Full-time, permanent role based in Central London, WC1

Salary: £34-36k depending on experience

Start date: December 2022, or as soon as possible thereafter

Responsible to: Director and Head of Collections

Deadline for Applications: 30 October 2022 (23:59)

Interviews: 4 November 2022

The Wiener Holocaust Library is the world’s oldest Holocaust archive and the home of Britain’s largest collection of published and unpublished works, documents and photographs relating to the Nazi era. In the past three years the library has undergone a process of transformation through closely integrating digital technology, digitised archive materials, web and social media marketing into its activities.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Library is now looking for Digital Asset Manager & Project Lead who can pro-actively implement new workflows and standard operating procedures while working in a team. The key focus of the role will be to help the organisation make the most of its digital assets, its digitisation facilities and the skills of its staff and volunteers. This includes managing the Digital Transformation Project and implementing a new Digital Library and Discovery System using Goobi, an open-source software application for digitisation projects. 

In autumn 2021, The Wiener Holocaust Library embarked on an ambitious five-year digital transformation project to revolutionise access to The Wiener Holocaust Library’s archive. Our Digital Transformation Project will create a much improved digital infrastructure for the Library. The project involves the creation of a discovery system, the scaling up of our digitisation programme, the enhancement of our catalogue records and the preservation of our most fragile collections. The Digital Asset Manager & Project Lead will play a key part in preparing the Library for the future.

The Digital Asset Manager & Project Lead’s work will be a crucial part of a diverse range of team workflows including cataloguing workflows, digitisation workflows and outreach work including online resources and social media. The role will involve pursuing innovation and best practice in order to facilitate the completion of the Library's transition to an exciting digital future and to meet our strategic goals 2021-2025.

As we are a small organisation we are looking for someone who is a good team player willing to be involved in other projects as necessary.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Digital Asset Manager & Project Lead will work with the Head of Collections and the wider Collections team, and will take a lead on a range of key tasks.

Digital Transformation Project responsibilities

• Overall project management, under the supervision of the Director 

• Line management responsibility of DTP Assistant and supervision of volunteers

• Implement a digital collections viewer (“Digital Library”) and scope out, design, and integrate in an all-inclusive search solution (“Discovery System”)

• Act as point of contact for external digitisation parties, conservation specialists, web support (Wavehill, Thirty8 Digital, Soutron) and other consultants (e.g. Intranda, ScanData Experts)

• Work with the wider Collections Team on catalogue enhancement to increase the searchability of digitised content

• Work with the Printed & Audiovisual Collections Manager and to catalogue, digitise and make available audiovisual material

• Work with the Development Coordinator and Head of Collections on grant applications and reporting as required and liaise with funders

Digitisation and digital asset management workflows

• Own the data asset register and contribute to regular reporting

• Implement new workflows and standard operating procedures for the digital assets of the Library that have been/will be generated through digitisation activity (both ‘business-as-usual' and project-based), as part of the wider Collection Development Policy.

• Manage the quality-assurance aspects of the Library’s digitisation workflows, checking the digitisation output from ad hoc or project based digitisation.

• Support the wider team to set digital standards of the library including digitisation standards for all media types, technical metadata, administrative metadata and collections-based metadata standards.

• Support the wider Collections team to ensure that all data sources can be linked and are driven by industry best practice, including providing support and best-practice guidance for digital donations and born-digital collections where other team members are primarily responsible for the content.

• Work with the Collections Team to develop policies to support correct access privileges for digitised content both internally and externally, including rights clearance.

• Support the wider team in ensuring the best possible preservation of all digital assets (including web and social media) to protect the library's content for the long term.

• Deliver digitisation and systems training to other library staff, interns and volunteers.

General

• Manage the website

• Attend and represent the Library at external meetings and events as necessary

• Assist as necessary with organising and staffing other public events, such as visits

• Assists with the management and supervision of volunteers, interns, and work placement students

• Support the Reading Room Enquiry Desk as required

• Any ad hoc tasks as required. 

The Library is a small team and all staff must be willing to work flexibly and recognise the need for occasionally working beyond their job descriptions and to support out-of-hours activities.

Person Specification

Essential

Qualifications and experience

• Educated to degree level in a relevant subject area

• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject area, including e.g. Digital Humanities, Digital Curation, Digital Asset Management, Library and Information Studies, Archives and Records Management, or demonstrable equivalent experience

• Recent or current work within UK digital humanities or a digital role within a library, archive or museum

• Experience of project management and working to deadlines

• Experience of line management

• Experience managing a budget

• Experience of applying for funding and awareness of the heritage funding environment

• Experience with digital and library/archives frameworks and standards (e.g. IIIF, ISAD(G), AACR2, RDA, METS/MODS)

• Experience with library and/or archival management systems (e.g. CALM, Adlib, Soutron)

• Experience with DAM systems, digital production, metadata input, file naming conventions, processes, tools, and workflow management software

• Experience of a broad range of digitisation techniques within a heritage environment

• Confidence and experience adapting to a rapidly changing IT environment and scanning hardware including proficiency in MS Office packages

Knowledge & skills

• A good understanding of the subject matter of the Library and its mission

• Knowledge of approaches and methods in digital humanities

• Knowledge of multiple data formats, markup languages (e.g. xml and html), metadata, Adobe Suite, W3C compliance, and digital preservation 

• A good understanding of digital rights management, copyright and data protection in the UK and abroad.

• Demonstrable troubleshooting and problem-solving skills

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, attention to detail

• Ability to work unsupervised and under pressure

• Ability to manage time and workload effectively

Desirable

• Experience with web platforms and Content Management Systems

• Good understanding of UX and digital audience development

• Experience delivering training to individuals and groups

• Experience of working in a small team as well as self-motivated

• Experience of the not-for-profit sector

• Experience of AV equipment

• Additional language skills of other European languages, or Hebrew 

• Experience of supervising volunteers 

• Experience of working with special collections 

Applicants must be able to demonstrate their legal right to work in the UK. Please note that The Wiener Holocaust Library cannot apply for a Certificate of Sponsorship for this post under Tier 2 of the UK Border Agency’s Points Based System.

You may be asked to carry out other duties as may arise from time to time including evening work. You will be required to act in accordance with the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to take reasonable care for the health and safety of any person who may be affected by your acts or omissions at work.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send your CV and a cover letter outlining your relevant experience to: Olivia Oakley, Office Coordinator, ooakley@wienerholocaustlibrary.org 

Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

For an informal talk about this position, please contact Dr Toby Simpson, on 0207 467 9670 or tsimpson@wienerholocaustlibrary.org.