We are currently looking for a Archivist to join our Arts Council Collection Team on a part-time 24 hours per week, 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.

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.
• 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).

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

• A minimum 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

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 are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We pride ourselves in building a supportive environment to enable the development of our colleagues.