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Job summary

The National Archives collects and secures the Government record both current and future, preserving it for the Nation and making it accessible. 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.

As an Accessions Officer, you’ll make government records publicly available, at the right time and in the right way and ensure that our collection continues to grow, making government records from the recent past available and accessible to our diverse audience.

Working closely with colleagues from across the organisation, you’ll play a key role in enabling the release of records from major government departments, including the Cabinet Office, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and the Ministry of Defence, while ensuring that the physical records themselves are preserved for future generations. This is an opportunity to contribute directly to safeguarding the nation’s documentary heritage and supporting public access to historically significant material.

Job description

Full job description attached (see below).

Person specification

We are seeking individuals with exceptional attention to detail, strong interpersonal skills, and a commitment to delivering a high quality professional service within the public sector. As part of our Accessions Team, you will work alongside experienced colleagues to manage the final stages of the records transfer process once material has been delivered by Public Record Bodies. This work plays a vital role in supporting these organisations to meet their statutory responsibilities under the Public Records Act 1958 and the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, offering the opportunity to contribute directly to the preservation and accessibility of the nation’s public record.

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.

Application Process

• Interview: Interviews will be held on-site, from w/c 31st August at the earliest.

• Personal Statement: We ask all applicants to submit work history details and a personal statement, We ask all applicants to submit work history details and a personal statement of up to 750 words, ideally around 250 words per criteria.

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

- Ability to work flexibly and constructively as part of a busy team delivering against demanding targets.
- Meticulous attention to detail.
- Work to timescales to meet tight targets.

Applicants invited to interview will be assessed against ALL of the essential criteria:Essential:

• Demonstrable ability to provide a customer focused service to the public and other government departments
• Ability to work flexibly and constructively as part of a busy team delivering against demanding targets.
• Meticulous attention to detail.
• Good communicating and influencing skills.
• Good IT literacy, in particular MS Office.
• Ability to provide training to small groups on standard procedures.
• Work to timescales to meet tight targets.

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.

Sponsorship:

We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

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.

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

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 - Accessions Officer Opens in new window (docx, 36kB)