Service Access Owner

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**: £65k - £70k per annum

Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment for 2 years

Band: H / Grade 6

Closing date: Tuesday 18th February at midnight

About Us:
The National Archives is home to one of the largest collections of historical, government, and public records. We are dedicated to collecting, securing, preserving, and making these records accessible for everyone now and for generations to come.

The Opportunity:
We are on the lookout for a dynamic and visionary Service Owner to lead the transformation of our access service for large collections in high public demand. This is a brand-new role, giving you the autonomy and opportunity to shape its impact and value. You will be at the forefront of delivering a major new programme of work, backed by multi-million pound investment from His Majesty’s Treasury.

Key Responsibilities:

- Lead the Charge: Spearhead the delivery of a new digital access service for Ministry of Defence service personnel records, working closely with our in-house digital specialists.
- Inspire and Influence: Provide senior leadership for the programme, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and user needs. Engage and influence stakeholders internally and externally, including wider government and the Information Commissioner.
- Champion User Experience: Advocate for a user-focused approach to service development, ensuring high-quality digital products that meet the needs of diverse user groups.
- Innovate and Optimize: Oversee the development, implementation, and optimisation of innovative, accessible, and sustainable digital access service solutions.
- Manage and Mentor: Lead a small team, setting clear priorities, managing workload, and developing their capabilities to meet the challenges of project delivery.
- Stay Ahead of the Curve: Monitor technology developments to inform and adapt our approach to digital records access.
- Own the Budget: Manage the budget for the new service, identifying and securing areas for investment.

Why Join Us?
- Make a Difference: Play a pivotal role in transforming how we provide access to historical records, making a lasting impact on our digital presence and customer engagement.
- Innovative Environment: Work with cutting-edge technology and a team of dedicated professionals passionate about preserving history.
- Career Growth: Enjoy opportunities for professional development and career advancement within a supportive and collaborative environment.
- Work-Life Balance: Benefit from a combination of on-site and home working, with at least 60% of your time spent working face-to-face, predominantly onsite.

If you are a self-starting individual with a passion for service transformation and a desire to make a real impact, we want to hear from you Join us at The National Archives and be part of a team that is shaping the future of digital access to historical records.

Willingness to obtain SC clearance is mandatory for this role and requires that you have lived in the UK for at least the last 3 years. The length of required residency may depend on individual circumstances.

How to apply:
**Role and Responsibilities**:
This role requires significant stakeholder engagement and delivery through others to he develop high quality digital products which meet user needs and delivers an efficient and compliant access service. Working with peers and your Director as part of the directorate senior leadership team the role holder will help create a thriving environment that enables successful programme and service delivery.

The Service Owner will lead a small team, including service transformation manager and data analysts to:
**Engage, liaise with and influence stakeholders internally and externally**
- Work closely and effectively with suppliers and/or in house digital specialists to build the new digital access service.
- Champion a user-focused approach to service development, engaging widely to understand the needs of diverse groups of users.
- Lead a programme of data collection, analysis, and research to inform service formulation and monitoring.
- Engage, liaise and negotiate with stakeholders (wider government, Information Commissioner) to represent The National Archives’ expert view and influence the development of policies, services or technology offerings for access to MoD records.
- Communicat