About the job

Job summary

About us

Archives matter. Without records, we could not hold government to account, carry out pioneering research or learn from the past. The National Archives is the archive of UK Government and the courts. Our business strategy, Archives for Everyone, describes our vision to become an inclusive, entrepreneurial, and disruptive archive that harnesses emerging technology to reaffirm and transform our historic mission for the digital age.

The Cataloguing, Taxonomy and Data department’s role is to deliver the control, quality, currency and ongoing development of our catalogue records and the systems in which they reside. We specialise in manipulating and enhancing at scale the metadata which lies at the heart of activities across the organisation.

We are based in the beautiful surroundings of Kew, easily accessible by public transport, car and bike. Staff benefits include admission to a range of exhibitions at national museums and galleries; access to nearby Kew Gardens; on-site gym, therapists and wellbeing resources; restaurant, shop and staff bar. Our excellent Civil Service benefits package includes the opportunity to join the defined-benefit Civil Service Alpha Pension Scheme.

Job description

Full job description attached (see below).

Person specification

About the role

The National Archives is currently receiving a vast historic collection of 9 million plus military personnel service records. This role involves leading the work that the Cataloguing, Taxonomy and Data department are delivering as part of the organisation wide project to process these records and to make them available for access.

The role contributes to the governance of the wider project, seeking to anticipate and communicate problems and risks and to mitigate against them. It also involves maintaining oversight and managing the day-to-day processing of the service records’ metadata.

The role also involves co-ordination with many internal and external stakeholders, as well as direct line management. Breaking new ground, you will need to devise, implement and document bespoke processes and trial new technologies and techniques in support of the project’s goals.

About you

You are enthusiastic, organised and seeking to develop your career in a world leading institution. You are an excellent communicator and enjoy building strong working relationships that lead towards a common goal. Building on your experience of working with archives, records and data, you can think creatively and imaginatively in search of new ways to do things better. You have an eye for detail, but never lose sight of the bigger picture.

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 be able to regularly travel to our Kew site.

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 complete a CV section and write a personal statement. 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:

• Professional qualification in archives and records management (or a related subject) or equivalent experience, with a passion and enthusiasm for cataloguing, metadata and the application of digital technologies to archival resources.
• Significant experience of data management using digital tools.
• A strong understanding of content sensitivity and information security in relation to historical records and data.
• Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills with the ability to explain and communicate complex or technical issues to diverse stakeholders, including senior leaders.

• Ability to envision new ways of working in response to novel challenges and changing expectations.
• Excellent co-ordination skills and the ability to develop strong working relationships directed towards a pro-active and solutions-focussed approach.

• Ability to take tasks and projects to completion and manage competing priorities, together with strong professional motivation and a commitment to personal development.

• Demonstrable ability to work to a high degree of accuracy, attention to detail and consistency.

Desirable criteria:

• Interest in the application of new technologies for preserving and providing access to archives.
• Experience of working with EAD or another XML schema.
• Awareness of or interest in Python or another programming language.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £36,515, The National Archives contributes £9,859 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.