Are you an experienced leader with a vision, do you guide your department through an evolving organization, and are you passionate about engaging diverse audiences and professionals? We are looking for an inspiring Head of Research & Presentation.
What does the National Archives do?
The National Archives has been in existence for over 200 years. With more than 142 kilometers of paper archives, 300,000 maps and drawings, over 15 million photographs, and 1.2 million gigabytes of digital files, the National Archives makes history accessible to everyone. From war archives and travelogues to the complete archives of the States General: at the National Archives, you can view, examine, and research these authentic sources. This provides insight into our past and fosters knowledge and understanding of developments in society. Together with other archives and government organizations, the National Archives ensures that today’s information is and remains accessible to citizens, now and in the distant future. Transparency and public access to information are more important than ever. As a center of expertise, the National Archives therefore uses its knowledge and experience to improve information management at government organizations and thereby contribute to an open government.
The National Archives aims to build closer ties with the public in order to best serve people’s needs when it comes to accessing all kinds of information, both online and on-site. To introduce as many people as possible to the richness of our collections, the National Archives also organizes exhibitions (at the National Archives and elsewhere) and offers a wide-ranging educational program.
The National Archives’ priorities for the coming years are:
- The New Archives Act, modernizing archival work, and strengthening information management as a center of expertise;
- Improve access to the collection (including digitization);
- Collaborating through networks and strengthening our market position;
- Promote inclusivity and diversity of voices.
What are we looking for?
The Research & Presentation Department is one of the seven departments of the National Archives. This department plays an essential role in its public mission to connect with citizens in innovative ways. In the coming years, we will continue to focus on contributing to the positioning of the National Archives and strengthening collaboration with knowledge institutions. This must also be reflected more explicitly in our programming, research agenda, and educational activities. For this development initiative, we are seeking a strong and inspiring leader with a clear vision who possesses the following qualities:
- The ability to further strengthen the public outreach role of the Research & Presentations department and to integrate it even more closely with the organization-wide objectives as it continues to evolve;
- Proven experience in coaching a diverse team;
- Experience in promoting inclusion, equality, and social safety;
- A relevant network in the museum and heritage sector and/or the research community is a plus;
- You have a clear picture or idea of the relevance of a modern archival institution in today’s information society.
As Head of the Research & Presentation Department at the National Archives, you will play a leadership role in these developments and be part of the management team. You will provide overall and integrated leadership to the department. You will be responsible for integrating historical research with presentation, with a focus on innovative ways to showcase our collections and make them as widely accessible as possible.
Your profile
You are an experienced manager, and your leadership style enables you to inspire your team and colleagues and engage them in the changes needed to realize the National Archives’ ambitions. With your strategic vision for development and innovation, you are able to work with the team to further develop the department’s activities and products. You are a people-oriented manager with a results-driven approach. Within the management team, you are a connector who translates the National Archives’ objectives into research and presentation.
Your skills:
- Strategic and analytical skills
- Vision, courage, and daring
- Political and administrative sensitivity
- Networking skills
- Persuasiveness and the ability to challenge people
- People- and results-oriented
The Research & Presentation Department.
The Research & Presentation Department develops public and educational programs based on the archives of the National Archives. The goal is to introduce more people from diverse audiences to the archives, the work of the archives, and the significance of the archives as an institution for everyone. We work as much as possible through co-creation and always from different perspectives on history. In doing so, we aim for an optimal visitor experience, both in our building (and increasingly beyond) as well as in schools and online. Furthermore, the R&P Department also handles loan requests for items and collections from other institutions, and you can contact the department for archival research upon request. Our floor managers ensure the smooth running of daily operations and maintain a welcoming atmosphere in the public areas.
What do we offer?
At the National Archives, we offer excellent employment benefits, including:
- A competitive salary (Scale 14 of the Central Government Collective Labor Agreement, up to €8,550.40 for full-time employment) that reflects the role and your experience.
- Temporary position (32–36 hours per week) for one year, with the possibility of a permanent position.
- Access to an individual choice budget (ICB) equal to 16.5% of gross salary.
- A generous vacation policy designed to support a healthy work-life balance.
- Opportunities for personal and professional growth, supported by a variety of education and training programs.
- Flexible work arrangements, including the option to work remotely.
- An inclusive organizational culture in which diversity and inclusion are valued.
- The opportunity to make a significant contribution to the accessibility of national collections, benefiting both current and future generations.
Diversity and Inclusion
We want to be there for everyone. That is why we are taking steps to become a more inclusive organization. The National Archives promotes a culture where employees can be themselves and feel free to express their opinions. In doing so, we prioritize openness toward one another, transparency in our work, and sensitivity to current social issues. We are convinced that we perform at our best when we have a broad spectrum of perspectives, backgrounds, orientations, and knowledge within our organization. We promote working in diverse teams.
Are you excited?
The National Archives is being assisted in this recruitment process by the executive search firm Colourful People. You can apply by uploading your resume and cover letter (both in PDF format) via the Colourful People website no later than September 20, 2024. If you have any questions about this position, please contact Hatice Türkmen, senior partner at Colourful People, at 06 46 08 12 32.
The online preliminary interviews will take place on September 24 and 25. The selection interviews are scheduled for October 9 and 15.
