Job Description

As the living, growing home of our national story, The National Archives is a special place to work. We’re an institution nearly 200 years old with a collection spanning 1,000 years of history.

We’ve 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.

Job Overview

Salary: £45,000 - £51,255 per annum

Contract type: permanent

Band: F / SEO

Closing date: Tuesday 15th September at midnight

Based within the Chief Executive’s Office, the Governance Manager – Annual Reporting and Transparency (‘the Governance Manager’) will deliver a range of activities to support The National Archives’ corporate governance function and the Keeper’s statutory responsibilities, providing dedicated lead professional secretariat support as needed.

Specifically, the Governance Manager will lead the project management of The National Archives’ Annual report and accounts. This involves coordinating with senior stakeholders both internally and externally including the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Treasury to ensure that the document meets statutory requirements and is laid before Parliament in a timely manner. The Governance Manager will coordinate the work to fulfil The National Archives’ wider obligations around Transparency

The Governance Manager will also provide secretariat support to The National Archives Board’s subcommittees – the Finance and Performance Committee and the Audit and Risk Committee and other meetings and committees as required.

The Governance Manager - Annual Reporting and Transparency will work alongside the Governance Manager – Secretary to The National Archives Board and the Advisory Council, to ensure that the Board and its subcommittees receive high-quality and coordinated support and with the Head of Chief Executive’s Office to ensure that The National Archives’ corporate governance continues to meet the standards set by Government.

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.

Application Process:

• Interview: Interviews will be held on-site
• 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’ requirements as listed below so please ensure that your application demonstrates in detail how you meet these requirements. Desirable criteria will only be used to differentiate between equally qualified top candidates during final scoring.

In the event of a high volume of applications we will conduct an initial sift based on the following essential criteria:

• Demonstrable experience of working in a corporate governance or secretariat role, with excellent organisational and planning skills to support the effective management of committee meetings and associated business.

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.

We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Job Description

Role and Responsibilities

Secretariat Support:

• Provide expert secretariat support to The National Archives Board sub-committees and other meetings and committees.
• This includes but is not limited to agenda preparation, accurate minute-taking, and timely circulation of papers. Preparation of briefings, coordination of responses and providing expert advice. Issue calls for papers, send reminders to authors to meet submission deadlines, and maintaining strong working relationships with the committee Chairs, government departments, and senior officials as appropriate.
• Liaise with the secretary to the Board and Advisory Council on appropriate reporting and accountability to the Board, governance and membership matters and provision of additional secretariat support to the Board and Advisory Council where needed.

Annual Report and Accounts:

• Project manage the production of The National Archives Annual report and accounts, a critical, externally facing document presenting The National Archives performance and strategic objectives for the financial year ensuring alignment with statutory and stakeholder requirements. You will be required to co-own the end-to-end production alongside the Head of Financial Accounting, including but not limited to:
• Plan and manage a detailed and complex production schedule, monitor progress, and proactively resolve issues to keep the project on track.
• Liaise and coordinate with colleagues across TNA and external stakeholders to ensure relevant sections of the report meet the required reporting standards.
• Prepare the report in conjunction with the Head of Financial Accounting for review and approval by Executive Team, Board, and Audit and Risk Committee.
• Identify and escalate potential reputational, compliance, or other risks in the report content to the Finance Director (SRO), Accounting Officer, Audit and Risk Committee and Board.
• Lead a post-publication review to capture lessons learned and update internal guidance for future reporting cycles.
• Work with the Finance Director and Head of Chief Executive’s Office on ensuring production of the Annual Report and Accounts that providing an accurate reflection of progress and achievements.

Transparency:

• Maintain and regularly update the Transparency section of The National Archives website, ensuring mandatory information is published accurately and on time, including monthly financial transparency data (e.g. high-value expenditure and procurement activity).
• Liaise with content owners to secure timely data submissions, escalating delays where necessary.
• Refresh and redesign transparency pages as required to ensure clarity, compliance, and accessibility.

Wider corporate governance:

• Line management of Band E Editorial Assistant
• Deliver good corporate governance in line with best-practice and support the meetings of other key advisory or decision-making bodies, as required.
• Provide administrative support for any DCMS-led public bodies review of The National Archives where necessary, including communicating with DCMS officials, collating data internally and presenting it in a helpful manner to agreed deadlines.
• Contribute, as required, to the work of the wider Chief Executive’s Office.

Working Conditions

• Normal office environment
• Display Screen Equipment user

Person Specification

Essential criteria:

• Demonstrable experience of working in a corporate governance or secretariat role, with excellent organisational and planning skills to support the effective management of committee meetings and associated business.
• Able to demonstrate sound judgement, based on an expert understanding of the role and responsibilities of the committees supported and/or a strong understanding of the role played in Government by similar advisory bodies.
• Substantial experience of forming strong and effective working relationships with internal and external senior stakeholders and using initiative to solve problems and broker solutions.
• Strong communication, influencing and negotiation skills, gained through significant interaction with senior-level internal and external audiences.
• Demonstrate a high level of integrity and diplomacy, coupled with strong Political awareness and familiarity with public sector reporting and Parliamentary processes.
• Excellent written and editorial skills, including the ability to prepare complex reports and present financial and non-financial information concisely and with good attention to detail.
• Excellent project management skills, including the ability to plan and prioritise work, manage stakeholders, risks and dependencies, monitor progress, and adapt delivery plans to ensure successful project outcomes.

Desirable criteria:

• Knowledge and understanding of The National Archives governance structures and external relationships.
• An understanding of issues relating to Freedom of Information and access to information.
• Understanding of financial reporting and audit.
• Experience managing editorial projects in a government or public sector context.
• A relevant professional qualification.
• Line management experience.

Other Requirements

• A combination of onsite and home working is available and applicants should be able to regularly travel to our Kew site.
• Must be prepared to travel as required.

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.uk If 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)