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: £39,030 per annum, pro rata
Contract type: permanent, 3 days (21.6 hours) per week
Band: E / HEO
Closing date: Thursday 20th August at midnight
Looking for a part-time role with real responsibility, variety and scope to grow?
The National Archives is seeking an IT Commercial and Licensing Officer to help manage our portfolio of technology contracts, software licences, suppliers and renewals.
This is a three-day-per-week role at the centre of Digital & Technology Operations. You'll work across procurement, finance, supplier management, licensing and governance, helping us make informed decisions, manage risk and get the best value from our technology investments.
Why this role?
- Three days per week, offering flexibility and work-life balance.
- Broad exposure across technology, commercial management, procurement and finance.
- Opportunity to influence how technology services are delivered.
- Scope to develop expertise in supplier management, licensing, procurement and commercial governance.
- Work with a friendly, supportive team that values collaboration and continuous improvement.
Who might this suit?
You may have experience in contract management, procurement, supplier management, licensing, finance, operations or administration. Equally, you might be looking to build on existing commercial skills in a role with greater variety and visibility.
We're looking for someone who:
- Enjoys organising information and bringing structure to complex activities.
- Has strong attention to detail and good commercial awareness.
- Likes building relationships and working with people.
- Can spot risks, opportunities and areas for improvement.
- Wants a role where they can learn, develop and make a visible contribution
Why The National Archives?
Our work combines centuries of history with modern digital technology. You'll be based at our beautiful Kew site, working alongside knowledgeable, welcoming colleagues while helping support services that preserve and provide access to the nation's records.
If you're looking for an interesting part-time role with responsibility, variety and room to grow, we'd love to hear from you.
A combination of onsite and home working is available and applicants should be able to regularly travel to our Kew site for a minimum of 60% of their work time.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
- Interview: interviews will be held on-site
- Personal Statement: We ask all applicants to submit full work history details and a personal statement, not exceeding 1200 words.
Selection for interview will be based on the 3 ‘essential’ requirements below so please ensure that your application demonstrates in detail how you meet these requirements.
Essential criteria for application:
1. Experience of managing contracts, software licences, supplier relationships or commercial activities.
2. Ability to analyse financial, contractual or operational information and use it to support decision-making and recommendations.
3. Commitment to achieving value for money and supporting effective stewardship of public funds.
In the event of a high volume of applications we will conduct an initial sift based on the following essential criteria:
- Experience of managing contracts, software licences, supplier relationships or commercial activities.
During the interview, candidates will be assessed on all of the essential criteria shown in the job description below.
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.
Sponsorship:
We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.
Job Description
Job Purpose
The National Archives depends on secure, reliable and cost-effective technology to deliver its services, preserve digital records and support colleagues across the organisation. Digital & Technology Operations plays a central role in ensuring those services are well managed, resilient and fit for purpose.
The department manages a significant portfolio of technology contracts, software licences, subscriptions, support agreements and supplier relationships. These commitments need active oversight so that renewals are planned properly, licences are controlled, procurement activity is timely, and public money is spent wisely.
The IT Commercial and Licensing Officer will provide commercial oversight across Digital & Technology Operations. The role will help The National Archives maximise value from its investment in technology contracts, licences and supplier arrangements by providing commercial oversight, renewal planning and effective governance
In simple terms, this role helps Digital & Technology Operations understand what we are paying for, why we are paying for it, when decisions need to be made, and whether we are getting value for money.
Role and Responsibilities
Contract and Licence Management:
Maintain a complete, accurate and auditable register of Digital & Technology Operations contracts, software licences, subscriptions and support agreements.
Manage contract and licence renewals, maintaining visibility of values, renewal dates, ownership, supplier contacts and commercial obligations.
Track contract changes, extensions, renewals and terminations, ensuring records remain accurate and up to date.
Support service owners to understand licensing requirements, renewal options and commercial risks.
Commercial Oversight and Value for Money:
Help Digital & Technology Operations maximise value from contracts, licences and supplier arrangements.
Analyse contract, licence and spend information to support informed decision-making.
Identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary spend, optimise licensing arrangements and improve value for money.
Highlight commercial risks, cost pressures and opportunities to service owners and budget holders.
Support evidence-based decision-making through effective reporting, governance and commercial oversight.
Procurement Coordination:
Manage procurement activity within delegated authority levels and support larger procurements led by Procurement.
Gather requirements, quotations and commercial information to support procurement, renewal and value for money assessments.
Ensure procurement activity is planned in sufficient time to avoid commercial, financial or service risks.
Raise purchase orders and support invoice processing in line with organisational procedures.
Supplier Management:
Act as a day-to-day point of contact for suppliers on contract, licensing and commercial matters.
Maintain supplier records, contract documentation and commercial correspondence.
Support supplier review meetings and monitor agreed actions.
Ensure commercial information is accurate, secure and readily accessible.
Financial Reporting and Governance:
Maintain visibility of current and future expenditure relating to contracts, licences and support agreements.
Produce reports on renewals, licensing costs and commercial commitments to support planning and decision-making.
Support budget planning and forecasting through accurate commercial information and insight.
Support audit, assurance and governance activities through accurate records and evidence.
Continuous Improvement:
Improve processes for managing contracts, licences, renewals and commercial records.
Promote effective contract and licence management practices across Digital & Technology Operations.
Identify opportunities to reduce risk, strengthen commercial control and improve value for money.
Work with colleagues across IT Operations, Finance and Procurement to improve commercial governance and oversight.
Working Conditions
Person Specification
Essential Criteria:
Experience of managing contracts, software licences, supplier relationships or commercial activities.
Ability to analyse financial, contractual or operational information and use it to support decision-making and recommendations.
Strong organisational skills, with experience of managing multiple priorities, deadlines and competing demands.
Experience of maintaining accurate records, information and documentation to a high standard.
Ability to build effective working relationships and collaborate with colleagues, suppliers and stakeholders at all levels.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain commercial or technical information clearly to non-specialists.
Experience of identifying risks, issues or opportunities and taking appropriate action to resolve them or improve outcomes.
Commitment to achieving value for money and supporting effective stewardship of public funds.
Desirable Criteria:
Other Requirements
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)
