Director of Archives and Records Preservation, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Boston, MA

Posted September 11, 2023

SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT MISSION STATEMENT:

To promote the rule of law and foster public trust by leading an independent judiciary that assures every person equal access to the fair, timely, and impartial resolution of disputes in courts managed with efficiency and professionalism.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of Archives and Records Preservation for the Supreme Judicial Court (“Archives Director”) leads the Division of Archives and Records Preservation (“SJC Archives”), providing strategic direction, guidance and support for the staff to organize, process, preserve, and facilitate access to permanent judicial records. Reporting to the Supreme Judicial Court’s (“SJC”) Executive Director, the Archives Director also works in close collaboration with the Massachusetts State Archives (“State Archives”) on maintaining the Judicial Archives that are housed within the State Archives.

MAJOR DUTIES (include but not limited to):

Provide day-to-day management of the SJC Archives division, overseeing the work of the staff, volunteers, and ensuring sufficient resources
Lead long-range strategic planning for the department, prepare departmental statistics and reports, and assist in the development and administration of operating and project budgets
Facilitate opportunities for professional development and cultivation of skills for staff
Collaborate with the Judicial Information Systems Department to create and implement a digital records management program
Manage the development, implementation, and maintenance of archives- and records-management-related policies, procedures, and guidelines for records in all formats, to ensure compliance with statutory, regulatory, and internal policies and requirements
Keep up with records management trends and/or changes to applicable laws and regulations
Ensure all records management processes and policies are clearly documented, accessible, and usable by staff
Initiate and direct special projects executed internally or by vendors to improve access to archives, such as digitization and format migration
Advise on the design and management of archival inventory, storage, preservation, and processing programs and projects
Provide reference and other assistance to researchers, court staff, the general public and others seeking judicial records; ensure that finding aids are updated and maintained

SUPERVISION:

Reports directly to the SJC’s Executive Director and works collaboratively with the Director of the State Archives.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

Master’s degree in Library Science from an American Library Association accredited school or an advanced degree in a relevant subject area
Five (5) years of full-time (or the equivalent of full-time) professional-level experience in an archives or manuscript repository, library, museum, or other cultural heritage institution; at least one (1) year must have been in a supervisory capacity
Strong leadership, organizational, decision-making, and presentation skills
Ability to serve as an ambassador for special collections, its mission, and priorities
Ability to work with a variety of court personnel, including judges, law clerks, attorneys and others outside the SJC Archives environment
Knowledge of archival storage, preservation, and access measures for a variety of material types, including documents, artwork, objects, rare books, photographic and audiovisual formats
Excellent oral, written, organizational, and interpersonal communications skills, as well as demonstrated problem solving skills
Exceptional research and reference skills
Grant writing experience preferred
Understanding of copyright issues in archival settings
Knowledge of legal terminology and court procedures preferred
Knowledge and experience with word processing programs, digital imaging software, and records or content management systems
Demonstrated commitment to making collections more accessible and meaningful to broader communities

RESIDENCY:

By statute, only persons who are residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts may serve as employees of the judicial branch.

SALARY RANGE:

This position is grade Senior Management Tier 1, with a salary range of $107,975.43 (step 1) to $159,238.76 (step 8). New hires typically start at step 1.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Each candidate must submit the following: (1) cover letter; (2) current resume; and (3) a completed SJC Employment Application and Addendum.

Applications for employment and the addendum to the application are available online at https://www.mass.gov/doc/supreme-judicial-court-application-for-employment-with-addendum.

All materials should be submitted by e-mail to Blanca Tosado at [email protected].

The posting shall remain open until filled, but candidate assessment will begin on October 2, 2023.

The Supreme Judicial Court is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.