As the living, growing home of our national story, The National Archives is a special place to work. We’re an institution nearly 200 years old with a collection spanning 1,000 years of history.
We’ve 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: £27,600 per annum
Contract type: Permanent
Band: B / AO
Closing date: Wednesday 22nd July 2026 at midnight
Are you passionate about delivering outstanding customer service, maintaining high security standards and helping to protect one of the nation’s most important collections? We are looking for a professional, approachable and motivated individual to join our Front of House team as a Reader Invigilation Officer.
Whether you already hold a recognised security qualification or are keen to work towards one, this is an exciting opportunity to develop a career in a unique and rewarding environment. As a custodian of our collection, you will play a vital role in ensuring the safety and security of our records while providing an exceptional experience for visitors.
We are seeking someone who thrives in a people-focused role, remains calm and confident under pressure, and enjoys working as part of a collaborative team. You will be highly organised, adaptable and methodical, with excellent interpersonal skills and a strong commitment to customer service.
About the Role
Working within our busy reading room environment, you will undertake a variety of responsibilities, including:
- Managing access points to the Document Reading Room and the Map and Large Document Reading Room
- Monitoring CCTV systems and carrying out security patrols
- Ensuring reading room rules are observed and documents are handled appropriately
- Providing guidance and support to visitors and readers
- Acting as an ambassador for The National Archives; always delivering a welcoming and professional service
This is an important frontline role that combines security and customer service; offering the opportunity to make a real contribution to the preservation and accessibility of the nation’s history.
Working Pattern
This is a fully site-based position located at our Kew site, with no home-working option.
The working pattern is Tuesday to Saturday with the following working hours:
- Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: 08:50–17:02
- Tuesday and Thursday: 10:50–19:02
Why Join Us?
Located in beautiful Kew, just a 10-minute walk from both Overground and Underground stations, The National Archives offers an excellent working environment and a comprehensive benefits package.
Benefits include:
- Civil Service pension scheme
- Discounts with local businesses and services
- Access to wellbeing support, including on-site therapists
- On-site gym facilities
- Restaurant, shop and staff bar
- The opportunity to work with and help protect one of the world's most significant archival collections
Application Process
Interview
Interviews will take place on-site in August 2026. The selection process will include:
- A formal panel interview
- An informal peer panel with members of the Front of House team.
Application
As part of your application, please provide details of your work history and a personal statement of approximately 750 words, demonstrating how you meet the following essential criteria:
- Experience in a customer-facing role dealing directly with members of the public
- Excellent face-to-face communication skills, including the ability to influence, negotiate and engage effectively with a wide range of people
- The ability to remain calm, professional and resilient when working under pressure or in challenging situations
When writing your personal statement, please use specific examples from your experience to show how you meet each criterion. For each example, briefly explain the situation, what you did, how you approached it, and what the outcome was. Strong applications will make clear your personal contribution, the skills you used, and the impact of your actions. You should structure your statement around the criteria above, giving at least one clear example for each.
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please visit the Civil Service Careers website where you can find further information on the use of AI in the application guidance section.
ALL essential criteria listed in the job description below will be assessed at interview stage.
Sponsorship:
We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.
Job Description
Main Duties:
On any given day the job holder will undertake varied duties within the Reading Room environment, such as managing the entrance points for the Document Reading Room and the Map and Large Document Reading Room, monitoring CCTV and undertaking security patrols of the designated areas.
- Undertaking invigilation duties, you will be responsible for ensuring the security of TNA Reading Rooms, managing our visitor’s expectations and the protection of our documents through close invigilation and direct reader interaction.
- You will interact with the public and staff offering advice to how they should handle rare and unique public records and when required, enforce the rules accordingly.
- To be efficient, courteous and friendly, helpful and responsive to our customers’ needs at all times. To be able to assist all of our internal/external customers with a ‘can do’ attitude.
- Monitoring computer based security systems; in particular, CCTV monitoring of the Reading Rooms and other internal public areas.
- To record any incidents or infringements of the rules on the Invigilation log on a daily basis.
- To be physically fit so as to be able undertake patrols up to 2km each day.
- In the event of an incident; you will produce comprehensive and factually based incident and occurrence reports.
Incident Management:
- Undertake specific duties and procedures in the event of any emergency situation that may arise; including the evacuation and securing of the building.
- Normal office working environment; though you will be working within large open plan reading rooms or security control rooms. Internally, lone patrols are also undertaken.
- Display Screen Equipment user
- Moving items up to 10kg in weight
- May come into contact with distressing material
Essential criteria:
- Willingness to undertake a recognised security qualification; SIA CCTV Operator
- Previous experience in a customer facing role dealing directly with the public.
- Excellent face to face communication; including influencing, negotiating and people engagement skills.
- Able to remain calm when under pressure or in a difficult situation.
- Ability to work as part of team, as well as independently.
- Basic IT skills with a working knowledge of the range of MS office packages and knowledge of electronic security systems and CCTV
- To be physically fit with good eyesight and an attention to detail; corrected vision (glasses or contact lenses) are acceptable.
Desirable criteria:
- Previous invigilation experience in a Museum or Gallery.
- A sound working knowledge of security best practice and legislation affecting the security role.
- A First Aid qualification
- This role requires on site presence and is not suitable for home working.
- The working pattern for a full-time position is Tuesday – Saturday 08:50-17:02, to include regular Tuesday/Thursday working on the 10:50-19:02 roster.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is
found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service
D&I Strategy .
Benefits
Generous benefits package, including pension, sports and social club facilities, onsite gym, discounted rates at our on-site cafe and opportunities for training and development. Annual leave entitlement of 22 days per calendar year (rising to 25 after the first year, and incrementally to 30 days after six years) and 10½ days public and privilege holidays per annum.
Any move to The National Archives from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ ( opens in new window)
Reasonable adjustments
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact The National Archives via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
Complete the ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ section of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks (opens in new window)
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
UK nationals
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles . (opens in new window)
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative . (opens in new window)
Contact point for applicants:
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact The National Archives via email: [email protected] If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-complaints/ (opens in new window)
