Archive Project Officer

The Tank Museum; Wareham; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

The Tank Museum in Wareham is seeking an Archive Project Officer on a 2-year contract to oversee the organisation, preservation and cataloguing of the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry Association collection. The role is on-site and requires working with external stakeholders and internal teams.

You will manage digitisation and access to the collection, supervise an assistant, and contribute to the ongoing archival project within an established team, including potential evening or weekend events.

Qualifications

• Degree level or equivalent experience in Archiving or a related subject.
• Knowledge of cataloguing processes.
• Knowledge of basic archival preservation principles.
• Experience with archival digitisation.
• Experience with supervising team members and volunteers.
• Attention to detail and accuracy with an inquisitive and proactive attitude.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills, to be able to manage multiple projects and competing priorities.
• Be able to communicate concise and clear on paper and in person with internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry Association collection, performing preventive conservation and re-packing to industry standards.
• Make the collection digitally available using Tank Museum practices and Museum Index+ Collection Management System.
• Manage the digitisation process of the collection as part of online accessibility efforts.
• Answer enquiries, both written and oral, for internal and external researchers, liaising with Association representatives regarding external access.
• Supervise the Archive Project Assistant and assist in recruitment.

Skills

Archiving

Cataloguing

Digitisation

Team supervision

Communication

Time management

Attention to detail

Education

Degree in Archiving or related subject

Postgraduate degree in Archival Studies

Job description

The Tank Museum is the world’s largest museum dedicated to armoured fighting vehicles and is the home of over 350 vehicles, a large object collection and an accredited archive. The Tank Museum’s entire Collection has been Designated by Arts Council England, in recognition of its outstanding national importance.

Within the Museum, The Archive & Object Collections team manages and cares for both the Archive & Object Collections. As part of our umbrella role for the entire Royal Armoured Corps family, we will be taking on the management and care for the archival collection of the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry Association. The Tank Museum is seeking to appoint an Archive Project Officer on a 2-year contract to oversee the organisation, preventative conservation and cataloguing of this collection which is to be relocated to the Tank Museum archive.

The role will involve regular communication with the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry Association and will include facilitating access to this collection according to existing policies of the Tank Museum. The Archive Project Officer position will offer the opportunity to manage a discrete collection within an established team, supervise an assistant and work together with external stakeholders to preserve an important historical collection according to industry standards.

Key Accountabilities

General

• To manage the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry Association collection, undertaking preventive conservation measures and re-packing the collection in line with existing industry standards.
• Making the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry Association collection digitally available using exiting Tank Museum practices and Museum Index+ Collection Management System.
• To manage the digitisation process of the collection as part of the online accessibility efforts.
• To answer enquiries, both written and oral, for internal and external researchers. This involves liaising with Association representatives regarding external access.
• To supervise the Archive Project Assistant and assist in their recruitment.

Essential

What you’ll bring:

• Degree level or equivalent experience in Archiving or a related subject.
• Knowledge of cataloguing processes.
• Knowledge of basic archival preservation principles.
• Experience with archival digitisation.
• Experience with supervising team members and volunteers.
• Attention to detail and accuracy with an inquisitive and proactive attitude.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills, to be able to manage multiple projects and competing priorities.
• Be able to communicate concise and clear on paper and in person with internal and external stakeholders.

Desirable

• Postgraduate Degree in Archival Studies or equivalent.
• Experience of managing a digitisation project.
• Experience with digitisation projects in an archival setting.
• Interest in military history.

Due to the nature of this role you will be required to work on-site. Hybrid or home workers will not be considered. You will need to be able to support evening and weekend events when required.

As stated above please note that this a a two year fixed term contract.

Screening Interviews will be held w/c 5th October 2026.

Second face to face interviews will be held w/c 12th October 2026.

The applications closing date is 27th September 2026.