The National Archives (TNA) holds one of the world’s great medieval written collections. This role within the public-facing Collections Expertise and Engagement department is an opportunity to work with that collection in leading our expert medieval specialists as we engage with public, academic, archival and government audiences. Working with colleagues and researchers with different areas of expertise, the Medieval Team Leader will champion medieval records and research as part of our corporate vision, Archives for Everyone.

Person Specification

A medieval historian in your own right, you will have the ability to take on a team leadership role within one of TNA’s largest departments, responsible for engaging the public with the collections, for the governmental and archival history of the collections, and for related knowledge development and exchange. As a senior member of the department, you will contribute directly to departmental management, taking ownership of your team’s contribution to departmental and corporate initiatives. You will also have excellent personnel and project management experience as well as an established reputation as a researcher, and, ideally, a publications record, a track record speaking at conferences, seminars and events, strong research networks, and experience of involvement in successful bids for research project funding. You will also have the flair and enthusiasm to turn your academic research into engaging outputs for the general public, and to support your team to do the same.

As TNA strives to engage new and diverse audiences with the cultural value of archives and archival collections, the Medieval Team Leader has an important role in building collaborations with colleagues and external collaborators in UK and beyond. Contributions to corporate initiatives, the events and exhibitions programme, and education and learning activities will help to extend and diversify key groups of archival users. Medieval stories from the archives have great potential to engage researchers and cultural explorers, and the Medieval Team Leader will be at the forefront of how TNA’s early collections generate contributions to these broader developments.

Essential criteria:

• Strong people leadership, management and interpersonal skills, experience in mentoring colleagues, and ability to manage effectively through periods of organisational change;

• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with demonstrable abilities to interact productively and build effective internal and external relationships and networks on behalf of The National Archives;

• Ability to handle a varied and demanding workload, and to manage own priorities within a supportive team environment;

• A higher degree or demonstrable equivalent experience in a relevant specialist field;

• Demonstrable knowledge of the medieval collections held at The National Archives and of relevant collections held elsewhere;

• Active research profile and demonstrable credibility in the academic and research sectors relating to specialist field including experience of developing and writing collaborative bids to external funders and experience of using digital humanities research methods;

• Experience of communicating research through a variety of public engagement activities such as exhibitions, public talks, outreach workshops and educational activities;

• A record of accomplishment in project delivery to time and to budget.

Desirable criteria:

• A PhD in a medieval history subject;

• Published author in records-related material and/or specialist area;

• Experience of delivering high-quality training or teaching within academic sectors

Application Procedure

You will be asked to write a personal statement and upload your CV. In your personal statement please explain, using examples, how you meet the essential criteria below. You may draw on knowledge, skills, abilities, experience gained from paid work, domestic responsibilities, education, leisure interests and voluntary activities. Please note selection for interview will largely be based on the information you provide in this section so please make full use of the 1250 word count.

Application Deadline: 3 February 2023

More details on the role are available here.