Project Archivist

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea; Greater London; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Part time

Job summary

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is seeking a Part-Time Project Archivist for 18 hours per week on an 18-month fixed-term contract. Based mainly on-site at Leighton House and Sambourne House, you will tackle cataloguing backlogs and help move to a new collections system, while engaging local communities and visitors.

You will lead archival work, mentor trainees and collaborate with staff to establish new standards and ensure responsible care of historic material for a 2027 exhibition

Qualifications

• MA or PGDip in archival science or equivalent experience.
• Proven experience in heritage/museum archive services.
• Strong knowledge of ISAD(G) standards and cataloguing workflows.
• Ability to train staff and volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of the Archives Revealed project across two artist studio-house museums.
• Address cataloguing backlogs and audit physical and digital records.
• Help migrate to a new Collections Management System.
• Develop retention, disposal and cataloguing guidelines.
• Mentor two Documentation Trainees and engage with volunteers.

Skills

Archival management

Communication

IT literacy

Mentoring

Manual handling

Education

MA or PGDip in archival/collections management

Tools

ISAD(G) standards

Collections management software

Job description

Uncover local history, tackle archival backlogs and bring our unique museum collections to life. This position is a Part-Time role (18 hours p/w) on a Fixed Term Contract (18 months).

As our Project Archivist, you’ll play a central role in unlocking hidden history at Leighton House and Sambourne House. It’s an exciting opportunity to address cataloguing backlogs, establish modern standards and share our rich heritage with local communities and visitors alike.

Working Style

You’ll be based primarily on-site at Leighton House and Sambourne House for 18 hours per week (part‑time, 18-month fixed‑term contract), with occasional opportunities for working from home. Whether you’re working directly with physical records or collaborating across teams, you’ll be part of a dedicated team making a real difference to residents and visitors.

What you’ll be doing

Your focus will be leading the delivery of our grant‑funded ’Archives Revealed’ project across two distinct artist studio‑house museums. You’ll take practical, hands‑on steps to address cataloguing backlogs, auditing physical and digital records ranging from 19th‑century photography and glass plate negatives to historic administrative documents, creating clear series‑level entries to make the archive fully searchable.

Working alongside colleagues, you’ll establish new retention, disposal and cataloguing guidelines to ensure long‑term care and compliance post‑project. You’ll also support our migration to a new Collections Management System and help identify key historical material to feature in an upcoming 2027 exhibition and public event series.

Leadership and collaboration will be central to your role. You’ll guide and mentor two Documentation Trainees alongside a team of volunteers, while delivering engaging talks and activities that share our discoveries with the wider community.

For further details, please review the Job Description and Person Specification.

What you’ll bring

You’ll bring a professional archiving or collections management qualification (such as an MA or PGDip), or substantial equivalent experience managing archive services within a heritage or museum setting. You possess a strong working knowledge of recognised cataloguing standards like ISAD(G) and hands‑on experience using specialised collection management software.

You’re an excellent, proactive communicator who excels at explaining archival processes, training staff and volunteers and working collaboratively across diverse teams. You bring great attention to detail, solid IT capabilities and the physical capacity to undertake routine manual handling of archive boxes.

Most importantly, you’re someone who shares our commitment to fairness, equity and resident‑focused service delivery, with a real passion for preserving local history.

Why join us

At RBKC, we’re all in – investing in our people, our communities and our future.

• This 18-month project offers a rare opportunity to work with a rich, varied archive during a historic milestone for our museums.
• Supported by an Archives Revealed grant, you’ll have the space to shape brand-new archival standards, guide trainees in their career development and contribute directly to public exhibitions that showcase hidden stories.
• We offer a competitive salary and a work environment that values your development, offering a supportive team where your work makes a visible, lasting impact on how our history is preserved and shared.

About us

Kensington and Chelsea is home to diverse communities, thriving businesses and unique local places. Everything we do is focused on supporting our residents, strengthening our approach and creating a fairer borough.

As a competent and caring Council, we take pride in our work every day, ensuring our services are delivered with care and competence. We listen to our residents, act with integrity and work together to build a borough that is greener, safer and fairer for all.

In this role, getting stuck in is central to living our ’we're all in’ commitment. Tackling an archive that has not had dedicated management for several years presents real practical challenges – from navigating mixed historical records to setting up new workflows from scratch. You’ll bring a hands‑on mindset focused on getting things done, whether you’re working directly with glass plate negatives, guiding trainees or creating renewed archive policies and frameworks. Your dedication will ensure our shared heritage is preserved with pride, care and competence for generations to come.

Interview Details

Interviews will be held in person at Leighton House Museum week commencing 28th September.

This position is subject to a satisfactory Standard DBS check. This will be carried out as part of our pre‑employment checking process.

We reserve the right to extend or close this vacancy early without warning subject to the volume of suitable applicants.

We are committed to promoting equality and respecting diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

We are a Disability Confident Employer – committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.

• We are committed to fair, transparent, and consistent pay practices.
• New hires will start at the minimum of the advertised salary range.
• Employees receive annual salary increases until they reach the top of the pay scale.
• In addition, employees will receive any agreed cost of living pay rises.