Records Management Consultant

Career Guide

A Records Management Consultant helps organizations control how records are created, stored, protected, retrieved, and disposed of. The goal is to reduce risk, meet legal and regulatory duties, improve findability, and lower storage and operating costs across paper and digital content.

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Key Responsibilities

Assess current recordkeeping practices and risks
Inventory records and map where they are stored
Define records retention rules and disposal processes
Design file plans and naming standards
Improve access, search, and retrieval practices
Advise on privacy, security, and sensitive data handling
Create policies, procedures, and user guidelines
Support audits, investigations, and legal requests
Train staff and drive adoption of new practices
Partner with legal, compliance, and information technology teams
Measure outcomes such as reduced storage and faster retrieval
Support system selection and configuration for recordkeeping needs

Top Skills for Success

Stakeholder Management

Clear Writing

Training Delivery

Project Management

Process Mapping

Risk Assessment

Records Retention

Information Governance

Policy Development

Records Classification

Disposition Management

eDiscovery Fundamentals

Privacy Compliance

Data Security Basics

Content Management Systems

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Records Manager

Information Governance Manager

Compliance Manager

Privacy Program Manager

Risk Manager

Content Operations Manager

Transition Opportunities

Information Governance Director

Compliance Director

Privacy Officer

Risk and Controls Lead

eDiscovery Manager

Enterprise Content Manager

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Retention Schedule DesignDefensible DisposalChange ManagementContent Migration PlanningAudit ReadinessData MappingVendor EvaluationMetrics and Reporting

Development SuggestionsBuild a small portfolio of artifacts such as a sample retention schedule, a file plan, and a policy document. Practice running stakeholder workshops and documenting decisions. Strengthen familiarity with common content platforms and learn how to translate legal requirements into simple, usable rules.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 55,000 to 80,000

Mid LevelUSD 80,000 to 120,000

Senior LevelUSD 120,000 to 170,000

Growth Trend

Steady demand, supported by stricter privacy rules, increased digital records, and higher expectations for defensible disposal and audit readiness.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

DeloittePwCKPMGEYAccentureBooz Allen HamiltonIBMIron MountainRicohCGI

Industry Sectors

Financial ServicesHealthcareGovernmentLegal ServicesEnergyInsuranceHigher EducationManufacturingTechnologyPharmaceuticals

Recommended Next Steps

Create a one page assessment checklist for recordkeeping risks and controls

Draft a sample records retention schedule for a common department such as human resources

Build a simple file plan with naming standards and access rules

Prepare a disposal workflow that includes approvals and audit logging

Take a short course in privacy compliance and information governance

Review job descriptions and align your resume to measurable outcomes such as cost reduction and audit findings closed

Conduct two informational interviews with records leaders in regulated industries

Develop a training deck for end users and test it with a small group