Archivist - Full-time

Full-time Archivist

Felician Sisters of North America
Location: Madonna University Welcome Center
Position Type: Full-Time, Hourly, Non-Exempt
Work Arrangement: On-Site

The Felician Sisters of North America is seeking a dedicated and experienced Archivist to manage the operations, preservation, and ongoing development of the Felician Archive, located in the Welcome Center at Madonna University.

The life and charitable activities of the Felician Sisters have generated a rich collection of correspondence, reports, photographs, audio and video recordings, personal papers, organizational records, artifacts, and other historical materials. The Archivist will provide strategic management and day-to-day oversight of these collections, ensuring their preservation, accessibility, and continued value to the Sisters, researchers, the local community, and future generations.

This position is responsible for developing and maintaining archival policies and procedures, processing physical and digital collections, overseeing vendors and archival projects, maintaining collection records and finding aids, and supporting outreach and educational programming. The Archivist will also collaborate closely with the Felician Sisters of North America, Madonna University, the Heritage Center, Welcome Center staff, and community partners.

The successful candidate will be an organized, collaborative professional with strong archival knowledge, excellent communication skills, and a commitment to preserving and sharing the history and mission of the Felician Sisters.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Archival Management & Preservation

• Oversee the daily operations of the Felician Archive, ensuring efficiency, organization, and adherence to established archival standards.
• Develop, implement, maintain, and update archival policies, procedures, protocols, and best practices for both physical and digital records.
• Assess and identify the archival value of materials and determine appropriate preservation and processing priorities.
• Process archival collections, including physical arrangement, sorting, boxing, labeling, description, and rehousing.
• Work with a wide range of archival formats, including organizational records, personal papers, photographs and other pictorial materials, maps and architectural drawings, audiovisual materials, born-digital records, and artifacts.
• Develop plans for processing archival records and maintain inventories of electronic and on-site records.
• Create database records, collection guides, finding aids, and other descriptive tools.
• Ensure accurate, complete, and consistent documentation of archival materials and activities.
• Maintain the highest standards for data integrity, preservation, security, and quality control.
• Implement preventative conservation practices and quality measures to safeguard collections.
• Ensure appropriate archival storage, handling, preservation, and access procedures.
• Develop and implement disaster recovery and contingency plans for archival collections.

Digital Archives & Technology

• Work with offices throughout the Felician Sisters of North America Province to access, preserve, and manage digitized and born-digital materials.
• Ensure seamless data transfer and integration between archival and related information systems.
• Maintain proficiency with electronic data systems and archival management technologies.
• Manage computerized collections and ensure the appropriate archival treatment of electronic records.
• Maintain and update the Felician Sisters of North America website as it relates to the Archive.
• Contribute to Archive and Heritage Center social media platforms in coordination with appropriate stakeholders.

Operations, Budget & Compliance

• Oversee archival procedures and operations, including the integration and management of external vendors and service providers
• Establish quality measures and monitor compliance with archival standards and procedures.
• Maintain comprehensive records of archival activities and generate regular reports regarding archival performance, projects, and compliance.
• Develop and manage budgets for archival activities and projects.
• Assist with the development and ongoing maintenance of archive policies, tracking systems, and operational procedures.
• Support compliance with ADA, OSHA, and other applicable standards.
• Collaborate with Welcome Center building staff, including facilities and maintenance personnel, to support daily operations and maintain a safe, functional, and well-maintained environment.
• Conduct regular reviews and assessments to identify opportunities for improvement and enhance the effectiveness of archival operations.

Supervision & Project Management

• Supervise and provide guidance to an Assistant Archivist and/or archival interns,
• Manage and coordinate archival and Heritage Center projects, including timelines, project details, deliverables, and communication with stakeholders.
• Track project progress and ensure projects are completed effectively and on schedule.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with departments across the Felician Sisters of North America and Madonna University.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners on shared archival initiatives and projects.

Outreach & Community Engagement

• Provide outreach and educational programming to the public.
• Facilitate tours, lectures, classes, workshops, and other educational activities related to the Archive and the history of the Felician Sisters.
• Conduct outreach to local organizations, including religious, historical, cultural, and community groups, to build relationships and increase engagement with the Archive and Heritage Center.
• Serve as the local liaison to the Heritage Center, fostering collaboration and alignment between Archive and Heritage Center initiatives.
• Develop opportunities to increase public awareness, access, and engagement with the collections.

Collaboration & Professional Development

• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with departments at Madonna University and throughout the Felician Sisters of North America to support archival initiatives and shared projects.
• Attend and participate in meetings, committees, seminars, conferences, and in-service training programs as directed.
• Stay current with developments, trends, technologies, standards, and best practices in the archival profession.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education & Experience

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Required experience:
  • Two to three years of cumulative professional experience arranging and describing archival collections.
  • Experience handling, rehousing, and preserving two-dimensional archival materials.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of archival theory, principles, and procedures.
  • Experience with collections and records management, including computerized collections.
  • Knowledge of preventative conservation techniques and archival preservation best practices.

• Preferred experience and education:
  • A Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS) or a related field such as history, art history, records management, or a comparable discipline is preferred.
  • Experience creating EAD finding aids.
  • Knowledge and experience with archival management software, protocols, issues, and emerging trends.
  • Experience with library management software such as OCLC WorldShare and collections/content management systems such as PastPerfect, CONTENTdm, Omeka, or comparable platforms.
  • Knowledge of archival and bibliographic standards such as DACS, EAD, MARC, and RDA is preferred.

Skills & Compentencies

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Strong leadership, collaboration, and relationship-building abilities.
• Ability to work effectively with staff, Sisters, university personnel, researchers, vendors, volunteers, interns, and community partners.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze problems, develop solutions, and drive positive change.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders effectively.
• Commitment to preservation, access, service, and responsible stewardship of historical collections.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively as part of a collaborative team.
• Commitment to the mission and Core Values of the Felician Sisters of North America.

Benefits for full-time employees:

• Outstanding health insurance package (medical, dental, and vision) with affordable premiums and low deductible
• Generous 403b/retirement program with employer contribution (up to 6% matching)
• 25 days of Paid Time Off (PTO), including holidays
• Competitive Pay
• Annual pay increase
• Employee Referral Bonus
• Life and AD&D Insurance
• Short-term Disability
• Long-term Disability
• Voluntary Life Insurance
• Voluntary A, D & D Insurance
• Voluntary Critical Illness and Accident Insurance
• Voluntary Spouse/Dependent Insurance
• Free Parking
• Sprint Discount
• Verizon Discount
• Dell Computer Discount
• Well Aware Wellness Program
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Emergency Assistance Fund
• FSNA Care Connection - Deep Discounts on diapers and personal care products
• PayActiv - Access to earned but unpaid wages before payday
• Mentor program - Paid mentor orientation and wage increase while serving as a mentor.
• Clothing Benefit Program for Health Services or Facilities Management employees
• Ticketsatwork.com - Discounted travel and entertainment benefit
• Access Perks - Discounted travel and local retailers
• Perfect Presence Attendance Raffle (Quarterly)
• Commuter Benefits
• Pet Insurance

Why join the Felician Sisters of North America?

This is an opportunity to play a vital role in preserving and sharing the history, heritage, and mission of the Felician Sisters. The Archivist will help ensure that generations of correspondence, photographs, documents, recordings, artifacts, and other materials remain preserved, accessible, and meaningful for Sisters, researchers, students, community members, and future generations.

The position offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of archives, history, preservation, education, community engagement, and digital collections while collaborating with both the Felician Sisters of North America and Madonna University.

Visit felician.org to learn more about the Felician Sisters of North America!