Principal Researcher

As one of the world's great libraries, our duty is to preserve the nation's intellectual memory for the future and make it available to all for research, inspiration and enjoyment. At present we have well over 170 million items, in most known languages, with three million new items added every year. We have manuscripts, maps, newspapers, magazines, prints and drawings, music scores, and patents. We make our collections and programmes available to all. We operate the world's largest document delivery service providing millions of items a year to customers all over the world. What matters to us is that we preserve the national memory and enable knowledge to be created both now and in the future by anyone, anywhere.

We are now seeking a new Head of Western Heritage Collection. As part of the Strategic Leadership Team, you will oversee one of our most significant collections and will contribute at a senior level to delivering our new Knowledge Matters Strategy. You will be responsible for core functions of the custodianship of the Western Heritage Collection, including development policies, cultural property management, and collection stewardship. You will work collaboratively across the entire organisation, and play an important role in widening access to the Collection and the Library more widely, ensuring diverse audiences are being reached through myriad means, including digitisation, exhibitions, and learning activities.

We are looking for someone who is highly experienced in curatorship, or collections stewardship in a research library, academic or other appropriate environments. You will have proven leadership and people management skills. You will need to have led across a diverse collection with a range of formats and specialisms and experience delivering major projects and programmes. You should be skilled in developing and building high-level partnerships throughout the wider cultural sector and be a confident communicator at all levels. You will also share in the British Library's values and exhibit a strong commitment to equality and diversity and ensuring an inclusive culture.

The British Library is committed to equity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all individuals regardless of personal characteristics or background. We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities, LGBT+, and black, Asian, minority ethnic backgrounds in keeping with the British Library's strategic plan and workforce diversity policies.

In return we offer a competitive salary and a number of excellent benefits. Our pension scheme is one of the most valuable benefits we offer, as our staff can become members of the Alpha Pension Scheme where the Library makes a generous contribution. Another significant benefit the Library provides is the provision of a flexible working hours scheme which could allow you to work your hours flexibly over the week and to take up to 5 days flexi leave in a 3 month period. This is on top of 25 days holiday from entry and public and privilege holidays.