Director of Archives Centre

The Churchill Archives Centre is one of Britain's foremost archives. As custodian of some 640 collections of modern personal papers, including those of Sir Winston Churchill and Lady Margaret Thatcher, it occupies a unique position at the intersection of history, scholarship and contemporary political significance. The Churchill papers are inscribed on the UNESCO International Register of the Memory of the World.

Situated within the grounds of Churchill College, Cambridge, the Centre is embedded in the life of one of the University's most distinctive institutions, a combination that gives the role of Director a character unlike almost any other in the archival world. The Centre exists to preserve these unique collections and make them available to the widest possible range of audiences: in person, online, through academic and public engagement, and through original research and publication. Its collections continue to grow, with born-digital material an increasingly significant part of its work, and its public and academic reach expanding year on year. The Centre holds accredited status with the National Archives.

Alongside its core collections, the Centre is actively committed to broadening the representation of its archives, reflecting the full diversity of modern political and public life. Churchill College is seeking an outstanding individual to lead the Archives Centre at a pivotal moment in its development. The Governing Body has approved, in principle and subject to funding, plans for a new, purpose-designed archive building within the College grounds, a once-in-a-generation investment in facilities that will serve these remarkable collections for the next fifty years, providing outstanding resources for sustainable preservation and greatly enhanced capacity for researcher and public engagement.

The incoming Director will play a leading role in guiding the Centre through a period of significant ambition and change, shaping the transition plan and ensuring the opportunities presented by a new building are fully realised. This will include identifying and implementing innovations enabled by the new facilities, and maximising their potential to strengthen research activity and public engagement.

The Director leads a team of professional archivists, conservators and specialist staff, holds operational and budgetary responsibility for the Centre, and serves as Secretary to three charitable trusts, including the Sir Winston Churchill Archive Trust and the Margaret Thatcher Archive Trust. As a By-Fellow of Churchill College, the Director is an integral part of the collegiate community, and carries a significant public-facing responsibility as a national and international ambassador for the Centre and its collections.

The successful candidate will bring a strong track record of senior leadership and operational management, exceptional communication and influencing skills, and the ability to build and sustain relationships at the highest levels. They will possess the knowledge of the archival and heritage world to command the confidence of their team and the wider profession, alongside an engagement with modern British history. Of equal importance will be the interpersonal range and collegiate sensibility to operate across a wide variety of contexts, from the fellowship of a Cambridge college to the offices of former Prime Ministers and major international donors, alongside the vision to lead the Centre through a defining chapter in its history.

This is a rare opportunity to lead one of the world's great archives at an exceptional moment. Churchill College welcomes applications from outstanding candidates.

For details of the appointment, including further information about the job description, person specification and how to apply, please visit this link. For informal inquiries please contact Thomas Cameron at Thomas.Cameron@perrettlaver.com.

The deadline for the receipt of applications is 09:00 am BST on Monday 29th June. Applications should consist of a CV and supporting statement which includes a brief overview of your experience with relevance to the personal specification as well as an indication of the reasons for your motivation and interest in the opportunity.

Longlisted candidates will be invited to Perrett Laver interviews over July and August 2026, and Formal Interviews are expected to take place in late September/early October 2026.