About the role This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate archive professional with a recognised qualification to join the Heritage Services team. The role reports to the Heritage Services Manager, working alongside one other Archivist, with the support of the Archives & Collections Assistant and Heritage Services Assistant. You will evidence the full range of professional skills, and the ability to build and maintain great working relationships with Partners at all levels across our lines of business. You will be able to utilise your knowledge and experience of archive theory and practice to ensure the collection and preservation of physical and digital collections while delivering high quality services to internal and external customers. Demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement, you will share in the development of our collections management and digital preservation systems, answer enquiries and undertake complex research to deadlines. You should enjoy interacting with our visitors, delivering presentations, tours of the centre and helping all Partners understand more about our history and the development of the Partnership. As part of the wider Learning, Inclusion & Belonging team we all work together to ensure that we help Partners and our wider communities understand that our Purpose, in the past, the present and the future, inspires our principles, drives our decisions and acts as our guide. Expected salary - we are looking for salary in the range of up to £45,000 (dependent on experience). Contract type - This position is a Permanent contract. Location - This role is based at our Heritage Centre at Odney, Cookham. Working hours - This is 28 hours per week contract over 4 days Routine work requires attendance at the Heritage Centre in Cookham, and regular weekend working; acting as a duty manager (typically one Saturday in four), when the Centre is open to the public. Key responsibilities Develop the appropriate specialist archive systems to ensure the safety and integrity of the archive whilst allowing appropriate access to our collections. Work closely with other team members to build and develop the collections and the services we offer as a recognised centre of excellence. Using both digital and physical processes, deliver archival tasks, including project work and presentations to enhance the long term development of the Partnership’s Heritage Services and provide appropriate and relevant information for our customers. Support the development of archive processes and systems including monitoring and developing our external websites and internal social media community.Promote the development of our volunteer team, ensuring they are happy in the tasks they undertake. Provide inspiration and knowledge to encourage understanding of the development of the Partnership with specific reference to our co-ownership model. Act as duty manager in the absence of the Heritage Services Manager. Essential skills/experience you’ll need Experience of working to preserve and access mixed heritage collections; archives, objects, costume, textile and published items. Experience working to preserve and access digitised and born digital heritage assets. Capable of carrying out complex research and presenting findings to others including senior stakeholders. Experience of designing and delivering volunteer task programmes. Ability to produce accurate and detailed written work ready for publication. Experience of employee ownership and its value in doing business. Knowledge of the history of retail particularly the John Lewis Partnership, its subsidiaries and predecessors. Awareness of British textile production and design history. Experience working with Modes and Preservica applications. Experience of planning and delivering curated exhibitions and displays of heritage assets which enhance storytelling. Desirable skills/experience you’ll need Experience of employee ownership and its value in doing business. Knowledge of the history of retail particularly the John Lewis Partnership, its subsidiaries and predecessors. Awareness of British textile production and design history. Experience working with Modes and Preservica applications. Experience of planning and delivering curated exhibitions and displays of heritage assets which enhance storytelling. LI-HEADOFFICE LI-SD1 About The Partnership We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us. We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose. As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect. We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective. As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it. Important points to note: It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles. We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants. We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.