Collections Assistant - Cataloguing (Fixed term until 31 March 2027)

What’s in it for you

Dorset History Centre (DHC) is seeking to recruit a capable and motivated individual to the key role of Collections Assistant - Cataloguing.  This is a role that will give you opportunity to help open up access to a major heritage resource – the historic archive of Wessex Water and its predecessor companies (dating back to the early 19^th century).

DHC engages closely with a wide range of external partners including museums, libraries, Higher Education, community groups and our support charity Dorset Archives Trust.  The service also works with a large team of volunteers across a range of activities. 

Recently re-Accredited by The National Archives, as a service we are keen to innovate and build on our successes ensuring that we put public access at the heart of everything we do.  We provide services to both rural Dorset and as well as the large conurbation of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.  We are keen to improve our digital outputs to provide wider access to our fantastic collections which date back to AD965 and include the archive of Thomas Hardy. 

The service provides archive services to the whole of Dorset, along with the local studies, the Historic Environment Record, museum development and records management.  We also host the Finds Liaison Officer for Dorset.

Located in the thriving county town of Dorchester you will be working close to the beautiful Jurassic Coast and the Dorset National Landscape.

What you can expect to be doing

The successful candidate will support the sorting, cataloguing and packaging of the historic archive of Wessex Water.  You will report to the Wessex Water Project Archivist and key duties will include:

• Working under supervision to sort and catalogue parts of the Wessex Water archive using Excel and DHC’s cataloguing software Epexio;
• Cleaning and packaging archives for long-term preservation;
• Assisting in with the management of volunteers working on the project;
• Helping the Project Archivist in the identification of suitable material for either conservation or digitisation;
• Assisting in the promotion of the Wessex Water archives via writing content for blogs and/or potentially giving a short talk to the general public on the project;
• Undertaking any other appropriate work as directed by the Project Archivist and/or Principal Archivist e.g. strongroom work or dealing with public enquiries;

You will be a key part of helping to deliver this two-year project but will have the opportunity to interact with all other parts of the service and to learn about the wider functions of Dorset History Centre.

About you

You will have a keen interest in heritage and Dorset’s history.  You will enjoy a challenge and be able to focus on sometimes complex material whilst helping to open up an important archival resource to the wider world.

You will be a team player with good communication skills.  You will have a good eye for detail and an ability at times to perform repetitive tasks.

You should be able to demonstrate:

• willingness and ability to acquire relevant technical skills;
• good problem-solving skills;
• the ability to work methodically, maintaining a high level of accuracy during repetitive tasks.
• The ability to undertake manual handling (training provided) – lifting and moving sometimes heavy archive boxes to and from the strongrooms.

To discuss the role, please contact Emma Blowers, Archivist ([email protected]) or Claire Skinner, Principal Archivist ([email protected]).

We’re passionate about making Dorset a great place to live, work and visit. Working for us should be no exception. 

At Dorset Council we: 

• provide more than 450 services to over 300,000 residents 
• have ambitious aspirations  
• are excited about our future 
• care about Dorset and all the people who live here 
• know that all roles make a difference and that our employees are key to our success 

You will: 

• have access to a range of employee benefits  
• be part of an organisation that supports each other to grow and succeed 
•  have access to range of training opportunities which will help with your personal development and career progression 

We are challenging ourselves to become a more diverse and inclusive organisation. We recognise that recruitment and inclusion of individuals with diverse skills, perspectives and backgrounds will bring real strength to the council and our communities. We have a commitment to equality and welcome applications from everyone. 

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We offer an interview to everyone who declares a disability and meets the essential criteria for the role. We are keen to make our interviews accessible. Let us know on your job application if you have a disability and need any reasonable adjustments. 

We also look for applicants who share our commitment to our values. We will ask you to evidence when you have demonstrated them as part of the selection process. 

This role is UK based and we will need to establish your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. 

We use generic job descriptions and person specifications. This means the job title on any attachments may differ from the job title in the advert. We may provide specific information in a context statement if relevant. 

Find out more about how to apply.