Jobs

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) Corporate Archive Service. This new role is part of a dedicated project team and will be working alongside the NTS Review Archivist to support an ambitious programme of work.

The Archives Review Assistant role will support a programme to review the National Trust for Scotland’s physical corporate archive collections at headquarters and NTS historic properties by providing administrative and archival support. The review will help to develop understanding of the Trust’s collections and their significance. You will work alongside the Review Archivist in undertaking a survey of archive collections across the Trust and in processing data from the survey. This role could suit someone seeking to develop their knowledge and experience of archive collections prior to further studies, whether in archives or heritage management.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Provide support to the physical archives review survey programme.
• Support the survey of physical corporate archive collections at NTS historic properties and headquarters.
• Support the development of an understanding of the significance of NTS archival collections.
• Process data collected during the survey and feed into reports produced.
• Liaise with the NTS Archivist to develop an understanding of the history of NTS and the corporate and historic collections, to ensure that the survey is effective.
• Support advocacy and engagement activities with internal and external stakeholders about archives and managing records.
• Support the planning, timing and communication of the survey timetable.
• Participate in discussions on the strategic development of the Trust’s archive service.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

Qualifications

Essential
 Degree in a relevant discipline OR experience working or volunteering in an archive
Desirable
• Driving Licence, valid for driving within the UK

Experience, Skills and Knowledge

Essential
 Experience of project or programme support
 Experience of recording and managing data
 Good written and oral communication skills
 Experience of database and spreadsheet management

Desirable
 Experience of working in archive services or within records management systems (paid or voluntary)
 Experience of working in historic properties and/or in Scottish archives
 Knowledge of archives cataloguing systems such as Axiell Collections (Adlib)
 Experience of using social media to promote a service or project
 Knowledge of, or an interest in, the activities of the National Trust for Scotland
 Would suit an applicant seeking to gain experience prior to undertaking a postgraduate Archives course
DIMENSIONS AND SCOPE OF JOB

Scale
 Supporting the survey of archive collections in headquarters and across all Trust properties.

People Management
 This role reports to the Review Archivist and is not responsible for any staff.
Finance Management
 This role is not a budget holder

Tools / equipment / systems
 This role is a user of the Axiell Collections Management System and Portfolio DAMs

Workplace context
 This role is based at Hermiston Quay in Edinburgh and there will be regular travel to other locations to carry out surveys at Trust properties. Some of these visits will involve overnight stays. Note that as the Trust’s properties are often in remote or rural locations where public transport may be limited, there may occasionally be a requirement to travel to some of our island properties with collections, which is usually by boat. The archive survey work involves lifting and carrying boxes of archives and accessing archive stores in parts of historic properties that are only accessible by stair.

Example key performance indicators and targets
 This role will support the delivery of the physical archives review programme, working with colleagues and external consultants.

Application Deadline: Friday 06/01/2023