About the job

Job summary

The National Archives is currently recruiting a Records Specialist, Collections Expertise & Engagement (CEE) department, to work with records relating to the history of the British Empire and Commonwealth.  

Job description

What you’ll be doing 

The National Archives is a non-ministerial government department, home to over 1,000 years of documents. In CEE we are passionate about using our expert knowledge of those collections to inspire audiences and make them think differently about archives. The Records Specialist (Empire and Commonwealth) will be part of the CEE team that supports a diverse audience of public, students, academics and the wider archive and government sector to use the records at The National Archives. You will develop a general knowledge of the National Archives’ records and use this knowledge to respond to public enquiries in our day-to-day advisory service, onsite and online. Additionally, you will develop a deep knowledge of records at The National Archives related to the British Empire and Commonwealth from 1782 to the present, in order to provide specialist support.  

The records of the British Empire and Commonwealth at The National Archives are one of the world’s most important and challenging archives for global history and have a vital role to play in inclusive, productive conversations about the British colonial past and shared heritage, both within the UK and overseas. You will be passionate about those possibilities. You’ll work innovatively and collaboratively to explore the collections and find ways to surface diverse voices and histories in line with The National Archives’ values, and its ambitions to be Inclusive, Entrepreneurial and Disruptive. You will build specialist knowledge of these collections in order to advise both community and academic researchers and to collaborate with colleagues across The National Archives on a variety of types of project, for example with those who work with schools, with government departments, on research development, or on our events and exhibitions programme. 

Why work for us 

In this role you will experience both challenge and variety, from dealing with queries in the reading room, to developing cataloguing projects, to opportunities to extend networks in the heritage sector in the UK and overseas. You will take on responsibilities within the team of specialists ‘Overseas and Defence’, and within the department, whilst having scope for pursuing individual projects and professional development centred on access to and understanding of our collections.  

You will be supported in extend your skills in managing collaborative projects, to develop networks among communities of interest and researchers in the UK and overseas, and in seeking grant funding to further these activities.  

TNA boasts a collegial working environment and the 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. 

Person specification

We are looking for applicants with specialist knowledge of British colonial/post-colonial history gained in either academic or professional contexts, and experience of using or working with relevant historical collections. You will need to be able to engage in discussions on challenging historical topics sensitively and imaginatively, as well as communicate effectively to a wide range of audiences.  

A combination of onsite and home working is available and applicants should be able to regularly travel to our Kew site for a minimum of 60% of their work time.

The post may require working some evenings and some Saturdays to support public service and engagement activities. Time off will be arranged in compensation for these contributions.

Must be prepared to travel to other Government departments as required.

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 upload a CV and complete three tasks relating to aspects of the role. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £31,178, The National Archives contributes £8,418 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

From the initial applications we will invite selected candidates to an assessment day that we intend to hold on the 15th August. From that assessment day we will make a further selection of candidates who will be invited to attend a short online interview that we intend to hold on the w/c 26th August.

We encourage applicants who may benefit from adaptions to the interview process, for example for disability or neurodiversity reasons. We can work with candidates to identify and implement reasonable adjustments, for example, this could relate to the assessment format or environmental factors.

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 ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ section 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.