Visitor Experience Supervisor

Job summary

Our collection is one of the largest in the world, containing over 11 million historical government and public records. From Domesday Book to modern government papers and digital files, we hold paper and parchment, digital records and websites, photographs, posters, maps drawings and paintings. Taking an audience focussed approach we want to give even more people the opportunity to engage with our collections, whether they visit our site at Kew or online.

The National Archives has embarked on an ambitious and exciting transformation programme to inspire the public with new ways of using and experiencing our collection. We have made a strong start with our flourishing ’What’s On’ programme offering a range of events and exhibitions. We are now poised to take things to the next level, developing our public programming strategy, building our capability, professionalising our delivery, and re-imagining our public spaces at Kew. We have developed our first Visitor Experience Strategy, in which you will be a key player in supporting the implementation of improvements and changes.

Reporting to the Visitor Experience Manager, and working closely with colleagues across The National Archives, you will be a key member of a small but growing team, to support the daily delivery of a consistently high quality visitor experience to all TNA audiences. This role includes direct support of events and activities, which will require some working outside normal office hours.

You will supervise a team of our Visitor Experience Assistants onsite, and will work with a range of stakeholders to deliver an excellent experience for our visitors. The successful candidate will be an expert problem-solver with skills in customer service and organisation.

Job description

• Full job description attached (see below).

Person specification

Essential

• Evidence of successful supervision of a diverse group of staff and volunteers in a service delivery environment.
• Good organisational skills, ability to work under pressure and to competing priorities and deadlines.
• Excellent customer care/service skills, understanding the needs of diverse visitors.
• Very good written and oral communication skills and experience of engaging with a variety of stakeholders and service partners.
• The ability to operate within diverse networks to support service delivery.
• A ‘can do’ attitude to delivering high quality services, and responding to challenging situations effectively, and with an eye for detail.
• The ability to trouble-shoot and resolve problems rapidly and effectively, working with a variety of internal and external specialists (IT, Estates, Events & Exhibitions, etc.) to deliver optimal outcomes

Desirable

• Experience of visitor or service delivery management in the archive, cultural or heritage sectors

The standard working pattern for this role is Tuesday and Thursday until 7pm, plus one other weekday, Saturday and Sunday every week.

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.

This role requires on site presence and is not suitable for home working.

Application Process

• Interview: Interviews will be held on-site at The National Archives, week commencing 3rd August 2026. Candidates invited to interview will be asked to prepare a response to a scenario question, and will also take a short tour of our building.

• Personal Statement: We ask all applicants to submit work history details and a personal statement of about 800 words.

Selection for interview will be based on the ‘essential’ requirements as listed below so please ensure that your application demonstrates in detail how you meet these requirements.

If we receive a large number of applications candidates will initially be assessed on the first criteria only (Evidence of successful supervision of a diverse group of staff and volunteers in a service delivery environment).

- Evidence of successful supervision of a diverse group of staff and volunteers in a service delivery environment.
- Good organisational skills, ability to work under pressure and to competing priorities and deadlines.
- Excellent customer care/service skills, understanding the needs of diverse visitors.
Sponsorship:

We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £29,258, The National Archives contributes £8,476 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).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.

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;

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : The Talent Acquisition Team
• Email : careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk
• Telephone : 02039855979

Recruitment team

• Email : careers@nationalarchives.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: careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

nationalarchives.gov.uk

Attachments

Job Description - Visitor Experience Supervisor Opens in new window (docx, 35kB)