Knowledge and Information Management Practice Lead

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., 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 the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

+ 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.

Alongside your salary of £38,322, The National Archives contributes £11,101 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
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