Content Specialist, Government and Official Information

www.nationalmuseums.org.uk - Jobboard; Greater London; On-site; GBP 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading national library seeks a Content Specialist to manage and promote its historic collections. The role involves cataloguing UK government documents and enhancing older records, requiring strong communication skills and adaptability to evolving standards. Join a collaborative team dedicated to preserving and making accessible a vast collection of official documents.

Benefits

Competitive Salary

Comprehensive Pension Scheme

Flexible Working Hours

25 Days Holiday

Qualifications

• Proven experience in descriptive cataloguing and subject indexing.
• Interest in history and public affairs.
• Adaptability to evolving standards.

Responsibilities

• Manage and promote historic collections.
• Cataloguing and indexing current electronic UK government documents.
• Conduct collection audits and create researcher guides.

Skills

Descriptive Cataloguing

Subject Indexing

Effective Communication

Job description

Content Specialist, Government and Official Information

Location: St Pancras

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time (36 hours)

Grade: B

Salary: £34,608 per annum

About the role

The British Library holds an extensive collection of over 40km of official documents, including UK Government and Parliamentary papers dating back to the 16th century, available in print and electronic formats. Our collections also include historic and current foreign government materials and documents issued by international organizations like the United Nations.

We are seeking a content expert to manage and promote our historic collections and to select and acquire current materials in print and electronic formats. Responsibilities include cataloguing and subject indexing current electronic UK government documents, and enhancing and contextualising older records from the colonial period as part of our inclusive description initiative. The role involves conducting collection audits and creating researcher guides based on these audits. You will also have opportunities to develop themed collections of archived websites related to current events such as general elections or issues like climate change using advanced tools.

Applicants should have proven experience in descriptive cataloguing and subject indexing using national and international standards, along with an interest in history and public affairs. Since official publishing and cataloguing standards are constantly evolving, adaptability and openness to change are essential. The team collaborates closely with colleagues in Acquisitions, Digital Cataloguing, Preservation, and Web Archiving, as well as with specialists in official papers from other libraries. Effective communication skills, both oral and written, and the ability to work collaboratively are crucial.

About us

The British Library is the UK’s national library, with over 170 million items in its collection. We aim to collect everything published in the UK today, tomorrow, and in the future. Our mission is to care for this collection and make it accessible to inspire discovery, ideas, and innovation among everyone.

What we offer

• A competitive salary
• A comprehensive pension scheme with a minimum employer contribution of 28.97% (potentially higher based on grade)
• Flexible working hours, including up to 5 days of flexi leave in a 3-month period
• 25 days holiday
• Full employee benefits details are available on our Careers: Benefits page

Application details

Closing date: 02 June 2025

Interview date: 26 June 2025

For questions, contact: [e-mail]

Note: We are unable to provide sponsorship under the UK Skilled Worker visa for this role.

We welcome applications from Black, Asian, Mixed Race, and other ethnically diverse candidates, as well as disabled candidates, to promote workforce diversity and inclusion.