About the job

Job summary

We are seeking a talented Retail Manager to manage our retail functions and lead our experienced and motivated team. The National Archives is one of the largest archives in the world and is located a short walk from Kew Gardens station in southwest London. It attracts visitors from near and far to access our famous collections as well as to enjoy our exhibitions, events and education programmes. Our retail offer comprises both the onsite shop at Kew and the online shop at shop.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Job description

Full job description attached (see below).

Person specification

The Retail Manager is responsible for the strategic direction of all retail sales activity, both online and on site at The National Archives, and is charged with meeting demanding targets in terms of both turnover and budget management while ensuring the effective integration of retail operations in the wider activities of The National Archives’ public programme. It’s a hands-on role that calls for strong organisation and people skills and offers real scope for innovation and creativity. 

If you can combine retail management experience, with strong team leadership and a passion for retail in the museum and heritage sector then we would love to hear from you.

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. This role mainly requires onsite working at our Kew site, with occasional homeworking possible.

We would particularly like to encourage applicants from backgrounds currently underrepresented in archives, including those who identify as Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT+), from Black, Asian and minority ethnic cultural backgrounds, those who are neurodivergent, and those with hidden or visible disabilities.

How to apply:

To submit your application please click the 'Apply now' button on this page. You will be asked to write a personal statement and upload your CV. In your personal statement please explain, using examples, how you meet the essential criteria 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 so please make full use of the 1250 word count.

Essential criteria: 

• Proven experience in leading a retail team with EPOS stock control experience 
• Strong commercial awareness, budgetary skills and an analytical approach to problem solving 
• Excellent communication skills including the ability to engage and influence internal and external colleagues 
• Excellent people management skills with the ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders and external bodies 
• Excellent resource management skills including exceptional attention to detail 
• Detailed knowledge of online retail sales 
• Excellent customer care experience/service industry skills. 

Desirable criteria: 

• Experience of Shopify retail platform at system management level 
• Experience in online retail heritage sector, preferably in a customer retail or ecommerce position. 
• Knowledge of or interest in family, military, and British history. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,000, The National Archives contributes £10,800 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.