About the job

Job summary

We are looking for an engaged, experienced leader and communicator to work within the public-facing Collections Expertise & Engagement department at The National Archives, and help us to deliver our priorities and support the delivery of The National Archives’ strategy, Archives for Everyone.

You will lead the Modern Collections teams, comprising staff who are specialists in The National Archives’ post-1782 collections. As well as day-to-day line management of four team leaders, you will take overall responsibility for ensuring that all staff within Modern Collections contribute to the department’s three broad priority areas: public engagement, research and academic engagement, and collection enhancement. You will lead by example, so we are looking for someone who has excellent knowledge of the relevant collections, with a track record of turning high-quality research into a range of public engagement and academic outputs.

You will have a key role within the senior leadership team of Collections Expertise & Engagement, playing a full part in setting and delivering priorities and initiatives, and leading on aspects of programmes with reach beyond Modern Collections. You will develop and maintain relationships with key internal stakeholders, in particular working with government-facing colleagues to provide advice to other government departments, and on occasion you will be called upon to speak to the media and to communicate with stakeholders at the highest level.

Within the beautiful surroundings of Kew, a 10-minute walk from the Underground and Overground stations, TNA has a collegial working environment and an excellent Civil Service benefits package. This includes flexible working, an on-site gym, wellbeing resources and an opportunity to join the Civil Service Alpha Pension Scheme. Putting you at the forefront of our organisation, we are committed to supporting professional development and training for all our colleagues.

Job description

Full job description attached (see below).

Person specification

This is a full time post. However, requests for part-time working, flexible working and job share will be considered, taking into account at all times the operational needs of the Department. A combination of onsite and home working is available and applicants should expect to spend at least 60% of their working time at Kew.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

How to apply:

If you are an internal applicant: please do not use the link on this page. Please apply via your employee Workday account.

If you are an external applicant: to submit your application please click the 'Apply at advertiser's site' button on this page.

You will be asked to provide details of your work experience and write a personal statement. In your personal statement please explain, using examples, how you meet the essential criteria given below. You may draw on knowledge, skills, abilities, experience gained from paid work, domestic responsibilities, education, leisure interests and voluntary activities. Please note selection for interview will largely be based on the information you provide in this section.

Essential criteria:

• Excellent specialist knowledge of one or more areas of TNA’s post-1782 collections.
• Strong people management and interpersonal skills and evidence of ability to lead teams through change.
• Track record of high-quality research with demonstrable ability to translate research into engaging outputs for specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Demonstrable negotiation, influencing and communications skills, with ability to communicate to stakeholders at the highest level.
• Strong team player with demonstrable ability and willingness to collaborate positively and flexibly with colleagues at all levels and across different work areas.
• Demonstrable ability to make and implement difficult decisions.
• Demonstrable commitment to public engagement and customer service delivery, with the ability to lead by example.
• Good understanding of the academic and research sectors.

Desirable criteria:

• Previous experience of managing specialist teams
• Demonstrable understanding of evolving digital humanities landscape

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £48,108, The National Archives contributes £12,989 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

Reasonable adjustments:

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact The National Archives via careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.