Consultant Archivist - Freelance

People’s History Museum (PHM) is the national museum of democracy, telling the story of its development in Britain: past, present, and future.  We welcome visitors to explore the radical stories of people coming together to champion ideas worth fighting for and be empowered by the past to make a change for the future.

The internationally significant Labour History Archive & Study Centre welcomes more than 600 researchers annually and has considerable potential for growth.  Its collections include the Labour Party Archive, recognised as the most complete political archive in the world; as well as papers from the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB); personal papers of major political figures such as Michael Foot and Hilary Wainwright; and collections documenting national and international social and political movements, including the Chile Solidarity Campaign and Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners.

The Archive Manager post has been frozen for two years, with a pause on collecting. We are now seeking expert advice as we unfreeze this important position, to help us identify the right person, business model, and approach for the Archive to thrive.

PHM has received an Archive Resilience Grant from the National Archives, and we are looking for an experienced Consultant Archivist or team to work with us in securing the long term future of the Labour History Archive & Study Centre.

The successful candidate will work with the museum’s Collections Manager, Archive Engagement Officer and Senior Leadership Team across five work packages.

Package 1: Conduct a critical assessment of the Archive’s potential for growth, exploring opportunities for income generation and audience development.  An options appraisal will identify where opportunities lie, the resources required, and the likely impact.

Package 2: Support the recruitment of the permanent Archive Manager by advising on required knowledge, skills, and experience, and assisting with shortlisting, interviewing, and induction.

Package 3: Support us in engaging with depositors such as the Labour Party to develop an initial proposal or package for a future relationship that supports financial resilience and collections development.  This will include researching how other archives have approached relationships with major depositors, developing and presenting options, and making recommendations.  It may also include direct engagement with depositors.

Package 4: Review relationships with academic publishers and image libraries, assessing potential for increased income and engagement, exploring growth with existing partners and testing new collaborations or models for future agreements.

Package 5: Provide specialist legal and copyright advice to clarify ownership and intellectual property across collections, leading to updated agreements and fit for purpose protocols developed through consultation with key stakeholders.

The strategic focus of this project addresses the Archive’s most critical challenges. To achieve long term stability, we must develop new income streams, build stronger partnerships, grow audiences, and extend our impact. This project represents the essential first step towards our wider ambitions of achieving Archive Service Accreditation, expanding digital access, and developing digital collecting capacity.

The work will ideally take place between November 2026 and May 2027. Recruitment for the Archive Manager will take place in early 2027. The Labour History Archive & Study Centre is open Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, but working days for the project are flexible.

The overall fee for the project is £20,000 with the following anticipated breakdown:

Work packageDaily costEstimated daysTotal cost Package 1: consultancy – review business model and opportunities for income generation

£50012£6,000 Package 2: consultancy – support the recruitment of the permanent Archivist

£5002£1,000 Package 3: consultancy – engage with the Labour Party to develop relationship

£5007£3,500 Package 4: consultancy – business development, royalties, and digitisation

£5006£3,000 Package 5: consultancy – legal and intellectual property advice

£65010£6,500

Please submit an expression of interest to Jackie Royle, Finance & Operations Manager at [email removed] by 11.00pm on Sunday 1 November 2026

Your expression of interest should include:

• A brief CV that highlights relevant experience (maximum two sides of A4).
  If you are applying as a consultancy service, one side of information about the company and the CV of the person who would be working with us on this project.
• A document giving three examples of relevant strategic projects that you have delivered (maximum two sides of A4).
• Two testimonials / references.

Interviews are expected to take place Wednesday 11 November 2026 at People’s History Museum.

If you have a preferred method of communication during this process, for example phone call or email, please include this within your expression of interest.

Each application will be assessed against the criteria for the role detailed above.  If you have any issues with the application please contact Jackie Royle, Finance & Operations Manager at [email removed]   Any questions about the specifics of the role can be asked at interview

• Click here to download the PDF version of the Freelancer brief
• Click here to download the Word version of the Freelancer brief
• Click here to visit a web version of the Freelancer brief

Applications open: Friday 16 October 2026

Applications close: 11.00pm Sunday 1 November 2026

Shortlisted applicants notified: by Friday 6 November 2026

Interviews expected: Wednesday 11 November 2026