Application Deadline:
11 October 2025
Department:
Arts Council Collection
Location:
Southbank, London
Compensation:
£34,000 / year
Description
We are currently looking for a Archivist to join our Arts Council Collection Team on a part time, 6 month fixed term contract.
The Archivist will play a vital role in stabilising, cataloguing, and making accessible the Arts Council Collection's dispersed and under-documented archive, ahead of the move to the new Coventry storage facility in 2027. Working with the Arts Council Collections teams, including curatorial, registrars and conservators and relevant senior colleagues across the organisation the role of the archivist is to champion, develop, and activate the Arts Council Collection archive.
Please download the attached Job Description for a full overview of this role's responsibilities.
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The annual salary stated is based on the Full-Time Equivalent (40 hours per week). If the job is part-time, the weekly hours will be stated within the advert.
The deadline for applications is 23:59 on the closing date for the job posting.
Please note, applications sent via Email or 3rd party agencies
will not be considered
.
Need reasonable adjustments? Please contact us so we can help make the application process accessible to you. Be sure to include the job you are applying for and your full name.
We welcome applications from all backgrounds. By attracting people with diverse attitudes, opinions and beliefs we can continue to look at the world with fresh eyes and find new ways of doing things. The Southbank Centre is a warm and welcoming place to work, with great aspirations and ambitions to create great and accessible work for all. We pride ourselves in building a supportive environment to enable the development of our colleagues.
Key Responsibilities
* Survey and Documentation Conduct a systematic survey of archive holdings at Longside, Winchester House, Southbank Centre, and associated repositories (e.g. V&A, Hayward Gallery files).
* Identify gaps, inconsistencies, and duplication across the archive. Produce a clear overview of holdings, extent, and condition.
* Arrangement and Cataloguing Apply archival best practice (e.g. ISAD(G), and sector standards) to describe and catalogue materials, with archival arrangement principles. Consult with Hayward Librarian to formulate a system that reconciles existing Dewey-style bibliographic for collection of catalogues.
* Create accessible finding aids and inventories for staff, researchers, and the public. Research material and consolidate any gaps and update metadata and information on artists.
* Make recommendations for retention, disposal, or redistribution (e.g. to partner libraries or V&A). Access and Engagement Develop researcher-friendly tools, including a standardised enquiry process and online resources.
Skills & Experience
* A postgraduate qualification in Archives and Records Management, or equivalent professional experience.
* Proven experience of archival cataloguing, arrangement, and description using ISAD(G) or comparable standards.
* Strong knowledge of conservation principles for paper-based and mixed-media collections, particularly photographs.
* Experience of rationalising collections, including identifying duplicates and developing disposal/retention strategies.
* Ability to create accessible finding aids and inventories for use by both specialists and non-specialists.
Benefits
As well as working at one of London's most popular and exciting sites the successful candidate will also benefit from the following:
* A min 5% pension contribution (going up to 8% depending on employee contribution), from day 1 of employment
* 28 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
* Hybrid working model (3 days office working, 2 days from home)
* Enhanced sick pay
* Enhanced family leave benefits
* Up to 30% discounts at onsite retail, food and beverage vendors
* Staff ticket offers for SC events
* Free entry to Hayward Gallery
* Free/discounted entry with other reciprocal organisations
* Free staff yoga