Knowledge and Information Management Practice Lead

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.

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.

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.

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.