About Collection Access and Family History
The Collection Access and Family History Unit sits within the Partnerships and Engagement Group. The Unit manage services and policies for culturally appropriate access to the AIATSIS collection and Indigenous family history research.

About the Role
The Director of Collection Access and Family History is a pivotal role for AIATSIS, providing strategic direction and leadership to the two units and undertaking work with a high level of complexity and/or sensitivity pertaining to access and use of collection material within a major specialist collection agency. The successful candidate is expected to apply and maintain an extensive understanding of the role and responsibilities of the agency, incorporating a comprehensive understanding of the agency’s impact on the wider political and community context in which it operates and be effective, versatile and action oriented. The Director Collection Access and Family History reports to the Executive Director of Partnerships and Engagement Group.
Key responsibilities of the role include:

• leading and managing staff resources for the effective and efficient operations of the two units.
• overall strategic management of culturally appropriate services in facilitating collection access and use, reference and family history services aligned to conditional and Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property requirements, policies, and legislation.
• influencing and developing strategy, policies, priorities and operational practices and activities in support of AIATSIS objectives relating to the discoverability and accessibility of the Collection.
• provision of high level expert advice on professional, technical and administrative matters regarding access and use requirements of the AIATSIS collection.
• provision of high level written reports on the Directorate’s strategic plans and operational activities includes statistical reports, briefs, submissions, agreements, and more complex correspondence.
• participation and contribution to various network and stakeholder meetings, forums, conferences etc.
• overall management of the AIATSIS owned nationally accredited Certificate IV course to ensure compliance with Australian Skills Quality Authority regulations.
• overall management of specific projects, budgets and funding agreements, ensuring staffing requirements met and budget managed appropriately.
• maintaining and building good relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.

Key relationships:

• Executive Director for Partnership & Engagements Group, Collections Services Group and Strategy and Operations Group.
• Collection Services Management team – Collaborate and provide advice to contribute to strategic and operational decision making with other Directors in Partnerships and Engagement Group and Collections Services Group.
• Senior Management team - Collaborate and contribute to strategic and operational decision making with other Directors within AIATSIS.
• Direct reports (Collection Access and Family History unit Assistant Directors) –lead, direct, manage and support performance and development.
• Stakeholders (internal) – liaise with and coordinate information between stakeholders and Executive Director Collections Services.
• Stakeholders (external) – (government and community organisations, libraries and cultural institutions) provide sound and reliable advice, manage expectations, resolve, and provide solutions to issues, negotiate outcomes and timeframes.

Our Ideal Candidate
To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate respect for diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, and possess a high level of cultural capability in order to lead and champion an authentic and respectful interest and engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, policy and peoples. You will come with the following skills, experience and attributes:

• demonstrated understanding of the role of a major specialist collection in meeting the needs of Indigenous people and researchers and the particular demands of such a collection including understanding of the challenges posed by Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights and the concerns of Indigenous peoples when facilitating access to material which contains Indigenous cultural heritage.
• proven ability to shape strategic thinking, provide strategic advice, along with the ability to solve complex issues and translate strategy into operational goals.
• demonstrated ability and experience in managing programs, including budgets.
• knowledge of systems pertaining to management of collection material, including its discoverability and accessibility.
• proven ability to lead and inspire a team through excellent people management and leadership, commitment to organisational culture and resilience and capability to manage competing priorities, in a changing environment.
• proven skill and experience in cultivating and nurturing productive working relationships, facilitating cooperation by fostering teamwork, resolving conflict using appropriate strategies, display integrity and professionalism and a commitment to achieving results.
• demonstrated ability to communicate with influence. Strong interpersonal, negotiation, liaison and collaborative skills evidenced in interactions with internal and external clients.
• relevant degree and/or demonstrated experience and skills working with major cultural heritage collections in a library or archive context. May include experience in engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to facilitate management of, and access to cultural knowledge.

Cultural Capability
Roles at AIATSIS require candidates to understand the issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and proven culturally appropriate engagement and communications skills. The nature of this role requires the candidate to consistently demonstrate the following specific cultural capabilities:

• understands Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures; identifies issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
• builds and strengthens relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
• understands Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business within AIATSIS and the outcomes the agency is responsible for delivering.
• understand culturally sensitive issues around access materials.

AIATSIS embodies Yindyamarra1 in everything we do.
Yindyamarra is a shared Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal word meaning honour and respect. More broadly it implies thoughtfulness, graciousness and kindness.

What we offer

We understand that you will work best when you have a healthy work-life balance and can attend to your family commitments. That is why we offer,

• great salary conditions
• 15.4% Superannuation
• competitive leave entitlements, including 20 days annual leave, 18 days personal leave, Cultural, ceremonial and NAIDOC leave, up to 18 weeks parental leave, and the ability to purchase extra leave.
• health benefits including, reimbursements for health promotion activities, eye health and flu vaccinations.
• for eligible employees, generous study leave, course fee and materials assistance, to undertake relevant accredited study.
• paid leave during end of year shutdown
• flexible working conditions

Contact
If you have any questions about the role, you can contact Jason Lyons on 6261 4271 or [email protected]