88057 - Audiovisual Conservation Coordinator

The NFSA is looking for a highly motivated and experienced Audiovisual Conservation Coordinator to provide leadership and resource coordination within a team of audiovisual specialists. This role will liaise with internal and external stakeholders to prioritise AV conservation requests and manage internal workflows to prepare material for digitisation. The position will undertake straightforward through to complex AV conservation treatment, support, train and develop staff and support the team to develop and maintain policies and procedures.

In 2021 the NFSA received Federal funding to support a multi-year project to preserve Australia’s audiovisual culture. AudioVisual Australia (AVA) is a commitment to digitise at-risk audio, video and film items held by the NFSA and other National Collecting Institutions (NCIs). This role will contribute to ensuring that at-risk collection materials are appropriately handled and digitised. The Audiovisual Conservation Coordinator will play a critical part in coordinating the preparation of AV materials for the Audiovisual Australia (AVA) Program. This role will work collaboratively with other team leaders in the Collection Digitisation and Collection Management sections to ensure audiovisual material is provided for digitisation workflows and conservation issues are communicated effectively.

The focus of this role is working with the physical audiovisual collection and ensuring the program meets the strategic and operational requirements of the NFSA. A positive, flexible, forward thinking, service-oriented approach is needed to meet the expectations of this position.

Job Details
Under the direction of Team Leader, AV Conservation undertakes the following duties:

• Effectively coordinate, support and supervise the AV Conservation team in order to deliver the strategic and operational requirements of the Conservation team. 
• Assist the Team Leader, Conservation in assigning the workflows, priorities, and quality controls; gathering data and analysing complex technical issues; with the ability to develop procedures which enhance effective and efficient workflows.
• Ensure that Key Performance Indicators can be met by prioritising resources to ensure that internal and external requests are efficiently and effectively serviced.
• Advise staff on preservation practices and procedures and able to take on more complex preservation actions required such as technical selection and research.
• Train staff in routine practices for audiovisual preservation, and the recording of technical information in the NFSA’s collection management systems, including Mediaflex.
• Work with independence, making decisions using specialist knowledge under limited guidance. Problem solves creatively with an understanding of the strategic needs of the team and the organisation.
• Contribute to corporate reporting about the activities and statistics relating to the preservation program and conservation works; and contribute to the development of polices, practices and procedures, in relation to AV conservation.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills are essential. Proven experience and confidence in public speaking and ability to successfully liaise with stakeholders and a wide range of community representatives.

Selection Criteria
The successful candidate will possess the following capabilities: 

1. Well-developed systematic project management and administrative skills, with particular emphasis on workflow management and prioritisation, and demonstrated capacity to coordinate staff resources and to support, train and lead a small team. 
2. In-depth technical skills and abilities, particularly related to audiovisual material, including demonstrated experience in conservation practices and procedures.
3. Proven ability to maintain productive working relationships, liaise effectively and negotiate with internal and external stakeholders through well-developed and clear verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.  
4. Experience with digital systems including collection management systems for the tracking of archival objects and workflows.
5. A strong understanding and practice of Work Health and Safety issues, particularly as they relate to audiovisual collection materials.

Qualifications and/or equivalent experience:

• Tertiary qualifications and/or relevant experience working in a collecting institution, archive and/or audio-visual industry with audiovisual material is desirable.

Location
This position is based on site at the NFSA premises in Acton, Canberra. The nature of the work, location of conservation and digitisation equipment and security requirements for the collection mean that it is expected that the successful applicant will work on premises for the majority of time. The position may also work at the NFSA’s Mitchell ACT storage facilities at times.

Eligibility 
To be eligible for this position you must:

• Be an Australian Citizen; and
• Satisfactorily complete an Australian Federal Police National Police Check.

The other eligibility that may be included in a job would also include the following:

• Obtain and maintain an Australian Government Baseline Security Clearance; and
• Obtain and maintain a Working with Vulnerable People registration.

Assessment Process
The assessment process for this position will include:

• An application of not more than 3 pages outlining your skills, capabilities and experience against the Selection Criteria listed above, and 
• Resume. 

The assessment process may include: 

• Interview; and
• Referee checking.

We welcome and encourage applications from people with disability, the LGBTIQ+ communities, from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia is committed to ensuring a child-safe and child-friendly environment. All employees are expected to demonstrate a commitment to, and support for these principles in theory and practice. 

Contact Officer
Dr Mona Soleymani | Manager, Conservation 
Mona.Soleymani@nfsa.gov.au
6248 2094