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: £38,322 per annum Contract type: Permanent Band: F / Senior Executive Officer Closing date: Thursday 3rd October 2024 at midnight The National Archives collects and secures the Government record both current and future, preserving it for the Nation and making it accessible. Without records, we could not hold government to account, carry out pioneering research or learn from the past. Our collection spans almost 1000 years and is one of the largest in the world, containing over 11 million historical records from medieval parchment to modern papers, digital files, datasets, websites, tweets and computer code. The records we collect are increasingly created, managed, and transferred to us digitally. The National Archives is the archive of government and archives sector lead for local authorities and places of deposit. Archives for Everyone, our business strategy, describes our vision to become an inclusive, entrepreneurial and disruptive archive, that harnesses emerging technology to reaffirm and transform our mission to increase awareness and understanding of our role and remit in line with Archives for Everywhere - The National Archives. The Strategic Compliance team sits within the Public Access and Government Services Directorate providing advice, guidance, and services to our government colleagues to fulfil their obligations under the Public Records Act. Our Directorate offers a supportive, welcoming, working environment. We are looking to expand the team and the role of the Knowledge and Information Management Practice Lead will be responsible for leading and providing our direct engagement with all Public Record Bodies (including Public Inquiries and short term bodies) providing an expert, informed and trusted service including technical and practical advice and guidance to influence and support the development of appraisal and selection methodologies to aid transparency and accountability for the selected Public Record. The role will require practical understanding of disposition techniques, understanding what information should be transferred to The National Archives for permanent preservation, and practical knowledge of appraisal, selection, and handling information. The role will require the ability to review, analyse and report on technical and practical feasibility of solutions and service models to support and enhance the public record. For further information please see the full job description (below). 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. 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. In your personal statement please explain, using examples, how you meet the essential criteria in the person specification 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. SC-level Security Clearance or willingness to obtain SC clearance is mandatory for this role and requires that you have lived in the UK for the last 3 years. The length of required residency may depend on individual circumstances. Job Description Role and Responsibilities Lead and deliver a comprehensive and cohesive programme of engagement to support bodies that are subject to the Public Records Act to manage their records in line with The National Archives’ current Collection Policy, inclusive of both analogue and digital information management landscape and Information Rights Legislation. Lead and develop engagement with differing stakeholder groups (internal teams and external bodies, Government Knowledge and Information Management professionals, sponsoring departments for Public Inquiries) to provide advice and guidance to drive understanding of roles and responsibility for disposition of the Public Record under the Public Records Act. Lead and develop TNA engagement with Public Inquiries and other short-term bodies, to provide advice and guidance to drive understanding of roles and responsibility for disposition of the Public Record under the Public Records Act and provide regular reports to our senior leadership team. As a subject expert, be responsible for setting out best practice in disposition techniques appraisal, selection and understanding, handling and manging material subject to government classifications and in line with FOIA exemptions, including researching, developing and pioneering tools and techniques that enable and support the transparent selection and transfer of the Public Record in accordance with the information rights landscape. Provide the knowledge and expertise to support the continual refresh of The National Archives guidance for appraisal, selection and sensitivity review that specifically supports and develops the early and frequent transfer of digital collections and supports the transfer of analogue collections in line with the 20-year rule. Provide leadership to The National Archives’ Panel for Records and Collections by working with subject experts both internally and externally to support the Panel’s interpretation of The National Archives’ Collection Policy, and work with Public Record Bodies to enable them to develop their bespoke appraisal methodologies that support the selection and transfer of the Public Record both now and for the future. Have responsibility for the day-to-day line management of staff and demonstrate good interpersonal skills to be able to support staff development and growth. Working Conditions Normal office environment Display Screen Equipment user Person Specification Essential criteria: Expert knowledge of Information Management principles, practice and technology with the capability to develop expert knowledge of key trends and challenges in cross-government data and digital record appraisal and selection and sensitivity review. Proactive engagement skills, capable of building and developing strong trust-based relationships with senior stakeholders both internally and externally using diplomacy, tact and understanding of others’ priorities. Strong communication, presentation and engagement skills, with a proven ability to work successfully with others and deliver as part of a team. Confidence and ability to negotiate at a senior level across government with the ability to work independently on own initiative and demonstrate a proven ability to prioritise and balance managing own workload, deadlines and managing competing priorities. Demonstrably strong analytical and problem-solving skills, the ability to quickly understand and assimilate the details of complex issues and the capability to combine and synthesize data from multiple sources to facilitate decision-making and identify data trends to inform service improvement and development. Demonstrable experience of delivering guidance, training to support learning that is reflective of equality and diversity needs. A staff manager, with good interpersonal skills to be able to support staff development and growth. Desirable criteria: Up to date with the latest developments in AI, machine learning, and data-driven techniques applicable to records management, with a strong understanding of their practical applications and potential impacts on information governance/record management / appraisal and selection/sensitivity review. An understanding of the principles of information legislation (Freedom of Information Act, GDPR, Data Protection Act, Environmental Impact Regulations, European Re-use Regulations) including an understanding of Section 46 Code of Practice on Records Management and the Public Records Act Knowledge and experience of records and information management in a UK government context and the strategic challenges facing the public record and The National Archives in the digital age. Other Requirements 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. Must be prepared to travel to other Government departments as required. Occasional overnight stays will be required. Willing to undergo Developed Vetting if necessary 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 22 days per calendar year (rising to 25 after the first year, 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) 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 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 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)