POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Digital Archives will be overseeing a dedicated team contributing to the first ever National Indian Boarding School Digital Archive (NIBSDA). The Director of Digital Archives is responsible for all aspects of digital asset management along with building and maintaining partnerships, including funding entities, and archivists who work with Board School records and survivors, to ensure NABS keeps the most complete historical documentation of US boarding schools and their impacts. They will use their proficiency in research, archives, communication, networking, and writing skills to further NABS’s digital archives which support NABS’s other programs around education, advocacy, and healing to accomplish the Coalition’s mission.

The role requires a background in archival work with an understanding of recognized archival standards. This is a full-time remote position with occasional travel for professional conferences and supporting document scanning initiatives. This position reports to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer and serves in the Librarian and Collections Departmental role.

ABOUT US

The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS) is boldly leading the movement for truth, justice, and healing for Indigenous peoples impacted by U.S. Indian boarding schools. We are Indigenous-led, with 100% of the Board of Directors and Officers being Native American and Alaska Native.

1. We are a coalition of 1,300 members and growing, including Tribal Nations, Tribal enrolled individuals, allies, and organizations.
2. We use our coalition voice to educate others about the truth of the Indian boarding school policies, experiences, and genocidal legacy.
3. We expose the truth about Indian boarding schools through research and education.
4. We lead action towards justice and healing for our children, families, and communities.
5. We advocate for accountability through policy change at all levels, including the call for a federal Truth and Healing Commission on Indian boarding schools.
6. We make resources available to raise awareness and support healing from the intergenerational trauma Native peoples continue to experience.
7. We are publicly launching the National Indian Boarding School Digital Archive (NIBSDA) this year, a first-of-its-kind Digital Asset Management System capable of organizing and displaying historical boarding school records and materials for every identified boarding school institution.

What You Will Do

Leadership

1. Works closely with NABS executive leadership, staff, volunteers, and contractors for the planning, executing, and reporting for the digital archives.
2. Engages the Research Advisory Council to meet community needs while strategically planning for the sustainability of the Digital Archives.
3. Supervises and trains the Digital Archives staff, interns, students, and volunteers.
4. Manages a $1 million budget for the success of the Digital Archive.
5. Coordinates with Executive Director and legal counsel to develop and administer Institutional Records Retention and Disposition Schedule.

Archive Management

1. Works to locate, select, and acquire Indian Boarding School records collections throughout the U.S. Coordinates and negotiates with extra-institutional repositories in securing collections for inclusion, access, and accession into the Digital Archives. Oversees the evaluation and coordination of re-housing and stabilization of archives.
2. Responsible for the appraisal, arrangement, and description of archival collections according to recognized archives standards (DACS, EAD, Dublin Core). Ensures compliance with government regulations related to archives. Maintains Digital Archive accession records, deeds of gift, transfer agreements, and other documentation associated with collections control files.
3. Implements standard preservation practices, creating and monitoring climate-controlled conditions, while keeping up-to-date with new archive trends and archive standards.
4. Interfaces with University of Minnesota’s LATIS to ensure Digital Archives and services on Elevator Digital Asset Management System (DAM) are explorable and active.
5. Manages archival policies and procedures while maintaining Digital Archive Collections Management System (CMS).
6. Approves changes to archives entries and requests from staff, researchers, research associates, and the public.
7. Guides Digital Archive staff with inquiries and requests to archive information, such as:
8. Researching and responding to copyright and ownership issues.
9. Providing scans of images and documents as needed using appropriate digital and metadata standards.
10. Coordinating and facilitating archives use in public programs.
11. Directs the maintenance of records and prioritization of processing backlog.
12. Creating collections in-person and digital user guides.
13. Oversees housekeeping and IPM related activities, as pertains to archives.

Administration

1. Prepares funding proposals, implements grant awards, and writes reports and other associated documents as needed within federal grant guidelines.
2. Provides public education/training and assists with other programs.
3. Contributes to NABS hiring activities particularly relevant to promoting, selecting, and interviewing of relevant Digital Archives program staff.
4. Serves as an enthusiastic advocate and personal representative for the Coalition in the community by promoting its resources, programs and services via sustained outreach activities.
5. Other duties as needed.

WHAT YOU BRING

NABS is seeking candidates who are passionate about our mission, are highly proactive, and can bring a clear vision in development to support the work we do. While no one candidate will embody all of the qualifications below, our ideal candidate will bring:

Must-Haves

1. A. or M.L.I.S. in Archives, Library Science, Museum Studies, or related field with formal training in archives management and preservation or commensurate experience.
2. Five years of Archives experience required.
3. Experience with professional archives management software, records management, and environmental monitoring applications.
4. At least 2 years of staff supervisory experience.
5. Knowledge of archives preservation requirements, storage needs, and registration procedures for archives.
6. Up-to-date knowledge of professional standards and trends.
7. Experience with managing and tracking budgets and understanding of financial reporting for projects.
8. Knowledge of and ability to articulate American Indian and Alaskan Native Boarding School history, legacy, and impacts of the schools on Native Americans today.
9. Proficient computer skills, mastery of MS Office and basic Adobe software, and Salesforce experience preferred.

Nice-to-Haves

1. Familiar with governmental regulations and legal requirements related to archives and experience in compliance.
2. Familiarity with records produced by natural science, cultural and fine arts sources.
3. Commitment to social change and justice for boarding school survivors and descendants.

To thrive in this role, candidates will bring innovation and new ideas and have experience managing awards within nonprofits. They are clear communicator, adaptable, reliable, inquisitive learners, who are team and collaborative-oriented while being able to work independently, and who are socially and emotionally intelligent. They have a problem-solving, solution-oriented mindset. Practicing confidentiality of important information is essential.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This position is salaried between $75,000-$100,000 annually. Benefits include health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance with full premiums paid by NABS for the employee and 75% paid by NABS for dependents/partners, a 401(k) match up to 4% of salary, and paid family leave for qualifying events. Employees earn four weeks of paid time off each year and get paid winter break the last two weeks of December.

The successful candidate will work with a dynamic team committed to Native communities. We strongly encourage applications from Native peoples with experience working with Native communities.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• This position is 40 hours a week with heavy computer use.
• Current staff are in Pacific, Mountain, Central, and Eastern time zones.
• This position is remote with occasional travel for professional conferences and supporting document scanning initiatives..
• Ability to travel required.
• Must be available to work occasional nights and weekends and travel 20-30% of the time, depending on programmatic activities at various times of the year.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, priority will be given to those applications received by June 17, 2024. Submit your application via the Movement Talent Opportunity Board application portal: https://recruitcrm.io/apply/17162315406820060944ser

Applications must include the following in a PDF:

• Cover letter (no more than 1 page)
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Three professional references with titles, emails, phone numbers, and relationship
• You will be excluded to answer the following questions on the application portal:
  • Why are you interested in this position?
  • What values or lived experiences do you have that connect to our mission?
  • What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
    
    

NABS is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a work environment free of all forms of discrimination, harassment, and violence. All employment and contracting decisions are based on merit, competence, performance, and organizational needs. NABS prioritizes work to empower and include people from Indigenous communities who have been impacted by U.S. Indian Boarding School policies. We are proud of our collaborative and wellness-focused culture where all people feel safe to bring their whole selves. Our culture attracts top talent with shared values that form the foundation of a great work environment!