Senior Archivist

Are you an experienced Archivist looking for your next challenge?

Do you want to work for an exciting social change organisation with the mission of enabling people, places and the planet to flourish? 

We are a 270 year old charity and own a 250 year old Grade i/ii listed building housing an array of period features and art of significant note.

The Opportunity

This is a rare opening to manage the RSA’s Archive housed in RSA House just off The Strand. Our Archive spans 2 strong rooms with hundreds of unique pieces of heritage from medals to paintings to fireplaces and sculptures and photographs. We’re looking for an expert Archivist to achieve greater impact by leading the professional management and care of the RSA’s extensive Archive. We need someone with proven experience in a similar archive role, who enjoys working autonomously and has a keen interest in Arts, Manufactures and Commerce artefacts. We are ambitious to digitise our Archive to ensure we engage new and wider audiences to bring the RSA’s exciting and diverse history to life.

The RSA has been at the forefront of significant social impact since 1754. Our proven change process, rigorous research, innovative ideas platforms and unique global network of changemakers, work collectively to enable people, places and the planet to flourish in harmony. We need you to join us to celebrate our history and help us capture our work for future generations.

This role is based from RSA House in London.

About You

What we are looking for in the successful candidate: 

• Proven experience as an Archivist.
• Archives and Records Association (ARA) recognised qualification or equivalent.
• Experience of cataloguing archive collections including digitally and managing a digitisation programme.
• Knowledge and experience of loaning processes and managing partnerships.
• Good working knowledge of the Data Protection Act and copyright issues.
• Strong IT skills and good communication skills.

To find out more about this role, please download our job description.

Apply

In order to apply, please click ‘quick apply’ on our recruitment page and submit your CV. You will also be required to answer a series of questions. You do not need to submit a cover letter.

Please submit your application through the RSA website. We cannot accept applications via email. All applications will receive an automated response.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 9am 13 January 2025. However, screening and interviews will be ongoing, so we may close the vacancy early if sufficient exceptional candidates apply.  Please get your application in as soon as possible.

Please note that we cannot accept late, incomplete applications, and we can only consider candidates who apply through the online application process.

Inclusion Statement

As a social change organisation, we believe everyone, regardless of visible or invisible difference, should be welcomed to participate in creating a better future.   

We aspire to maximum inclusion in our work and endeavour to challenge systemic inequity and all forms of discrimination.  We therefore welcome applications from everybody who is committed to our vision and values and can demonstrate the skills, competencies and experience required for the role applied for. 

Read full our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion . 

About Us

We are the RSA. The royal society for arts, manufactures and commerce. Where world-leading ideas are turned into world-changing actions. We’re committed to a world that is resilient, rebalanced and regenerative, where everyone can fulfil their potential.

The RSA has been at the forefront of significant social impact for 270 years. Our proven change process, rigorous research, innovative ideas platforms and unique global network of changemakers, work collectively to enable people, places and the planet to flourish. We invite you to be part of this change. Join our community. Together, we’ll unite people and ideas in collective action to create opportunities to regenerate our world.

We offer great benefits, including 29 days holiday (plus bank holidays), additional wellbeing allowance, free fellowship throughout employment and lots more! Read our full list of benefits .