OFFICE OF THE MISSOURI SECRETARY OF STATE
Vacancy Notice
To our applicants with disabilities: If you need assistance with this
or any phase of the employment process, please contact our Human
Resources Division at (573) 526-7319. Reasonable attempts will be made
to accommodate your needs.
POSITION TITLE
STARTING SALARY
STATE ARCHIVIST
Range: $5,635 - $6,802 /month
Salary will be commensurate with education and experience
LOCATION
DEPARTMENT/DIVISION
KIRKPATRICK STATE INFORMATION CENTER
600 West Main
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Records Services Division
Definition
The State Archivist is responsible for the operations of the Records
Services Division of the Office of the Secretary of State, comprised of
the Missouri State Archives, Records Management, and the Local Records
Preservation Program. The individual must be a quality person who
relates well to others and is a solid leader. The mission of the
Archives is to foster an appreciation of Missouri history and to
illuminate contemporary public issues by preserving and making available
the state's permanent records to its citizens and their government. The
Records Management program formulates policy for the retention and
disposition of state records, manages the storage of inactive records in
the state records center, and assists agencies in the reformatting of
records in paper, microfilm, and digital media. The Local Records
Program manages the conservation lab, oversees an extensive statewide
Archives field operation benefiting executive, judicial, and municipal
offices, and administers a grant program.
In the last few years, the Records Services Division has initiated a
number of important projects. One of the most successful is Missouri's
landmark online Death Records Project which provides information to
countless family historians and researchers worldwide. The African
American History Initiative is designed to stimulate interest in African
American History through educational projects and the promotion of broad
awareness of the holdings of the Missouri State Archives. The Archives
has commenced a major Civil War initiative, which includes indexing of
and access to hundreds of thousands of Civil War military records and a
multi-year project on previously unknown Civil War circuit court cases.
The Archives played a significant role in the bicentennial commemoration
of the Lewis and Clark expedition. The nationally recognized St. Louis
Circuit Court Records Project, which began as a traditional archival
project, is now part of a complex consortium and has been named a Save
America's Treasures Project and a We the People Project by the National
Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The Records Management program will
be promoting a more aggressive training program for state agencies and
deploying new Records Management software to automate the scheduling and
records accessioning process, and allowing agencies to add retention
periods to electronically stored records.
The Missouri Digital Heritage Initiative
<http://www.sos.mo.gov/digitalheritage> , a partnership between the
Missouri State Library and the Records Services Division, has been
funded by the Missouri General Assembly and will begin in fiscal year
2008. The Records Management's imaging unit is taking the lead in this
exciting new program that will dramatically expand Missouri historical
information available via the Internet.
General Responsibilities:
* Lead and successfully develop strong working relationships with
a capable and diverse team of highly motivated individuals.
* Develop and maintain quality working relationships with public
officials at virtually all levels of government, including county and
municipal office holders, legislators, and other statewide elected
officials.
* Establish standards, procedures, and techniques for the
effective management of Missouri's Archives and Records Management
programs.
* Ensure compliance with all statutory requirements (RSMo 109) as
they apply to the Records Services Division of the Office of the
Secretary of State.
* Develop budget requests for the legislature and monitor
expenditures according to budget allocations of multiple funds and
appropriations and recommend and/or initiate cost saving measures.
* Promote the Missouri State Archives and Records Services
Division through public speaking, writing, and other professional
activities.
* Serve as ex-officio member of the State Records Commission,
Local Records Board, and Friends of the Missouri State Archives Board;
serve as coordinator for the Missouri Board on Geographic Names. The
Secretary of State relies on the State Archivist to manage and address
all issues pertaining to the Missouri Historical Records Advisory Board.
* Serve as the Secretary of State's liaison to historical
societies; federal, state, and local agencies; educational institutions;
and professional historical and archival and records management
organizations, e.g., NAGARA.
* Lead all ongoing efforts to develop new sources of funding from
donors and potential donors and in solicitation of grants and corporate
sponsorships for Archives and Records Management.
* Prepare an annual report for the governor and legislature
describing the status and progress of programs.
* Supervise the creation and display of exhibits and
regularly-scheduled public programming.
* Utilize new technologies to maintain efficient records
management and promote access to historical documents.
* Recruit volunteers for in-house volunteer program with projects
such as the Missouri Death Records Project and the Docent Program, which
gives tours to approximately 4,700 Missouri schoolchildren each year in
conjunction with the historical performance Archives Alive! Work with
institutions of higher learning on applied archival studies internships
and practica.
KNOWLEDGE, Skills, AND ABILITIES:
* Awareness and appreciation of archival and records management
standards and emerging technologies, principles, and techniques that
have an impact on the retention, care, and preservation of records.
* Demonstrated knowledge of American History required and
knowledge of Missouri History desirable.
* Ability to interpret and communicate information regarding
records issues and historical information.
* Demonstrated ability to express ideas clearly, both orally and
in writing.
* Strong organizational skills.
* Ability to develop short and long-range plans and strategies
that promote the Records Services Division while complementing and
advancing the mission and vision of the Secretary of State.
Qualifications:
A Ph.D. in American History, or a related field, is preferred. Minimum
education requirement is a Master of Arts in American History, or a
related field.
Progressively responsible experience in a historical agency or a records
management/archives environment.
VISION ESSAY:
Applicants should provide a short essay, of no more than 1500 words,
expressing the applicant's understanding of leadership as well as their
vision for the direction, guidance, and administration of the Records
Services Division, based on its current strengths and weaknesses as
articulated in the Records Services Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2006 (
http://www.sos.mo.gov/records/arfy2006/).
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
The Records Services Division's web pages can be found at
http://www.sos.mo.gov/. You will find the Director's report
<http://www.sos.mo.gov/records/arfy2006/fy06_annual_report.pdf>
(Records Services Annual Report Fiscal Year 2006), which outlines in
significant detail many of the ongoing projects in Archives.
The Missouri Digital Heritage Initiative information flyer can be found
at http://www.sos.mo.gov/digitalheritage.
SOS staff will be at the July NAGARA conference in Kansas City to meet
with potential candidates. Interested individuals are welcome to
arrange to visit with SOS representatives personally before applying.
Candidates with confidential inquiries and additional requests for
information, including tours of the facility, may address requests to:
John Beakley, Director, Human Resources Division
Office of the Secretary of State
P.O. Box 1767
Jefferson City, MO 65102
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(573)751-3996
Posting Period: Position posted June 1, 2007. The minimum posting
period will end July 27, 2007.
After the minimum posting period, the
position may be closed to new applicants and filled at any time.
Application Procedures: Application materials (cover letter,
resume, vision statement, completed application (
http://www.sos.mo.gov/jobs/sos-jobapp1.pdf )) may be mailed to:
Attention: State Archivist, Deanne Aholt-Human Resources, Office of the
Secretary of State, P.O. Box 1767, Jefferson City, MO 65102. EOE.
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
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