Archaeology and Records Officer

at  Coventry City Council

About the team we are recruiting to
Planning Policy and Environment is a service area within Coventry City Council which supports the growth of the city.
The vision and commitment of the Planning Policy and Environment team ensures there is a robust platform to guide the delivery of sustainable development making provision for local people through the delivery of housing, jobs, retail and community uses whilst creating high quality urban and natural environments.
The service area sits within a larger team alongside Development Management, and encompasses a number of individual but related specialisms all focussed on delivering a city for those wishing to live and work here. Those specialisms include Planning Policy, Ecology, Trees and Landscape, Urban Design, Conservation, Archaeology and Environmental Protection
What is the job role?
We are looking for an Archaeology and Records officer to join our Planning Services. You will be delivering a high-quality archaeologist and historic environment service in a way that contributes to the achievement of the City Council’s vision and objectives for a growing and sustainable city. You will also be the principal lead officer and advisor in archaeology matters.

The main duties and responsibilities of the role include (but are not limited to):

• To provide professional advice on archaeology and heritage issues to Members, Senior Officers, external partners and the general public.
• To support the Development Management process by providing technical comments/ recommendations and potential solutions on planning applications and pre-application enquiries taking into account economics, cost planning and viability. Where necessary represent the Council at appeal giving evidence at hearings, local inquiries and in court.
• To establish and maintain good links with external heritage bodies and assist with bids for external funding to support heritage improvements.
• To assist, prepare and implement policies and strategies for archaeology for inclusion in either local or national policy frameworks and advise on the implications of other policies.

Full list of duties and responsibilities are included in the Job Description & Person Specification attached below.
Who are we looking for?
We are looking for a professional archaeologist with experience of creating, managing and maintaining historic environment or similar records using databases and GIS. To apply for this role you must have a Degree or Post Graduate Diploma in Archaeology and a Membership of the IFA or IHBC.
You will be able to demonstrate an understanding of archaeology principles, practise and law, and the planning process with experience in the preparation of archaeology policy and related publications. You will also effectively maintain good relations with colleagues and clients and have experience working with various bodies to promote heritage assets and support voluntary and community projects.
For further information about the role please see the Job Description and Person Specification.

WHEN APPLYING FOR THIS ROLE YOU WILL BE ASKED TO WRITE A PERSONAL STATEMENT, WHEN WRITING YOUR PERSONAL STATEMENT PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

• Evidence of good working knowledge of GIS mapping techniques and applications particularly the Exegesis HBSMR system.
• Experience and detailed knowledge of archaeology principles, practice and law.
• Experience in carrying out or commissioning research, analysis and recording of the historic environment.
• Experience in working with a range of bodies to promote heritage assets and supporting voluntary and community projects
  If you need help or support to complete your application, please visit our accessibility page to see how we can assist you.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme - As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you’ll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled ‘Coventry City Council Application Process’. If there is any evidence of a candidate using AI to complete their application, then the application will be rejected unless the candidate can provide a justification which the Council considers to be reasonable.
Interview date: tbc
About Coventry

The main duties and responsibilities of the role include (but are not limited to):

• To provide professional advice on archaeology and heritage issues to Members, Senior Officers, external partners and the general public.
• To support the Development Management process by providing technical comments/ recommendations and potential solutions on planning applications and pre-application enquiries taking into account economics, cost planning and viability. Where necessary represent the Council at appeal giving evidence at hearings, local inquiries and in court.
• To establish and maintain good links with external heritage bodies and assist with bids for external funding to support heritage improvements.
• To assist, prepare and implement policies and strategies for archaeology for inclusion in either local or national policy frameworks and advise on the implications of other policies