About the job

Job summary

The National Archives is a respected leader in developing innovative programs to deliver an effective collection care programme. Outstanding conservation projects have underlined the department’s capability to carry out conservation treatment at the highest level in accordance with current best practice. We are constantly growing our expertise and raising our profile. The Senior Conservation Manager – Treatment is expected to lead on various aspects of this programme, in particular driving the treatment agenda of high-profile objects.

We are looking for maternity cover for 6 months with potential extension. As Senior Conservation Manager – Treatment you will play a significant role in developing and managing a team of conservation professionals to deliver projects as well as on-going programmes of single object treatments. As the lead, you will build effective working relationships with colleagues within the Collection Care Department and experts across the conservation sector to constantly drive and improve our conservation methodology for single objects.

You will lead the development and adaptation of treatment methods to increase the conservators’ repertoire, facilitate knowledge transfer, support skills development and you will work closely with the Senior Management Team including Conservation for Digitisation, Engagement, Heritage Science and Preservation to ensure that our findings have wider impact on the sector and take new technological developments into account.

An excellent communicator and aiming to forge Collection Care’s professional network, you will lead the whole of Collection Care to disseminate the outcomes of our work with the widest possible public and professional audience.

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 be able to regularly travel to our Kew site for a minimum of 60% of their work time.

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:

• A graduate from a recognised conservation or heritage science programme and/ or a minimum of ten years relevant work experience with an exceptionally high standard of conservation theory and practice.
• A proven track record of managing staff or the equivalent project management experience including the ability to coach/ mentor others.
• Demonstrable skills in solving highly complex problems and making decisions with expert degree of professional judgement and the ability to develop creative and innovative approaches to the care and conservation of highly vulnerable objects and the dissemination of outcomes.
• High degree of ability to work collaboratively as well as to build and lead a team able to deliver outcomes to an agreed standard and timetable.
• Demonstrable ability to work on own initiative and independently, with strong organisational skills and ability to prioritise own workload.
• Proven record of excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills, including effective interpersonal and strong negotiation skills; the ability to communicate effectively at all levels within the organisation and with a wide range of external stakeholders, including government departments.
• Strong networking capability and big picture thinking with the ability to engage and influence positively at senior level.
• Excellent IT and numeracy skills, and experience of analysing complex data.

Desirable criteria:

• PACR (Professional Accreditation of Conservators - Restorers) accredited membership of Icon or a willingness to pursue such accreditation.
• Published professional and peer reviewed papers.
• Experience in developing and delivering training

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.