the deadline for applying is next Thursday, which suggests to me that the Office of the Secretary of State hopes that the candidate pool will be very small -- and that it will be dominated by the Georgia Archives employees who received layoff notices last month.

In the interest of completeness, I'm posting the particulars below.  However, unless you're truly desperate for a job or already live in the Atlanta area and can live with the idea of working for an employer that has repeatedly laid off records professionals, you might want to think twice before applying for it.

Duties & Responsibilities
The State Records Manager plans, organizes, directs, implements, and evaluates statewide records management services on behalf of the Division of Archives and History. The position manages the State Records Center; ensures the proper storage, retention and destruction of state agency records; provides training in records management for state and local government agency personnel; applies appropriate technologies to the management of records; manages the Media Security Vault for state and local government agencies; assists with the preparation of retention schedule proposals to the State Records Committee; and assists with the development and implementation of the state’s digital records center.

The State Records Manager is responsible for maintaining and expanding services at a fee-based records center and will help develop a business model to ensure the sustainability and appropriateness of the State Records Center and its services. The State Records Manager position is a highly visible position with statewide influence on the direction of records management programs in Georgia that requires the ability to think strategically and innovatively, extensive knowledge of records management, and the ability to work well with colleagues, government employees, and elected officials.

 Minimum Training & Experience
 Completion of a Bachelor's degree in a related field from an accredited college or university AND three years of experience managing professional level staff in an Archival Institution or a Records Management program. OR Seven years of experience in an Archival Institution or a Records Management program, three years of which managing professional level staff.

Agency Specific Qualifications
A Master’s degree in a related field and two (2) years of relevant professional experience or a Bachelor’s degree in a related field and four (4) years of relevant professional experience in an Archival Institution or a Records Management program.

Supervisory Experience
Two (2) years experience at the management or administrative level involving direct supervision of professional staff and/or responsibility for a major program element.

Agency Specific Qualifications and/or Preferred Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field and four years of professional experience related to the management of records, or Master’s Degree in Information Technology, Archival or Public Administration, Records & Information Management, Library Science (from ALA accredited program), or related field and two years of professional experience related to the management of records.

The salary range for this position is $50,000-$57,000.  For additional information and detailed application instructions, consult the position description.