We're Hiring an Archive Director!

Who We Are:

Founded in 1969, Appalshop is an organization of storytellers in the coalfields of Eastern Kentucky who uplift Appalachian voices by offering them space to tell their own stories in their own words through documentary film, community radio, a record label, youth programs, theater, and community development. Appalshop is an equal opportunity employer, and we value a diverse workforce. Our employment policies and practices are applicable to all employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

Who You Are:

We’re looking for an organized, experienced Archive Director who lives near Jenkins, Kentucky, or is willing to relocate. You’d be a good candidate for this position if you love preserving history and making it accessible to the community. 

The Archive Director is responsible for access to, professional care of, daily management of, and maintenance of the Appalshop Archive, including its organization, preservation, and storage, as well as management of its staff. This multifaceted position reports to the Director of Artistic Programs. 

The Archive Director: 

• oversees the Appalshop Archive, including strategic planning and visioning
• ensures proper storage conditions for a variety of audio-visual materials, folk art objects, paper collections, photographs, and more
• sets vision for fundraising efforts, fulfills grant requirements, and helps seek out new funding avenues in coordination with the development team
• oversees the intake process when items are donated, including documenting all rights and permissions
• ensures the archive collections are available to the public and are easy to search, including for researchers, artists, and visitors
• represents Archive at conferences and with the media
• oversees public displays of the archive materials such as in museums or galleries
• manages Archive staff

What You’ll Do at Appalshop:

The Archive Director undertakes a set of responsibilities (listed below) that enables the Appalshop Archive to responsibly care for the priceless archive collections and ensure the community has easy access to these collections. Concretely, the Archive Director has a good understanding of best practices in archival methods, is a people leader, is a critical thinker and problem solver, and understands Appalshop’s role in the community.

• Overseeing all care and preservation of archival materials and collections, ensuring each is protected based on current industry best practices.
• Codifying archival policies and procedures, including for intake, cataloging, and display.
• Maintaining records of and prioritizing the processing backlog, such as from vendors handling flood-affected items.
• Seeking out important collections to add to the archive.
• Communicating with labs, vendors, and partners regarding archival work.
• Managing and mentoring a team of archive staff by connecting them with resources, setting and managing project deadlines, and helping them work through roadblocks. 
• Handling distribution and licensing requests from researchers, artists, and the general public. 
• Seeking out opportunities and partnerships toward financial sustainability with the help of the Leadership Team.
• Fundraising from a variety of sources, including federal, state and local agencies, foundations, etc.
• Improving visibility of and accessibility to Appalshop Archive collections through close work with the Communications Department, loans to museums and galleries, online tools, and so on. 
• Collaborating with the Development Team to write and fulfill grant requirements.
• Fielding internal requests for archival material by working closely with internal stakeholders and creating an equitable process for such work. 
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

What Skills and Experience You Must Have:

• At least three years of archival experience
• Master’s degree in Library and Information Science, Archival Studies, or related degree 
• Demonstrated experience and success with fundraising from a variety of sources, including federal, state and local agencies, foundations, etc.
• Some experience with moving image and sound archival materials
• Some experience with cataloging
• Some audiovisual preservation experience
• Some knowledge of rights management

What Would be Nice to Have (but not required):

• Management experience
• An understanding of the Appalachian region and culture

Pay and Benefits:

This role’s starting salary is $57,000-$71,000, commensurate with experience. This is a full-time salaried position with full benefits including 100% employer-paid health insurance, generous retirement and life insurance benefits package. Appalshop has a 32-hour workweek with Fridays as flex days.   

Location: 

Appalshop’s main offices are located in Jenkins, KY. This role is in-person.

To apply for this position: 

Please submit a resume, cover letter, and a list of three professional references to [email protected] with the subject line: Archive Director - Application. The review of resumes will begin immediately and continue until the job is filled. Only finalists will be contacted.