89535 - Chief Curator

Job details
Working directly to the CEO, and as a member of the NFSA’s Senior Executive team, the Chief Curator will strengthen the NFSA’s position as a leader in the national and international galleries, libraries, archives and museums (GLAM) sector through thoughtful and innovative approaches to collection, preservation and interpretation. 

The Chief Curator is responsible for: 

• Leading development of the national audiovisual collection
  • Developing and implementing acquisition and accessioning strategies and activities to ensure that the national audiovisual collection is developed sustainably and that it represents the Australian story in all of its complexity and diversity.
  • Maintaining and strengthening trust and relationships with current and potential institutional and private collection donors. 
  • Embracing the opportunities presented by new technology – in terms of audiovisual media production, and to improve the way in which the NFSA develops and cares for the collection.
• Leading communication about the collection and NFSA’s role as a custodian
  • Representing and enhancing the profile of the NFSA, the collection and the NFSA’s custodianship among stakeholders in the audiovisual industries, media, professional networks, peer cultural institutions and practitioners, the education sector, donors, clients and other partners. 
• Collaborating on collection interpretation
  • Maintaining and sharing insightful, in-depth and expert knowledge of the collection.
  • Collaborating with NFSA peers on the development and delivery of institutional programming and publishing activity. 
  • Providing thought leadership in relation to audiovisual creativity and achievement, including reflection on historical impacts as well as anticipating future developments. 
• Collaborating on collection preservation
  • Supporting institutional compliance with international audiovisual archiving standards and contributing to the evolution of these within the NFSA in response to cultural and technological changes. 
  • Overseeing the selection of priority materials for preservation and identifying materials for deselection and disposal in accordance with institutional policies. 
• Leading delivery
  • Managing the Curatorial and Accessioning Section to deliver high quality outcomes that contribute to NFSA goals.
  • Mentoring and developing a skilled curatorial and accessioning workforce that is resilient and meets current and future needs for the NFSA. 
  • Providing accurate and insightful advice and information about the NFSA collection and section activities.
  • Maintaining a commitment to ongoing business improvement. 

Selection criteria
The successful candidate will bring enthusiasm, ideas and a delivery mindset to the role. They will have: 

• A deep knowledge and appreciation of the Australian audiovisual sector, its history and output, key moments and trends.
• Familiarity with key audiovisual creators and stakeholders, eminent and emerging leaders, practitioners and commentators. 
• GLAM sector sensibility, with an understanding of archival practice, research and scholarship. 
• Proven capacity to translate organisational strategy into operation goals in an institutional work environment.
• Outstanding organisational, leadership and project management skills.
• High-level interpersonal, presenting and influencing skills.
• Proven collaborator and a leader of positive cultural change.

Qualifications and experience
The following are desirable for the role:

• Relevant tertiary-level qualifications in a related field.
• Extensive experience in the audiovisual industry, academia or GLAM sector.
• Experience managing large and diverse teams. 
• Proven track record of delivery. 

Location and Employment arrangements
This is a full-time position located in Canberra or Sydney.

This position is offered on an ongoing basis. One-off relocation contribution is available should it be required.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this position you must:

• Be an Australian Citizen
• Satisfactorily complete an Australian Federal Police National Police Check 

Assessment Process
The assessment process for this position will include:

• A written application 
• Interviews, and
• Referee checking

Applications close midnight on 29 March 2024. 

NFSA expects to conduct interviews in April. 

For further information and to apply contact Vanessa Duscio on 0409 977 312 or vanessa@rea-consulting.com, or Richard Evans at REA Consulting on 0417 336 507 or richardevans@rea-consulting.com.

For a copy of the candidate pack, please click link below:

URL: https://www.nfsa.gov.au/chief-curator/candidate-pack 

All enquiries are treated confidentially.

SALARY IS NEGOTIABLE.

NFSA welcomes and encourages applications from people with disability, the LGBTQI+ communities, from Aboriginal and 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.