Mid-Career Mentoring Programme (Mentees)

About the Programme

Building Archival Futures is a mentoring and skills development programme designed to support long-term career sustainability within the moving image archive sector.

This strand focuses on mid-career professionals, offering structured mentoring and career coaching to support progression, specialisation and retention within the field.

The programme recognises the growing challenges facing the sector, including burnout, limited progression routes, and increasing technical and strategic demands, and aims to create space for reflection, support and development.

This is an unpaid opportunity, though travel within the UK will be reimbursed for the in-person event.

Who This Is For

We are seeking mid-career archive professionals who are:

• Currently working in or closely connected to the archive or screen heritage sector
• At a transition point in their career, such as:
  • Moving into leadership or management
  • Developing a technical or strategic specialism
  • Navigating burnout or career stagnation
  • Reassessing long-term career direction
    

What You Will Receive

The programme runs over six months and includes:

• Six one-to-one mentoring sessions
• Two facilitated group career-coaching sessions
• Structured support in:
  • Career planning and progression
  • Leadership development
  • Strategic thinking and decision-making
  • Peer exchange and reflection
    

What We’re Looking For

• A clear interest in developing your career within the archive sector
• Willingness to reflect, engage and take part in structured mentoring
• Openness to peer learning and shared discussion
  

Mentoring Structure

• Mentors and mentees will be carefully matched based on experience, interests and goals
• Six mentoring sessions will be arranged at mutually convenient times
• Sessions will mostly be held online, with in-person engagement where appropriate
  

Commitment Required

• Participation in the full six-session mentoring programme
• Attendance at mentoring sessions and group coaching sessions
• Engagement in evaluation and feedback
• Attendance at the introduction session and in-person networking event (required)
  

Access and Inclusion

We are committed to inclusive and equitable professional development.

We strongly encourage applications from individuals currently underrepresented in the archive workforce, including Deaf, disabled and global majority professionals.

Access requirements will be discussed and supported throughout the programme.

Key Dates

• Applications open: Friday 24 April 2026
• Information session (online): Thursday 7 May 2026, 1–2pm
• Application deadline: Wednesday 20 May 2026
• 15-minute online interviews: Thursday 4 June 2026
• Information and networking session: Monday 22 June, from 3pm
• Programme delivery: July 2026 – January 2027: Six sessions arranged with mentor
• Career coaching sessions (online): 9 and 30 September 2026
  

How to Apply

Apply here. If you would like more information before applying, please attend the online drop-in session on Thursday 7 May, or contact screen.heritage@filmlondon.org.uk