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City of Austin - JOB DESCRIPTION

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Archivist III


FLSA: Standard/Exempt EEO Category: (20) Professionals
Class Code: 15101 Salary Grade: NU8
Approved: October 17, 2012 Last Revised: December 15, 2017


Purpose:
 

Under minimal direction, responsible for the management, administration and development of an Austin History Center work unit.

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities:
  Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

1. Manages staff, operations and budget of the assigned unit
2. Serves on management team and as Division Manager in his/her absence
3. Organizes, processes, catalogs, and conserves archival collections and materials
4. Assists with the acquisition of collections and interacts with potential donors of new collections
5. Appraises new collections for legal, historical or administrative significance or value
6. Describes and catalogs archives and other special collections according to current archival standards (EAD, DACS, etc.) and coordinates the development of an organizational structure for ongoing records
7. Creates and compiles finding aids, reference guides, articles, statistics and reports.
8. Provides archival reference and research services
9. Prepares grant applications to various grantors (state, federal, private foundation, other) to fund special projects in the assigned unit. Staff at this level are called on to prepare grant applications to fund specific goals in their areas, such as digitizing photos and collections, preservation work, planning studies, etc.
10. Drafts and explains policies and procedures to the public and staff  to ensure that professionally accepted standards for the use of special collections and archives are met
11. Identifies and develops requests for staff, space, financial and other resources needed to carry out the unit’s work
12. Coordinates and conducts meetings, training and public programs
13. Assists in planning and curating exhibits
14. Investigates and resolves complaints involving staff and public

Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised:
 

Responsible for the full range of supervisory activities including selection, training, evaluation, counseling, and recommendation for dismissal

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.
  • Knowledge of Encoded Archival Description.
  • Knowledge of archival standards issues, practices, and trends.
  • Knowledge of management and supervisory principles and practices.
  • Knowledge of reference tools and procedures.
  • Knowledge of digital imaging issues and trends, especially in regards to archival practice.
  • Knowledge of electronic records management and preservation.
  • Skill in oral and written communication including presentation.
  • Skill in using computers and related software, including Microsoft Office products.
  • Skill in prioritizing work assignments.
  • Skill in establishing and maintaining effective relationships with City employees and the public.
  • Ability to use and apply standards for archival description, cataloging, and networked resource sharing for archival objects and descriptions.
  • Ability to appraise records for archival and/or historical significance.
  • Ability to analyze project requirements and prepare work estimates.
  • Ability to organize and prioritize tasks to meet deadlines and manage multiple projects concurrently.
  • Ability to work with people of diverse backgrounds.
Minimum Qualifications:
 

• Master’s degree in Library or Information Science, or related to the assigned program from an ALA accredited university, with specialization in archival enterprise and/or administration, plus three (3) years professional experience as an archivist or related position, one (1) of which was in a lead/supervisory capacity
• Master’s degree in History/Public History with coursework in archival administration, or a Master’s degree in a related field, may substitute for the required Master’s degree in Library or Information Science

Licenses and Certifications Required:
 

May require a valid operator’s license and the use of a personal vehicle.


This description is intended to indicate the kinds of tasks and levels of work difficulty required of the position given this title and shall not be construed as declaring what the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position shall be. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of management to assign, direct and control the work of employees under supervision. The listing of duties and responsibilities shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of similar kind or level of difficulty.