Job Description

As the living, growing home of our national story, The National Archives is already a special place to work. We’re an institution nearly 200 years old with a collection spanning 1,000 years of history. But it’s where we go next that makes things really interesting

In our strategic vision: Archives for Everyone, we 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.

Salary: £28,100 per annum, pro rata
Part time: 2 days per week
Contract type: Permanent
Band: C / Administrative Officer
Closing date: Friday 29th May 2026 at midnight

Would you like to work in an exciting and dynamic team, helping school children, families, young people and communities to engage with our archival documents through workshops, live broadcasts and creative projects?

The Education and Outreach Department is looking for a Bookings Assistant to join the team for two days per week. We need an enthusiastic, well-organised and flexible colleague to join us. Working closely with the Projects Officer, Education Manager and the teaching team, the postholder will answer enquiries and process the bookings for our schools’ workshop programme. They will also help to support the work of other teams across the department by arranging meetings and room bookings, helping colleagues to set up/ clear away before and after events, and assisting with the administration of the Work Experience programme.

We are looking someone to work 2 days per week onsite at The National Archives (TNA). The days are subject to discussion with the role’s line manager, but would need to include either Tuesday & Thursday, or Wednesday & Thursday.

This role requires on site presence and is not suitable for home working.

Application Process

• Interview: Interviews will be held on-site, ideally week commencing 15th June 2026. Candidates invited to interview will also take a written test.

• 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 criteria below so please ensure that your application demonstrates in detail how you meet each of these requirements.

If we receive a large number of applications candidates will initially be assessed on the first criteria only.

1.Experience of using a booking system to schedule workshops, classes or events
2.Ability to respond proactively to situations, to be flexible and to look for solutions to potential challenges/ problems.
3.Confident communicator, with good interpersonal skills.
4.Experience of dealing with the general public.
5.Well organised with the ability to meet deadlines, whether working independently or as part of a team.
6.Excellent attention to detail.
7.Team player with demonstrable initiative and a willingness to learn.

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.

Sponsorship:

We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Job Purpose

The Bookings Assistant will work under the direction of the Projects Officer to provide workshop booking administration for the schools’ programme and support for Onsite Education team. This post requires the ability to work flexibly, to manage multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-moving environment. Excellent attention to detail, strong organisation and team-working skills are essential.

Role and Responsibilities

To support the Education Assistant and Education team:

• To update the Eventbrite booking system and process bookings by updating the workshops’ calendar.
• To follow up on school bookings where necessary, to provide additional supporting materials and relevant information to schools.
• To ensure that all relevant paperwork is completed in advance of school workshops.
• To respond to initial enquiries from schools.
• To send out post-workshop evaluation to schools.
• To keep up to date with new additions to the education programme, to provide accurate information to schools.
• To support Education Officers with the collection and return of documents before and after workshops.
• To support Education Officers in setting up/ tidying away workshop materials when required.
• To help maintain required teaching resources in the learning spaces.

To provide essential support to teams across the department:

• To support with work experience placements.
• To support Head of Education and Outreach in preparing materials and resources for external events.
• To support the Family and YPP Officer setting up/ tidying away of session materials for Craft Club, when required.
• Arranging meetings and room bookings for teams.

• To provide ooccasional tours of TNA for visitors/work experience placements.

To communicate with other teams and departments across TNA:

• To liaise with Venues about school visits, to set up visitor passes and arrange parking.

Working Conditions

• Normal office environment
• Display Screen Equipment user

Person Specification

Essential

• E xperience of using a booking system to schedule workshops, classes or events’
• Ability to respond proactively to situations, to be flexible and to look for solutions to potential challenges/ problems.
• Confident communicator, with good interpersonal skills.
• Experience of dealing with the general public.
• Well organised with the ability to meet deadlines, whether working independently or as part of a team.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Team player with demonstrable initiative and a willingness to learn.

Desirable

• Interest in history, and use of archives in education

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 careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk 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: careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk

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: careers@nationalarchives.gov.ukIf 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)