Manchester Art Gallery Archive Officer

Working Hours: 35 Hours per week

Contract Type: Full-Time, Temporary for 6 months

Closing Date: 28 March 2024

This role is subject to -

Qualification - Postgraduate diploma or degree in Archive Administration which is recognised by the Archives and Records Association.

We are looking for an archivist to assist with the transformation of the management of Manchester Art Gallery's institutional archive.

The archive has the potential to provide a better understanding of the organisation’s history, informing our collection review, decolonising work and improving our transparency and accountability. It can also help to work more creatively, inspiring curiosity and facilitating new research. However, its current state of being partially listed poses some challenges and makes it difficult for both staff and the public to fully understand and utilise this invaluable resource. The lack of formal processes for transferring new content to the archive contributes to the increased backlog of material. We will also need to temporarily relocate the archive due to a wider capital funded program for gallery building and storage improvements. Without careful management, this has the potential to place the archive collection at greater risk.

Working with the support of the Gallery’s Collection Manager and a consultant archivist you will be responsible for:

• Completing the listing of material in the archive and preparing for and managing the temporary move of archive material.
• Implementation of storage improvements and helping to develop a plan for long term storage arrangements.
• Working with the consultant archivist and wider gallery team, identify what records each team produces and what should be retained for the archive.
• Alongside the consultant archivist, contribute to the development of a collection development policy for the archive.
• Work with the consultant archivist to implement a reference system and an annual records review and deposit process as well as guidance on appraising, cataloguing and depositing archive material for teams; to be used in records’ review process.
• Work with the consultant archivist to plan and deliver staff training and develop a resilience plan for the gallery’s leadership team to ensure that records review procedures are embedded within gallery activities.

You will bring demonstrable experience of cataloguing archive collections and a sound understanding of archive management standards as well as relevant legal and ethical requirements. You will have a good knowledge of collections care requirements and experience of using collections management databases to manage and improve collection information. Working with colleagues across the organisation, artists, volunteers and other partners, you will be a strong team player with excellent communication skills and the ability to influence and learn from others. You will have strong organisational skills and an interest in the challenges and ethical considerations affecting the management of archive collections.

We’re the local government authority for Manchester, and have teams across the city helping to make this a great place to live for everyone. We’re proud to do local government differently, in a city with an international reputation for diversity, creativity, culture and passion.

When you join us, you’re joining a team of over 7,000 council staff helping to make our ambition for Manchester a reality. Whatever your role, you’ll be supporting our residents and communities to be the best they can be, and helping to build a Manchester that's fairer for everyone who lives, works, volunteers, studies or plays here.

To make our ambition a reality, every person we recruit needs to play their its part. It takes a certain type of behaviour, attitude and way of working to get Manchester where it wants to be. Our people and partners have agreed five ‘behaviours’ – the grounding for how we must work together and treat one another:

• We take time to listen and understand
• We work together and trust each other
• We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
• We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things
• We’re proud and passionate about Manchester

A career with us means you can be yourself, thrive, and build the career your talent and ambition deserve.

Creating an inclusive team at Manchester City Council

At Manchester City Council, we strive to create a fair and inclusive workplace that is as diverse as the communities we serve. We want to further increase the diversity of our workforce, in particular the number of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff and disabled staff at all levels of the Council. This advert is open to all applicants, and we would particularly encourage applications from candidates identifying with one or both of those characteristics.
If you want to find out more about the role, our ways of working, flexible arrangements or any workplace adjustments, please let us know by emailing jobs@manchester.gov.uk. If you are invited to interview, we will ask you if you require any adjustments for you to best demonstrate your suitability for the role in the interview process.

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

Accessibility

As a Disability Confident Employer, we provide support for employees with physical or mental-health conditions, a disability or neurodiversity. Our workplaces are accessible by design, and we make workplace adjustments including providing aids, adaptations and equipment. These, combined with our flexible working policies such as disability-related leave, enable our employees to perform their role, thrive and be their authentic selves in work.

We’ve also included some useful tips on how to submit the best application.

When you join us

We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we’ll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role.

Other relevant information

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£30,825

temporary

full time