Historical Records Officer 2B Air Historical Branch (RAF)

The Air Historical Branch (RAF) is a small in-house team which supports the work of Ministers, the MoD, RAF, Air Staff and Air Headquarters among others. As well as being the official historians of the RAF, the Branch maintains the RAF’s central physical and digital archive and photographic collections, ranging from 1912 to the present day. Alongside providing advice and information to the RAF and MoD on historical and heritage matters, consulting with Other Government Departments and Non-Government Organisations, and producing the Official Histories, the Branch also delivers a public enquiry service.

The Branch receives about 1,600 enquiries annually. Around 300 of these are Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests – a five-fold increase since 2020. AHB (RAF) is now the sixth most productive FOIA cell in the MoD.

The Historical Records Officer is central to the output and public face of the Air Historical Branch (RAF). They undertake a range of tasks which are central to Branch business. The postholder must be hard working and well-motivated. They must be able to analyse evidence effectively to produce accurate and concise pieces of work. The postholder must be capable of effective communications, both orally and in writing, to respond to customers drawn from within and beyond defence.

The postholder must display a willingness to work with and assist other members of the Branch, when necessary, particularly in responding to FOIA requests and answering public enquiries.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. Job share and part-time arrangements may be considered, providing that business needs are met.

In this post there is an emphasis on historical research, primarily the investigation of historical RAF casualty identification cases. This involves researching casualties or wreckage identified by members of the public, foreign militaries/governments, or the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), in the form of battlefield recoveries or established graves that have been marked as ‘unknown airmen’. The Researcher is responsible for tracing and, where possible, positively identifying such remains and passing the results of investigations to the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC) and the CWGC. This role also includes investigating cases of non-commemoration, where personnel entitled to CWGC headstones have been previously overlooked.

The main duties in this strand of work are:

• Researching and assisting the Senior Researcher in replying to historic casualty identification cases in response to requests from the JCCC, CWGC and members of the public
• Presenting and discussing the results of your research with the Senior Researcher, other senior staff and in Identity Case Panel meetings. Drafting and issuing letters to the Claimant and JCCC/CWGC as required by the Senior Researcher.
• Researching cases of non-commemoration of RAF casualties in response to requests from the CWGC and submitting their findings to the Senior Researcher.

The postholder will lead for the Branch on cases involving the Protection of Military Remains Act, 1986 (POMRA) and will consult with the JCCC on the granting of licences to excavate any military aircraft crash site in the UK. They will also assist the Branch’s Senior Researcher in answering enquiries regarding RAF unit seniorities.

Answering historical enquiries often requires analysis and examination of diverse sources to produce a cogent response within 20 working days. The postholder will ensure that replies maintain professional standards and are compliant with MOD and government policy. Enquiries will include the more complex requests for clarification of Record of Service documents, analysing each document to provide clarification and address the queries of each enquirer. Alongside this, the drafting of responses for FOIA requests will involve gaining a familiarity with the Act, an understanding of digital redaction techniques and an ability to work within the 20 working days statutory response time mandated by the Act.

There may be occasional outreach activities to represent the Branch and provide advice to stakeholders.

It is not envisaged that the postholder will manage any staff.

The successful candidate will be required to obtain Security Clearance if not already held.

A degree in History or a related discipline.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV and the following Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

At interview, you will be assessed against the following Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Further information:

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.