Records Specialist – Family History

Overview

Records Specialist – Family History Jobs in Richmond Upon Thames, England, United Kingdom at The National Archives, UK

Title: Records Specialist – Family History

Company: The National Archives, UK

Location: Richmond Upon Thames, England, United Kingdom

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.

Job Overview

Salary: £33,784 per annum

Contract type: Permanent

Band: E / Higher Executive Officer

Closing date: Thursday 7th May 2026 at midnight

In the Collections Expertise & Engagement (CEE) department, we are passionate about using our expert knowledge of our collections to inspire audiences and make them think differently about archives.

The Records Specialist (Family History) will be part of the team that provides expert knowledge of The National Archives’ records, advising and inspiring a diverse audience of the public, students, academics and the wider archive and government sectors. They will grow and share their expert knowledge of records relating to family history from 1782 to the present day. This includes the range of census records, the 1939 Register, birth, death and marriage records and other name rich sources.

The post holder will use their expert knowledge to contribute to our advisory service, giving research advice to our various audiences and sharing knowledge and expertise internally and externally. They will produce high-quality research into the records within their remit and use this research both for academic outputs and for public engagement. Through collaboration with colleagues across the organisation, they will develop and deliver our public engagement, education, and academic programmes, and contribute to corporate initiatives focusing on activities relating to the family history specialist area. They will engage with developments in digital archiving and with digital humanities research methods as necessary to promote and develop their specialist area.

Their work will include using the records to surface diverse voices and histories from within the archive for audiences of all kinds.

Family history is one of the most popular areas of research for users at The National Archives. The post holder will be expected to make a key contribution to our public engagement programme, developing and delivering outputs such as webinars, public talks, adult learning, podcasts and web content; they may also be expected to co-curate exhibitions. They will also work closely with colleagues to identify and develop commercial opportunities for licensing name-rich records. The post holder will be expected to develop strong and productive working relationships with organisations in this field such as the Society of Genealogists.

The post holder will also be expected to develop a general knowledge of The National Archives’ records and use this knowledge to contribute broadly to our day-to-day public advisory service, on site and online. As a specialist in one of our most popular areas, their knowledge will be in high demand.

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 at The National Archives, ideally week commencing 1st June. Candidates invited to interview will be asked to prepare a presentation.
• Personal Statement: We ask all applicants to upload their CV and a personal statement, not exceeding 1200 words.

Selection for interview will be based on the ‘essential’ requirements in the job description so please ensure that your statement demonstrates in detail how you meet these requirements.

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.

Please note: anonymised recruitment is standard for roles across the Civil Service. However, due to the nature of this role and the information required in the selection process, please disregard any requests to anonymise your application.

SC clearance/willingness to obtain SC clearance will be required for this role. This requires candidates to have been resident in the UK for at least the past three years. Please do not apply if you have been resident in the UK for less than three years as your application will be rejected.

Sponsorship

We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Job Description

Role and Responsibilities

• To maintain and deepen specialist knowledge of records from 1782 to the present day relating to family history.
• To improve and share knowledge of your specialist area through the creation and delivery of multiple outputs including innovative research guidance, talks, and training aimed at multiple and diverse audiences including the general public, academics and staff.
• To work with colleagues in public engagement roles to develop and deliver inspiring public programmes, including ways for non-research audiences to experience our collections, for example through public talks, podcasts and co-curated displays and exhibitions.
• To participate in the delivery of Collections Expertise and Engagement’s public information services onsite and online through a variety of channels, and proactively work with colleagues to develop and improve these channels.
• To develop and lead cataloguing and access improvement projects for records in your specialist area, where possible securing external resources (for example volunteers) to deliver the project work.
• To use specialist knowledge to advise and support colleagues working on licensed partnerships, identifying possible records series and advising on all aspects of the potential licensing and commercial presentation of those records.
• To contribute knowledge and expertise internally as required (e.g. input to digitisation projects, service delivery enhancements, press events and media interviews, VIP tours, educational products).
• To develop strong and productive networks with organisations working in the family history field.
• To engage with the academic and research sectors, promoting our collections and enhancing our reputation for high-quality research within your specialist area. With appropriate support and development, this could include contributions at academic events and to publications, and participation in funded research projects.

Working Conditions

• Normal office environment
• Display Screen Equipment user
• Moving items up to 10kg in weight
• May come into contact with distressing material

Person Specification

Essential

• A higher degree in a relevant field; and/or equivalent experience demonstrating deep knowledge of some aspect of the collections relevant to family history from 1782 to the present day.
• The ability to develop specialist knowledge of all the relevant collections.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills, with demonstrable ability to interact well and build effective relationships and networks.
• Experience of communicating complex knowledge effectively, to the non-specialist public, verbally and in writing (e.g through public talks, digital outputs).
• Ability to handle a varied and demanding workload, and to manage own priorities within a supportive team environment.
• Track record of delivering projects delivery to time and to budget.

Desirable

• Membership of relevant professional association (e.g. Society of Genealogists, Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives).
• Experience of delivering high quality training or teaching in an adult learning environment.

Other Requirements

• The role is based at our Kew site though some home working is available.
• Must be prepared to travel to other Government departments as required.
• The post will require working some evenings and weekends to support engagement activities. Time off will be arranged in compensation for these contributions.

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 [email protected] 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

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: [email protected]

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: [email protected] 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)