About the job

Job summary

Our reward package:

We’re looking for an exceptional Library and Archive Specialist to help us make a difference to our planet.

As Library and Archive Specialist you will work a hybrid pattern of home working and from our Exeter HQ. The Library and Archive services are both open to the public three days a week and the job holder will be expected to be in the office on at least some of those days as part of the roster. You can choose to work in the office more frequently if you prefer. Our people are at the heart of what we do and we'll do our best to agree a working pattern that works for everyone.

Why join us?

The Met Office is accredited as a 'Great Place to Work UK 2023' and in addition has achieved a place on both the UK's 'Best Workplaces in Tech' and 'Best Workplaces for Women' lists.

We invest in our people to unlock their full potential. As our Library and Archive Specialist, we will support you to develop and thrive to be the best you can be.  We champion positive physical and mental health in the workplace and are committed to being an inclusive organisation, providing a working culture that actively values an equal and diverse workforce. 

As our Library and Archive Specialist, your starting salary will be £25870.00. New joiners to the Met Office will start on the salary band minimum. Our 2022-25 pay award means the salary will increase to £26,954 from 1st April 2024, and you will be able to progress towards £29,531over time.

Your total reward package is potentially worth up to £36,318 annually, which includes basic salary, potential corporate bonus and employer pension contributions.

Your package includes:

• Outstanding Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
• Flexible hours and homeworking
• Annual Leave starting at 27.5 days (plus Bank Holidays) rising to 32.5 days (plus Bank Holidays) after 5 years and option to buy or sell up to 5 days per year of annual leave
• Cycle to work scheme for the purchase of a bicycle and equipment to support healthy, low carbon travel
• Access to discounted shopping, inclusive of retail, leisure and lifestyle brands

Job description

Who we are:

We provide critical weather services and world-leading climate science to deliver extraordinary impact and benefit across the globe. Our work helps people make better decisions to stay safe and thrive.

Together:

•  We’re a force for good 
•  We’re experts by nature 
•  We live and breathe it 
•  We’re better together 
•  We keep evolving 

Find out more about our values - https://bit.ly/3fokaRD

The National Meteorological Archive (NMLA) is part of the Met Office Public Weather Service (PWS). It is part of the Services Transformation team which is, in turn, part of the Services Directorate. The NMLA is managed by the Library and Archive Manager who reports to head Services Transformation and also provides written reports to the Public Weather Service Customer Group via the PWSCG Secretariat.

The National Meteorological Archive is required by the Public Weather Service Customer Group to enable the general public to research the UK’s weather and climatology and to access information that helps the public to understand the science and history of meteorology. There is also a legal requirement handed down to the Public Weather Service from the Ministry of Justice (under the Lord Chancellor) to archive meteorological data on behalf of the UK Public in accordance with the Public Records Act 1958. The archive seeks to preserve, in perpetuity, records relating to the national memory of the weather in both paper and also digital formats.

Job Purpose:

The Library and Archive Specialist will carry out day-to-day operational tasks including enquiries, cataloguing, preservation and specialist L&A systems maintenance and exploitation.

This role also includes having an understanding of service development strategies, supporting communication, promotion and engagement activities and engagement with the KILAM (Knowledge, Information, Library and Archive Management) profession.

As our Library and Archive Specialist, your key responsibilities are:

• Handling and responding to a wide range of customer enquiries via e-mail, telephone and in person
• Carrying out cataloguing tasks and undertaking basic preservation
• Use of specialist Library and Archive systems including cataloguing, loans and enquiry logging modules within our L&A Catalogue and loading records to our Digital Library and Archive
• Supporting the Archivist and Librarian with day-to-day running of the services
• Involvement with promotion, reach and engagement activities including interacting with visitors with different levels of knowledge
• Engagement with the Knowledge, Information, Library and Archive Management profession.

Person specification

Essential Qualifications, Skills & Abilities:

1. Strong customer service and communication skills in person, via telephone and by email
2. Able to research, collate and present information at the appropriate level for the audience (experts by nature)
3. Ability to problem solve and think independently to find the best solution to a question
4. A good team player able to work with and support a diverse team (we’re better together)
5. Strong IT skills with the ability to adapt to specialist systems and programmes quickly and accurately
6. Able to follow instructions and work independently to complete tasks consistently
7. Experience of working in or engaging with a library or archive service
8. Interest in personal development in the fields of library and archive information management (Keep evolving)

Desirable Qualifications, Skills & Abilities:

We encourage you to apply if you believe you meet our essential criteria, but we’re also keen to discover if you have:

1. Demonstrable interest of meteorology

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £25,870, Met Office contributes £27 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

How to apply:

If you share our values, we’d love to hear from you. Apply below using your CV and a Cover Letter/Supporting Statement which evidences how you meet each of the essential criteria - we recommend candidates use the CARL (Context, Action, Result and Learning) method for presenting evidence of skills.

Closing date 21/02/2024 at 23:59 with interviews commencing from 12/03/2024. You will hear from us once the closing date has passed.

If successful, please note we are unable to offer expenses for travel to your normal place of work. This post is contractually aligned to Exeter HQ, please ask at interview if you would like extra clarity on how often this requirement is likely to be.

How we can help:

If you are considering applying and need support to do so, please contact us via careers@metoffice.gov.uk . You can request adjustments either within your application or by contacting us. Should you be offered an interview, please be aware there may be a selection exercise which could include a presentation, written test or a scenario-based activity. You can select in your application to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme. To be invited to interview/assessment under this scheme, your application must meet the essential criteria for the role.

We understand that great minds don’t always think alike and as an equal opportunities employer we welcome applications from those with all protected characteristics. We recruit on merit, fairness, and open competition in line with the Civil Service Code.

We can only accept applications from those eligible to live and work in the UK - please refer to GOV.UK for information. We require Security clearance, for which you need to have resided in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years to be eligible. You will need to achieve full security clearance within your first 6 months with us.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.