JOB PURPOSE

This role is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) Corporate Archive Service. As part of a dedicated project team working closely with the NTS Archivist, the Digital Archivist will be responsible for establishing digital preservation principles and good practice at NTS. The role includes undertaking a survey of born-digital records currently held in the archives as well as assisting in the procurement of a digital preservation system for NTS. The post-holder will be supported in their work by the Archive Programme Manager and dedicated external consultants.

The role will include opportunities to contribute to other strands of the wider three-year Archives Review Programme, which includes a review of the physical collections and the re-housing of the Trust’s Corporate Archive, as well as liaising with colleagues in Corporate Services to identify born-digital material being created across the organisation.

The Trust recognises that the management of digital archives is a fast-developing field and is happy to receive applications from any qualified individuals with an interest in developing their experience with digital archives.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Lead on a survey of born-digital records already identified as part of the NTS Archive.

• Work with the Archive Programme Manager to review existing born-digital and digitised archival records with a view to making recommendations on cataloguing and access.

• Develop, in consultation with internal stakeholders and external consultants, a digital preservation strategy for the long-term security of the Trust’s born-digital and digitised archives.

• Support the Archive Programme Manager with procurement for and then lead on the roll-out of a new digital preservation system, including documentation and training.

• Develop workflows for a programme to process the backlog of born-digital archives, taking GDPR, copyright, and NTS business needs into consideration.

• Deliver a programme of activities relating to born-digital archives which will contribute to the enhancement of the NTS collections and the Archive Service, with an emphasis on improving staff access.

• Advocate for, and engage with colleagues about, the benefits of long-term digital preservation and best practice relating to digital archives.

• Engage with the wider archive and digital preservation communities as part of comparator analysis to identify good practice and establish monitoring/reporting benchmarks.

• Liaise with the Review Archivist undertaking a review of the physical archive collections to create a collections framework, applicable across the whole of NTS, for paper and digital material that has been identified for permanent preservation.

• Contribute to the development of a vision, strategy, and five-year Action Plan for the Archive Service.

• Work with the Digital Collections Asset Manager to review and improve access to and management of the photographic archive.

• Liaise with colleagues in Corporate Services to continue to develop and manage the retention schedule for digital records created by NTS

Interested applicants should forward a completed application form to the People Department by email via workforus@nts.org.uk by Friday 25^th November 2022. Interviews are likely to be held WB 5^th December 2022.

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