Knowledge and Information Management Practice Lead

As the living, growing home of our national story, The National Archives is a special place to work. We’re an institution nearly 200 years old with a collection spanning 1,000 years of history.

We’ve 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: £40,853 per annum

Contract type: permanent

Band: F / SEO

Closing date: Sunday 11th October at midnight

The National Archives (TNA) has statutory responsibilities under the Public Records Act (PRA) to provide guidance and supervision to public bodies on the safekeeping, management, and selection of public records. This includes providing advice, issuing guidance, delivering training to help organisations manage information effectively so that they can identify records of long-term historical value and transfer them to TNA for permanent preservation.

The Strategic Compliance Team sits within the Government and Archives Leadership Directorate. It leads TNA’s engagement and relationships with government stakeholders, and monitors and reports on their compliance with the PRA. This post will be responsible for providing TNA expert advice, guidance and training on the appraisal, selection, and safekeeping of public records with our government stakeholders, ensuring that government departments are compliant with TNA Records Collection Policy to support timely transfers of public records in all formats.

The postholder will be a significant subject expert in assessing and identifying the long-term value of information across all formats. They will be developing and delivering training, advice and guidance in appraisal and selection techniques to enable government departments to create bespoke appraisal methodologies that aid transparency and accountability for the selected public record.

The postholder will provide training and guidance to government departments as they considered transferring records in all formats to TNA. This will include practical interpretation of TNA’s Records Collection Policy, leadership of TNA’s Panel on Records and Collection on appraisal and selection and safekeeping of public records and advice on handling of material subject to government classifications and information rights legislation.

As a significant subject expert, the postholder will develop and deliver training and advice to bodies subject to the PRA, setting out best practice in the disposal of information in line with the Code of Practice. The role will also review, analyse and report on the practical feasibility of solutions and service models for appraisal, selection, and sensitivity review of records.

The post holder will have opportunities to work with our data science team on AI test and learn activities, exploring tools and techniques to enhance the capture and curation of the digital public record. They may also contribute to and take part in TNA Information Management Assessment programme.

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 and candidates will be expected to complete a pre-interview task. You will be given a scenario and asked to write a response, and then discuss it during the interview.

• Personal Statement: We ask all applicants to submit work history details and a personal statement, not exceeding 1200 words.

Selection for interview will be based on the ‘essential’ requirements in the job description 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:

• Qualification or equivalent experience in information and records management, including safekeeping, lifecycle management and disposal of records and information through assessing value, developing appraisal and selection techniques, and handling and manging material subject to government classifications and in line with information rights legislation.

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 visit the Civil Service Careers website where you can find further information on the use of AI in the application guidance section.

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 five years. Please do not apply if you have been resident in the UK for less than five years as your application will be rejected.

We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

Job Description

Role and Responsibilities

Relationship Management:

• Lead, develop and manage face-to-face engagement with government stakeholders supporting understanding of roles and responsibilities for the public record under the PRA. Provide regular updates, reports and statistics on departmental compliance and capability, including appraisal and selection and safeguards for the public record. 
• Develop, build and maintain trust based relationships with key stakeholders, including Departmental Record Officers (DROs), Heads of Government Knowledge and Information Management (GKIM), creating a cohesive programme of engagement to help bodies that are subject to the PRA to manage their records in line with TNA’s current Collection Policy, inclusive of all formats and information rights legislation.
• Lead. Participate and contribute to internal and external knowledge-sharing forums, providing expert advice and guidance on appraisal and selection and safekeeping of public records, including material subject to government classifications.

 

Significant Subject matter expert in the disposition of information:

• Set out best practice for information disposition, including appraisal, selection, and the handling and management of material subject to government classifications and Freedom of Information Act 2000 exemptions.
• Provide advice, guidance and training to external stakeholders to support the transparent selection and transfer of the public record in line with legislation. Lead the monitoring, research, development and promotion of best practice techniques that demonstrate compliance with the PRA.
• Support government departments to develop overarching information management plans, covering the creation, selection/disposal/ transfer/presentation of information through a risk-based approach.

Practical interpretations of TNA Records Collection Policy to our external audience:

• Chair of TNA’s Panel for Records and Collections providing subject expertise internally and externally to support the Panel’s interpretation of TNA’s Collection Policy.
• Provide expert advice and guidance on appraisal and selection and safekeeping of public records and the handling of material subject to government classifications and work with bodies subject to the PRA to enable them to develop their bespoke appraisal methodologies.
• Problem-solve with government departments and develop innovative solutions to support the appraisal of government’s digital records and their timely transfer to TNA.

 

Development and delivery of training and advice setting out best practice:

• Responsible for the development and delivery of training and advice to bodies subject to the PRA, setting out best practice in understanding value and appraisal and selection techniques.
• Explore and develop improvements in TNA advice, guidance, and training by maintaining a keen awareness of new and emerging knowledge and information management products, methods and techniques and evaluate their potential relevance and value.
• Ensure best practice in records management is embedded in high-level appraisal methodologies (HLAM) and reflected in the review of solutions for appraisal, selection, and sensitivity review of records.
• Promote the use and interpretation of TNA’s established Information Management Assessment Program, specifically focused on appraisal, selection, and managing material subject to government classifications and in line with FOIA exemptions.
• Provide the knowledge and expertise for the continual refresh of TNA guidance that specifically supports and develops the early and frequent transfer of digital and analogue collections.
• Responsible for the line management of the KIM Practice Advisor.

 

 

Working Conditions

• Normal office environment
• Display Screen Equipment user

 

Person Specification

Essential criteria:

 

• Qualification or equivalent experience in information and records management, including safekeeping, lifecycle management and disposal of records and information through assessing value, developing appraisal and selection techniques, and handling and manging material subject to government classifications and in line with information rights legislation.
• Demonstrable experience of building, developing, and maintaining strong trust-based relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels using diplomacy, tact, and insight to achieve results.
• A proven ability to communicate clearly, effectively, and persuasively in person, online and in written advice, guidance, and presentations independently and on own initiative, for both an expert and a non-expert audience.
• Excellent planning and organisation skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and keeping work to schedule.
• Demonstrable experience of developing and delivering guidance, training to support learning that is reflective of equality and diversity needs.
• Demonstrable experience with information management systems, including Microsoft 365, and applying information governance principles and good practice.
• Line management experience, including workload, performance and development management.

Desirable criteria:

• An interest in the government approach to technology and digital services including machine learning to support appraisal, selection, and sensitivity review.
• A demonstrable willingness to keep up to date with emerging knowledge and information management products, methods and techniques that support appraisal and selection. 

Other Requirements

• A combination of onsite and home working is currently available. Applicants must be able to work from our Kew site at least 60% of their time.
• Must be prepared to travel to other Government Departments as required, with occasional overnight stays a possibility.
• SC clearance is required for this role. This requires candidates to have been resident in the UK for at least the past five years.

 

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 [email protected] 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

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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: [email protected] 

 

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: [email protected] 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)