As the living, growing home of our national story, The National Archives is already a special place to work. We’re an institution nearly 200 years old with a collection spanning 1,000 years of history. But it’s where we go next that makes things really interesting. In our strategic vision: Archives for Everyone, we set ourselves the challenge of becoming the 21st Century national archive - a different kind of cultural and heritage institution: Inclusive, Entrepreneurial, Disruptive. We won’t become this overnight. It will take time, focus, effort and daring. That’s where you come in. Because we can’t do this without you. Job Overview Salary: £50,500 - £55,000 per annum Contract type: Permanent Band: G / Grade 7 Closing date: Wednesday 23rd April 2025 at midnight The National Archives is seeking a dynamic and innovative manager to join our Collections Expertise and Engagement (CEE) department as the Head of Public Services and Operations. In this role, you will provide strategic leadership and oversight for our busy day-to-day public enquiry service, ensure that staff have the skills and confidence to meet the needs of our users, champion volunteering, and oversee the department’s digital engagement work. You will manage several teams, effectively mentoring and developing colleagues, and play a key role in the department’s close-knit and effective senior leadership team. If you have a flair for problem-solving, enjoy thinking on your feet and feel that you could use your skills to help The National Archives meet the needs of its users, 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. 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 plan to hold interviews on site at Kew on Tuesday 13 and/or Wednesday 14 May. How to apply: To submit your application please click the 'Apply' button on this page. You will be asked to provide details of your work experience and write a personal statement, not exceeding 1200 words. In your 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. We understand that you might use artificial intelligence (AI) and other resources to assist with your application; however, please ensure all information you provide is factually accurate, truthful, and original and doesn’t include ideas or work that isn’t your own. We encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice. Job Description Job Purpose In the Collections Expertise and Engagement (CEE) department, we are passionate about using our expert knowledge of our collections to inspire audiences and make them think differently about archives. Staff within the department use their expertise to support researchers to find and use our records, to develop exciting and engaging content for the general public, to produce and disseminate innovative academic research using the records, and to support central government in its use of our records. The Head of Public Services and Operations is the departmental lead for the first of these strands and plays an important supporting role for the others. This post has oversight and strategic leadership of our day-to-day public enquiry service through which we answer research questions on site and online, helping enquirers to carry out their own research into our records. This includes ensuring the smooth running of the public enquiry points, managing a complex rota and problem-solving daily operational issues; it also includes oversight and strategic leadership of the internal training programme through which staff are trained to deliver research advice. The post holder will work collaboratively with other public-facing departments, ensuring a joined-up, seamless service for our visitors. The post holder will take an innovative, collaborative and can-do approach to developing our public services to meet the needs and expectations of users in a fast-moving world, including engaging with emerging technologies. The post holder will also have a resilient and creative approach to balancing stretched resources, and will need to be fair but robust when managing competing demands. The post holder also has oversight of the management and development of volunteering at The National Archives, with projects resourced by volunteers being one of the key means of improving and enhancing our online catalogue. This involves championing and potentially broadening the role of volunteers, driving engagement at the most senior level with the importance of volunteering, and ensuring that The National Archives keeps up with best practice in this area. The post holder manages our paid search team and our library team, the latter of which is responsible for maintaining and building our excellent reference library for the benefit of visitors and staff. The post holder also has oversight of the department’s digital engagement function, which includes various channels including online research guidance, podcasts and online records content. Colleagues across the department are expected to contribute to these channels and the post holder will be responsible for tracking this activity and ensuring a full and fair contribution across the board. This post also leads on day-to-day operations for the department as a whole, including health and safety, managing the physical office space and business continuity planning. Although the post holder may not themselves be a specialist in The National Archives’ records, they will need to develop a good general knowledge of the collection and an understanding of the challenges and benefits of translating archival research into engaging content for the public. After appropriate training if necessary, the post holder will play a part in delivering the day-to-day public advice service, answering wide-ranging queries online and in person. Role and Responsibilities Leadership and management Line manage and lead staff, in particular mentoring and developing team leaders. Lead on all aspects of day-to-day operations within CEE including the public enquiry service (see below), business continuity, health and safety, and office and IT issues. Play a full and active role in the Senior Management Team of the department, implementing departmental strategies in a consistent way and acting as the departmental lead on corporate initiatives as required, particularly those of an operational nature. Build productive working relationships with managers in other departments with dependencies around public service delivery and public engagement, including in discussions around the use of space within Kew, and the development of the public enquiry service. Working with colleagues, assess the current and future skills needed by the department and plan and oversee training and progression schemes accordingly. Deputise for the Head of Collections Expertise and Engagement as necessary. Public enquiry service Oversee and manage an efficient and effective records enquiry service, onsite and remotely, leading on developing the service to ensure that it meets the evolving needs and expectations of our users, and of the organisation, and embraces technology where appropriate. Ensure that the deployment system remains flexible and efficient, providing the right balance of skills and experience to deliver a consistent and high-quality experience for users. Oversee and develop the internal training programme to ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to deliver a consistent, high-quality public service. Own customer satisfaction and insight for the department, working with colleagues to monitor customer satisfaction and developing and delivering action plans where necessary. Participate in the delivery of public services by undertaking duties on site and online. Digital and public engagement Drive CEE’s contribution to digital engagement activities, tracking outputs to ensure full and fair contributions across the board. Oversee the development and maintenance of research guidance aimed at the public, working with colleagues to ensure that existing guidance is updated and refreshed in a timely fashion and that new guidance is developed where appropriate. Represent The National Archives as a knowledgeable and engaging spokesperson to external audiences such as at partnership and stakeholder events and VIP tours. Volunteer management and engagement Champion the importance of volunteering at all levels of the organisation and ensure that The National Archives maintains best practice in this area. Review the role and home of volunteering at The National Archives with a view to making recommendations to the Executive Team for its long-term strategic development. Own volunteer engagement for the department, overseeing any changes in volunteer management, ensuring that communications with volunteers are timely and appropriate, and ensuring that the contribution of volunteers is celebrated and recognised. Own the annual volunteer survey, ensuring it remains fit for purpose and that its results are disseminated and lead to effective action where appropriate. 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. Working Conditions Normal office environment Display Screen Equipment user Person Specification Essential Strong people leadership, management and interpersonal skills; experience in mentoring colleagues. Demonstrable ability to lead organisational change and to manage teams through change. Demonstrable experience of operational leadership in a public-facing organisation, with experience of developing and/or adapting service delivery to meet changing needs. Excellent written and oral communication skills with the ability to explain complex information to different audiences in engaging ways. Excellent negotiation skills, with demonstrable ability to build effective and productive internal and external relationships, and the ability to engage in difficult conversations when necessary. Demonstrable ability to handle a varied and demanding workload, and to support team members to prioritise their work and manage their workloads effectively. Personal dynamism, and a flair for creative problem solving. Experience of managing volunteers. Desirable Knowledge of the collections held at The National Archives. The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy. Benefits Generous benefits package, including pension, sports and social club facilities, onsite gym, discounted rates at our on-site cafe and opportunities for training and development. Annual leave entitlement of 25 days per calendar year (rising to 26 days after 2 year’s service, and incrementally to 30 days after six years) and 10½ days public and privilege holidays per annum. Any move to The National Archives from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk ; (opens in new window) 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 careersnationalarchives.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 pass a disclosure and barring security check. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks. (opens in new window) Nationality requirements This job is broadly open to the following groups: UK nationals nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK nationals of the Republic of Ireland nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in new window) relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals Further information on nationality requirements (opens in new window) Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code (opens in 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 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. This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. (opens in new window) Contact point for applicants Name: The National Archives Recruitment Team Email: careersnationalarchives.gov.uk Further information If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact The National Archives via email: careersnationalarchives.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-complaints/ (opens in new window)