Assistant Archivist

UNESCO; Paris; On-site; EUR 20,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

UNESCO, based in Paris, seeks a temporary Records Management Assistant to support the Records Management Unit with check-out procedures and archive handling. The role involves coordinating staff check-outs, maintaining trackers, and assisting with transfer and organization of archival records.

Strong IT skills, experience with Excel, and fluency in English and French are essential. The contract runs for two months, on-site in Paris, with potential involvement in broader records management tasks

Qualifications

• Training or degree in archival science or Records Management.
• At least one relevant professional experience in the field of archives, particularly in the transfer and arrangement of archival records.
• Good IT skills and a good command of Excel; fluent written and spoken English and French.

Responsibilities

• Support staff during the check-out process per established procedures.
• Respond to staff requests and provide individual assistance as needed.
• Obtain required information and documents to complete check-outs within deadlines.
• Maintain tracking tools to monitor check-out progress.
• Organize and transfer paper records and archive storage, as required.

Skills

IT skills

Excel

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Independence

Physical handling

Education

Training or degree in archival science or Records Management

Tools

SharePoint

Power Apps

Microsoft 365

Job description

JOB DETAILS

Type of contract : Service Contract

Level : SC3

Hiring Unit : Bureau for Digital Business Solutions (DBS)

Duty Station : Paris

Work location : On site

Duration of contract : 2 months

Hiring open to : External candidates

Application deadline (Midnight UTC+2 Time) : 30/10/2026

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in the fields of education, the sciences, culture, and communication and information.

In carrying out its mandate, UNESCO produces and receives a large volume of records and data, which constitute an essential institutional resource and may have administrative, legal and historical value. Their management, preservation and long-term accessibility are part of the Organization’s responsibilities.

The Records Management Unit supports UNESCO staff at Headquarters and in Field Offices in the management and preservation of their records, including as part of the staff separation procedure (“check-out”).

Due to a temporary increase in the volume of check-outs to be processed, the Unit wishes to recruit additional support to ensure that staff members receive effective and timely assistance.

MAIN TASKS AND SERVICES

- Main Task and Services

The purpose of this contract is to provide temporary operational support to the Records Management Unit, with a particular focus on supporting check-out procedures.

The selected candidate will work directly with the Records Management Assistant and support staff members throughout their check-out process.

The selected candidate may also provide occasional support to other Records Management and archival activities, as required by the Unit.

Under the responsibility of the Chief Archivist and with day-to-day guidance from the Records Management Assistant, the selected candidate will carry out the following tasks:

• Supporting staff members throughout the check-out process, in accordance with the procedure in place:
• Contact staff members and remind them of the check-out steps for records and archives;
• Respond to their requests and provide individual support when needed;
• Obtain the required information and documents and complete the check-out within the required timeframe;
• Maintain tracking tools to monitor the progress of check-outs.
• Support to other Records Management and archival activities, as required by the Unit:
• Transfer, sorting and arrangement of paper records;
• Organization of records in the different archival storage rooms;
• Inventory (location index) of archival holdings.

EXPECTED RESULTS

• Providing appropriate and timely support to staff members throughout their check-out process;
• Ensuring the proper completion and validation of check-outs in the relevant system;
• Carrying out other Records Management tasks assigned by the Unit.

DURATION OF THE CONTRACT

From 15 November 2026 to 15 January 2027.

COMPETENCIES - Core (C) & Managerial (M)

• Communication (C)
• Accountability (C)
• Innovation (C)
• Knowlegde sharing and continuous improvement (C)
• Planning and organizing (C)
• Results focus (C)
• Teamwork (C)

For detailed information, please consult the UNESCO Competency Framework .

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

Training or degree in archival science or Records Management.

WORK EXPERIENCE

At least one relevant professional experience in the field of archives, particularly in the transfer and arrangement of archival records.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Good IT skills and a good command of Excel
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Rigor, organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to occasionally perform physical tasks involving the handling and moving of archival boxes and records.

LANGUAGES

Good written and spoken English and French, and be able to provide support to staff members in both languages.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

WORK EXPERIENCE

Experience working in a multilingual professional environment.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Knowledge of Microsoft 365 applications (Sharepoint, Power Apps…)

SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS

The process may include pre-recorded video interviews and/or written assessments, interviews with a Panel, as well as reference checks. In addition, candidates may be requested to provide additional information which may be pertinent to the position’s qualifications.

Please note that all candidates, whether selected or not, will be informed of the outcome of their application in due course.

Short-listed candidates may also be added to Talent Pools; subject to their consent (i.e. Data Privacy Statement).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• UNESCO recalls that paramount consideration in the appointment of personnel shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, technical competence and integrity.
• UNESCO applies a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of harassment.
• lndividuals from minority groups and indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
• All applications will be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
• The statutory retirement age at UNESCO is 65 years.
• UNESCO does not charge a fee at any stage of the hiring process.