Chief Records Officers

Agency Chief Records Officers are appointed by and represent the agency head or public official. Usually, the task is assigned as an additional duty to the deputy secretary, a special assistant to the secretary, or other department executive with adequate authority and a thorough knowledge of the agency's mission and the records created by the agency.

The Chief Records Officer coordinates all agency requests for records assistance, records or technical training, and other offered consultative services with the Government Records Branch of the Department of Cultural Resources. The Chief Records Officer also acts as agency coordinator for all records activities, programs, and reports required by the Department of Cultural Resources in administering the state records management program.

The Scheduling Guide for State Agency Liaisons is designed to guide state agency employees through the steps of creating, updating, and using the Program Records Retention and Disposition Schedules for your office.

Responsibilities of the Chief Records Officer

• Coordinating with the Government Records Section all requests for records assistance, training, and other offered consultative services
• Coordinating interactions between the agency and Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to establish appropriate retention and disposition instructions for any records not included on the Functional Schedule for North Carolina State Agencies
• Providing guidance on the appropriate storage of public records, so they are kept in secure but accessible places
• Participating in the design and implementation of agency electronic records initiatives, to ensure consideration of records management issues
• Assisting in the timely transfer of records to the State Records Center and in securing authorization for destruction of records temporarily stored at the State Records Center that have met their retention requirements
• In cooperation with Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, establishing and maintaining a program for the selection and preservation of agency records considered essential to the operation of government and to the protection of the rights and interests of citizens