Archive Engagement Officer
Role Profile (please click on link on GM Jobs website to view full job profile)
Service: Customer Service, Culture and Libraries – Strategy and Resources
Band: 5
Reporting to: Local Studies and Archives Manager
Responsible for: No direct reports (Supervision of volunteers)
Overview
The Trafford Local Studies and Archives (TLSA) Centre manages and provides access to the Archives and Local Studies service. TLSA collects and preserves material relating to the former towns and rural areas which, since 1974, make up the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford. Trafford’s collections include
archival records created by organisations or institutions, business records, and personal papers. We also hold an art and heritage collection that is comprised of artefacts and works of art with links to the local area.
Your Main Priorities
• Develop and deliver the local studies and archive engagement programme, establishing new partnerships and strengthening pre-existing
relationships with community groups, cultural organisations, schools and internal teams.
• Responsible for engagement strategy, audience development and community partnerships – develop, deliver and lead on a programme of high
quality public engagement activities, events, and outreach initiatives using archive and local studies material, and embedding a sustainable
model for a continued programme of works.
• Increase awareness, access, and use of the archives through digital and in-person engagement, collaborating with the wider service and other
internal/external teams.
• Support and progress work to diversify Trafford’s archive and local studies collections through the discovery, capturing and preserving of
unheard stories of minority groups.
Key duties
• Responsible for the planning and delivery of an engaging programme of workshops, events and activities using archive collections.
About the Role
• Creating a sustainable working model for the future around community engagement, including regular engagement with local grassroots
community groups, external partners, schools, colleges, voluntary organisations, and customers, and supporting service improvements to help
deliver this model.
• Working closely with residents and community groups to better understand their needs and how we can deliver a sustainable programme of
events and activities that are accessible, appropriate, high quality and serve the needs of Trafford’s residents in the best possible way.
• Helping lead on promotional activity around our community events, including social media use, creating displays and posters and pop-up
promotional events within the community.
• Responsible for public access to archives through events, learning and outreach. Identifying opportunities to improve access, engagement, and
service delivery.
• Develop and deliver public-facing learning and engagement sessions for different audiences.
• Cultivate lasting relationships with residents, cultural partners and the community as a whole, to better understand their needs and deliver
events and activities that are accessible, appropriate and of high quality.
• Supervise volunteers involved in engagement activities and events. Working alongside the Archivist who will supervise volunteers working on
collections projects.
• Support corporate programmes and priorities through heritage engagement.
• Monitor and evaluate the impact of engagement activities.
• Ensure Trafford’s archives and collections are promoted through creative interpretation, storytelling, and digital content (e.g. social media,
online resources), and visual promotional materials.
• Working with the Local Studies and Archives Manager, collaborate on reporting requirements and national survey returns where required.
• Carry out any other relevant tasks as required commensurate to the grade.
Qualifications and Professional Development
• 4 GCSEs grades 9-4 (grades A*-C) or equivalent qualifications, including Maths and English
• Degree or equivalent level qualification in Archives and Records Management would be desirable but not essential
Experience and Knowledge
About You
• Demonstrable experience planning, delivering or supporting outreach, heritage, events, exhibitions, or community engagement
activities/projects, engaging and inspiring volunteers and partners
• Experience working with archive, local studies or heritage collections, including cataloguing and preservation
• Understanding of relevant archive standards, legislation and best practice
• Experience of engaging with the public, community groups or partner organisations to support access, participation and audience development
• A keen interest in working with communities and maximising the use of archives and local studies collections
• Experience of using social media platforms and IT/Microsoft applications such as collections systems, Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook and
PowerPoint
• Experience managing or supporting volunteers would be desirable but not essential
Skills and abilities
• Good planning and project management skills: able develop, deliver and monitor programmes of activity and consider the long-term impact and
sustainability/legacy of engagement activities
• Strong communication skills (verbal and written): able to advise, exchange and present information with a range of audiences in a way that is
concise and understandable
• High attention to detail, able to explain archive material clearly and present it creatively and in ways that different audiences can understand
and engage with
• Ability to work well as part of a team and independently
• Analytical and problem-solving skills: able to think innovatively and creatively to formulate new ideas or solutions
• Able to remain solution-focussed whilst managing competing priorities and capable of multi-tasking/working flexibly to adapt to changing
service needs
• Good organisational skills: ability to prioritise and use initiative to manage own workload and produce accurate work within deadlines
• Good networker and interpersonal skills: able to build and maintain strong professional relationships with the public, colleagues and
stakeholders at all levels, to support partnership working across different service areas
Special Conditions
• Willing and able to travel to sites within the Trafford Borough
• Able to regularly climb ladders and stairs, and lift heavy boxes (35-40 lbs) and irregularly shaped objects
• Occasional requirement to work in environments requiring careful conservation and handling procedures
• Unsocial hours (evenings) / weekend work (Saturdays) may be required
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