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Head of Chief Executive's Office
Job summary
The Head of Chief Executive’s Office is a critical role responsible for enabling the Chief Executive of The National Archives to operate strategically and with maximum impact internally and externally. Leading the United Kingdom’s official archive in preserving over 1,000 years of iconic national documents, the Chief Executive holds statutory responsibilities and the titles of Keeper of Public Records, Historical Manuscripts Commissioner and the King’s Printer.
Why consider this role?
As the Chief Executive’s principal adviser and the leader of the Private Office and Governance functions, you will have the opportunity to influence strategy, connect senior stakeholders, and help ensure the organisation operates with clarity, purpose and impact.
This role may be of particular interest to those who enjoy:
- Operating at the most senior levels of an organisation.
- Navigating complex stakeholder landscapes.
- Turning strategic priorities into tangible outcomes.
- Leading high-performing teams through change and delivery.
- Combining governance excellence with pace, agility and sound judgement.
Job description
What you’ll be doing
You will:
- Act as a trusted adviser to the Chief Executive, providing insight, challenge and strategic support.
- Facilitate key organisational priorities, bringing together senior leaders and ensuring accountability for outcomes.
- Lead a high-performing Private Office, ensuring first-class support, briefings, decision-making and stakeholder management.
- Oversee and continuously improve governance arrangements, supporting effective boards, committees and assurance processes.
- Manage key relationships across Government, including DCMS, Ministers’ offices, regulators and partner organisations.
- Coordinate responses to high-profile and sensitive issues.
- Lead and develop a talented team spanning governance and executive support functions.
Full Job Description attached, see below
Person specification
Who we’re looking for
We are looking for an experienced and credible colleague who can quickly build trusted relationships with executives, senior leaders and stakeholders.
You will bring:
- Significant experience in stakeholder management, including engagement with senior officials, ministers, or external partners. Including the ability to influence and challenge constructively
- Significant organising, prioritisation and delivery skills, with the ability to manage multiple competing demands and drive forward complex cross-cutting activities.
- Excellent judgement and decision-making, with the ability to operate effectively in challenging and fast-paced environments.
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to distil complex information clearly and concisely.
- Good understanding of Public Sector governance, accountability, and assurance frameworks and the annual business planning cycle.
- Experience of leading or operating within governance frameworks, including boards, committees, and assurance processes.
- Visible, credible leadership and professionalism. Collaborative and approachable style, with a focus on enabling others to succeed
SC clearance/willingness to obtain SC clearance will be required for this role. This requires candidates to have been resident in the UK for at least the past three years. Please do not apply if you have been resident in the UK for less than three years as your application will be rejected
HOW TO APPLY:
Application: Please download and complete the attached application form (see below), and send to us along with your CV and a supporting statement of not more than 750 words, to applicationstna@nationalarchives.gov.uk
Your CV and statement should demonstrate how you meet the criteria listed above.
Interview: Interviews will be held onsite at The National Archives on Friday 21st August and you will be required to give a presentation based on the following:
In 7 minutes without slides, please explain your approach to leading a high performing Private Office/Governance team
You will also attend a Peer Panel before the interview, where you will have the chance to talk to current staff and find out more about the organisation.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £62,158, The National Archives contributes £18,007 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.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).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
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 : Talent Acquisition Team
- Email : careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk
- Telephone : 020 8392 5359
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…https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/visit/
Attachments
Recruitment Application Form Opens in new window (docx, 27kB)JD Head of Chief Executive's Office 2026 Opens in new window (docx, 43kB)Share this page
Salary range
- £62,158 - £70,000 per year