Archivist General Public Archives

The Archivist General Public Archives oversees the ICRC’s General Public Archives, supporting research and providing methodological guidance on collections and access. The role involves managing archival collections, supporting digitization projects, and promoting the archives internally and externally.

Responsibilities

• Oversees and develops the fonds and repositories of the General Public Archives, covering the period 1863-1975
• Ensures structure and coherence in the organization of files and series in the fonds of the General Public Archives
• Ensures that every loan made to the General Public Archives is recorded and can be traced
• Contributes to the strategic orientation and development of the General Public Archives services
• Analyses the content of the General Public Archives and creates detailed inventories in accordance with ISAD(G) and RiC rules and standards as well as respective metadata structures and content
• Supports and substitutes the archivist in charge of conservation and preservation to ensure the physical upkeep and longevity of the General Public Archives
• Contributes to discussions and participates in working groups relating to the role, services, needs and plans relating to the General Public Archives as well as the other archives and library services
• Generates statistics and provides qualitative analyses on the use of the General Public Archives
• Supports the preparation of the next opening of classified archives (period covering 1976-1985)
• Handles research queries and provides advice and methodological guidance on the structure, content, context and functioning of the General Public Archives to internal and external users
• Receives researchers and visitors based on the rules governing access to the archives
• Collaborates with colleagues in charge of the other archival holdings and repositories (Tracing Archives, Audiovisual Archives, Classified Archives, Library) and research services of the ICRC
• Contributes towards the development and critical reflection on methodological issues pertaining to the constitution and valorization of the General Public Archives and other archival holdings for scientific and other purposes
• Contributes to the promotion / valorization of the General Public Archives, including through the participation in the Valorization Committee and drafting of blog posts
• Represents and promotes the General Public Archives internally and externally (through presentations, briefings etc.)
• Overviews the finding aids/research tools, in particular by publishing newly described items and reporting issues to the colleague responsible for the Archives Management System
• Identifies series to be digitized in accordance with the prioritization grid: decides which collections are sent for digitization and in what order
• Produces verification files (fichier de récolement) for the most complex series and supervises the production of simpler ones: in particular, ensures that files are named correctly
• Carries out regular follow-up with the digitization operators and participates in the technical committee
• Helps organize the transport and return of series sent for digitization
• Responds to queries from colleagues carrying out quality control
• Coordinates reader requests by updating the table of series sent to digitization and indicating available alternative resources (microfilms, references digitized elsewhere, etc.)
• Identifies series to be processed by OCR/HTR technology to render digitized files machine-readable and, depending on the types of documents, contributes to the drafting of annotation rules and the annotation itself

Requirements

• University degree in archival science, history or other relevant fields
• Minimum 6 to 9 years of professional experience including in managing archives
• Knowledge of ISAD/G and RiC norms for archival description
• Knowledge of practices and trends in archival management and preservation
• Knowledge of archival management systems
• Good knowledge of the history of the ICRC and humanitarian action
• Knowledge of digital humanities an asset
• Fluency in oral and written French and English. Other languages an asset
• Ability to work as part of a team in a multicultural environment
• Sense of initiative and ability to work autonomously
• Rigor and organisational skills
• At ease with communicating with a broad range of audiences
• Good analytical and drafting skills
• Sense of client-service
• Sensitivity to the historical and heritage value of archival documents
• Intellectual curiosity and open mindedness
• High digital literacy

Skills

• Archival Science
• Archives Management
• Archives Preservation
• ISAD/G Norms
• RiC Norms
• Archival Description
• Archival Collection Management Systems
• Digital Humanities
• Historical Research
• Digitization Projects
• Research Support
• Methodological Guidance
• French Language
• English Language
• Drafting Skills
• Client Services
• Digital Literacy
• Organizational Skills

Languages

French, English