IPRA Records Custodian

County of Otero; Alamogordo (NM); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

The County of Otero seeks an IPRA Records Custodian to serve as the designated public records custodian under IPRA, receiving, logging, processing, and responding to all requests within statutory timeframes. This position coordinates record retrieval across County departments and applies confidentiality requirements consistently.

The role requires maintaining accurate records, advising departments on IPRA obligations, and collaborating with the County Attorney’s Office to ensure defensible

Qualifications

• Knowledge of the New Mexico IPRA and related open-government law.
• Familiarity with confidentiality statutes such as HIPAA, CYFD, and CJIS.
• Excellent written communication and ability to draft clear correspondence.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the County’s designated IPRA records custodian and post custodian contact information as required by statute.
• Receive and log public records requests in all permitted forms and log date/time received.
• Acknowledge receipt and issue statutorily required responses within three business days.
• Route requests to appropriate departments and coordinate timely retrieval of records.
• Review records for applicable exemptions and prepare redactions in consultation with the County Attorney.
• Calculate and communicate fees for inspection and copying per the statute and fee schedule.
• Maintain a centralized IPRA request log reflecting status and deadlines; document denials with statutory basis.
• Draft and issue written denial letters with citations to the applicable law.
• Advise departments and elected officials on IPRA obligations and retention requirements.
• Coordinate with records liaisons and preserve electronic records including email and footage where applicable.
• Maintain confidentiality of exempt material and ensure secure handling of sensitive information.
• Prepare periodic IPRA workload and trend reports for leadership.
• Stay current on amendments and guidance related to IPRA and public records law.

Skills

Organizational skills

Written communication

Discretion and confidentiality

Professionalism

Interpersonal skills

Education

Associate's degree in public administration or related field

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Records management software

Document imaging / redaction software

Job description

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Experience Required : Two (2) or more years of experience in records management, paralegal work, government administration, or a related field involving public records handling; experience with IPRA or comparable public-records law is strongly preferred.

Minimum Education Requirements: Associate’s degree in public administration, business administration, records management, paralegal studies, or a related field; Bachelor’s degree preferred.

Department: County Attorney’s Office

Direct Supervisor: County Attorney/ day-to-day oversight provided by the Legal Assistant to the County Attorney

Supervisory Responsibility: Direct (0); Indirect (0)

Primary Work Location: Works inside in an office setting at 1101 New York Avenue, Alamogordo, NM 88310.

Certification: A valid New Mexico Driver’s License may be required for occasional inter-office/department coordination; paralegal certification is a plus but not required; must pass a background check consistent with County policy.

Job Summary : The IPRA Records Custodian serves as Otero County’s designated custodian of public records under the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA), NMSA 1978, § 14-2-1 et seq. This position is responsible for receiving, logging, processing, and responding to all public records requests submitted to the County within the statutory timeframes; coordinating record retrieval across County departments; applying statutory exceptions and confidentiality requirements consistently and defensibly; and maintaining accurate records of request activity. The position works under the general direction of the County Attorney’s Office and serves as the County’s point of contact for records requesters, department heads, and elected officials on IPRA compliance matters.

Essential Job Functions

An employee in this position may be called upon to do any or all of the following essential duties:

• Serve as the County’s designated records custodian for purposes of NMSA 1978, § 14-2-7, including public posting of custodian contact information as required by statute.
• Receive public records requests in any form permitted by IPRA (written, electronic, or in person) and log each request upon receipt, noting the date and time received.
• Acknowledge receipt of requests and issue statutorily required responses within three (3) business days, including determinations that records are not readily available, requests are excessively burdensome or broad, or a longer period is reasonably necessary, consistent with § 14-2-8 and § 14-2-10.
• Route requests to the appropriate County department(s) and coordinate timely retrieval of responsive records from department staff and elected offices.
• Review records for applicability of statutory exceptions under § 14-2-1(A) and other confidentiality provisions (e.g., HIPAA, CYFD/child welfare records, law enforcement records under § 14-2-1(A)(4), attorney-client privileged and work-product materials, personnel and other protected records), and prepare appropriate redactions in consultation with the County Attorney’s Office.
• Calculate and communicate permissible fees for inspection and copying in accordance with § 14-2-9 and County fee schedule; process fee payments and fee waiver requests.
• Maintain a centralized IPRA request log/tracking system reflecting request status, statutory deadlines, responses provided, and any denials with the specific statutory basis for each denial, as required by § 14-2-11.
• Draft and issue written denial letters that comply with statutory requirements, including citation to the specific provision of law authorizing the denial.
• Bring routine issues, questions, and day-to-day guidance first to the Legal Assistant to the County Attorney; elevate matters presenting legal complexity, anticipated litigation, denials, fee disputes, or enforcement actions and threatened or actual IPRA lawsuits/mandamus actions under § 14-2-12 to the County Attorney.
• Advise County departments and elected officials on IPRA obligations, records retention requirements, and best practices for responding to records requests.
• Coordinate with department records liaisons and the County’s records retention schedule (per the New Mexico General Records Retention and Disposition Schedule) to locate, preserve, and produce responsive records, including electronic records, e‑mail, and body‑worn/dash camera footage where applicable.
• Maintain confidentiality of exempt and privileged material and ensure secure handling, storage, and transmission of sensitive records.
• Prepare periodic reports on IPRA request volume, compliance timelines, and trends for the County Attorney and County Manager.
• Stay current on amendments to IPRA, related New Mexico public records law, Attorney General guidance, and relevant case law, and recommend policy or procedural updates accordingly.
• Perform other duties as assigned related to public records administration and open government compliance.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA’s) for Position

An employee in this class must have the following knowledge, skills, and abilities upon application:

Knowledge

• Working knowledge of the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (NMSA 1978, § 14-2-1 et seq.) and its statutory exceptions, deadlines, and fee provisions.
• Familiarity with related New Mexico public-records and open-government law, including the Open Meetings Act, records retention requirements, and relevant confidentiality statutes (e.g., HIPAA, CYFD, CJIS).

Skills

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to track multiple concurrent requests against firm statutory deadlines.
• Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to draft clear, legally sound correspondence and denial letters.
• Proficiency with records management, document imaging/redaction software, and standard office software (e.g., Microsoft Office, records request tracking platforms).
• Ability to communicate professionally and diplomatically with the public, media, County staff, and elected officials, including in situations involving frustrated or adversarial requesters.

Abilities

• Sound judgment in applying statutory exceptions and escalating legally sensitive matters appropriately.
• Ability to work independently, exercise discretion, and maintain confidentiality regarding sensitive and protected information.
• Ability to interpret and apply statutes, regulations, and legal guidance to day-to-day records decisions.

Physical Demands

The following physical abilities are required:

• Requires extended periods of sitting, computer use, and reviewing or redacting documents in both paper and electronic form.
• Occasional lifting of records boxes or files up to 25 pounds.
• May require occasional work outside standard business hours to meet statutory deadlines.

Work is generally performed in a standard office environment.

Safety Requirements

The employee is expected to follow all safety procedures as required.

**This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required. Otero County reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties as necessary. This document does not constitute a contract of employment and does not alter the at-will nature of employment where applicable under County policy.

Signatures / Date

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