The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) is the premier independent statewide institution responsible for collecting, examining, and teaching Georgia history. GHS houses the oldest and most distinguished collection of materials related exclusively to Georgia history in the nation. To learn more, go to www.georgiahistory.com.

Position Summary: The role of the Special Collections Director is to lead, plan, manage, and oversee a private library and archival collection and to ensure high-quality archival and reference services to patrons.  The Special Collections Director works closely with the President/CEO, Executive Vice President/COO, VP of Programs and Education, and the Director of Finance and Administration to ensure that the work in the library and archives is in keeping with the culture and strategic goals and objectives of the institution. As a GHS senior leader, this position will cultivate a positive and collaborative culture leading by example, fostering an environment of communication and accountability, and complying with institutional mandates. 

Responsibilities Include (incumbent may perform other duties as assigned):

Manage and Support Staff (through comprehensive oversight of human resources functions: recruitment, onboarding, training, retention, motivation, performance evaluation, and, when necessary, performance management.)

Percentage of Role - 35%:      

• Develop and implement a structured onboarding and training program to ensure all new Research Center staff are effectively introduced to Georgia Historical Society (GHS) policies, procedures, tools, and systems. This includes initial orientation, role-specific instruction, and ongoing mentorship.
• Ensure all team members are well-versed in GHS’s policies and procedures, including but not limited to collection processing, reference services, digital asset management, and preservation best practices.
• Lead regular staff meetings to share updates, reinforce expectations, and foster open communication and collaboration.
• Monitor individual and team performance to ensure productivity and accountability, aligning work with institutional goals and established processing metrics.
• Work collaboratively with senior leadership and Human Resources to address staffing issues, provide performance feedback, and guide professional growth.
• Partner with GHS senior leaders to establish, communicate, and uphold processing and service delivery standards, holding staff accountable for meeting deadlines, productivity, and quality benchmarks.
• Create and maintain a continuous professional development framework for all Research Center staff. This involves identifying and addressing skill gaps, offering regular internal training sessions on library and archival standards, and researching and encouraging participation in workshops, webinars, and conferences relevant to their roles.

Service and System Lead

Percentage of Role - 25%:      

Patron Services

• Lead the delivery of high-quality reference and information services to researchers, patrons, and staff.
• Ensure consistency and excellence in public service by maintaining up-to-date procedures and service standards.
• Coordinate and present special programs, instructional activities, and outreach efforts to broaden access to GHS resources statewide.
• Manage donor and patron interactions related to research and collections access in collaboration with development staff when appropriate.
• Evaluate and recommend system or workflow improvements to enhance user experience and operational efficiency. 

Collection Development

• Oversee the growth, organization, and preservation of GHS's archival and library holdings, including manuscripts, rare books, microfilm, artifacts, and digital resources.
• Develop and monitor strategic collection goals and work plans that align with the institution’s mission.
• Supervise the application of best practices for cataloging, processing, preservation, and storage of materials.
• Evaluate collection strengths and gaps, making recommendations for acquisitions and deaccessions accordingly.
• Maintain and analyze usage data and collection statistics to guide strategic planning and reporting.

Accessions

• Direct the intake, documentation, and processing of new acquisitions and donations in accordance with archival standards.
• Ensure accession records are accurate, complete, and integrated into the appropriate systems and databases.
• Coordinate with donors, staff, and external partners to assess the historical value and relevance of potential acquisitions.
• Create and maintain clear workflows, tools, and procedures for managing new accessions.
• Train and supervise staff in proper accessioning techniques to ensure consistency, accountability, and preservation standards are met.

Facilities Maintenance

Percentage of Role - 15%:      

• In coordination with the Director of Finance and Administration, work with others in the development, repair, and maintenance of the Research Center ensuring leadership is apprised of the condition of the building.
• Make recommendations as to the priority of maintenance projects.
• Develop strategic facility goals with senior management.
• As needed, monitor construction and renovation projects that support strategic goals.
• Provide monthly environmental and pest control reporting to leadership.
• Conduct an annual risk assessment updated in conjunction with the Director of Finance and Administration to ensure the proper slating of immediate, short, and long-term structural, storage and access repairs and updates for all archival facilities.

Collaboration and Reporting

Percentage of Role - 10%:      

• Work closely with senior leadership to plan and establish long-term goals and strategic objectives for the Research Center, ensuring alignment with the Georgia Historical Society’s (GHS) overall mission and institutional priorities.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the Research Center and executive leadership, advocating for departmental needs and communicating progress, challenges, and resource requirements.
• Lead the preparation and submission of detailed narrative and statistical reports for internal and external audiences, including the Board of Curators, President/CEO, Executive Vice President/COO, and external funding agencies. Reports may include metrics on collection development, patron usage, processing benchmarks, and staff productivity.
• Provide administrative and logistical support to the Board of Curators by coordinating meeting agendas, preparing written reports and updates, and facilitating the implementation of board-approved policies and initiatives.
• Communicate Research Center developments to senior management on a regular basis through written updates, dashboards, and verbal briefings.
• Utilize a range of productivity and reporting platforms to collect, organize, and present information effectively, including:
  • Microsoft Excel for data tracking, metrics, and statistical analysis
  • SharePoint for document sharing, version control, and collaborative project documentation
  • Asana for project management tracking, assigning, and reporting
  • Microsoft Teams and Outlook for internal communication and meeting coordination
  • Word and PowerPoint for preparing written narratives and presentation materials for leadership and board-level reporting

Finance and Budget

Percentage of Role - 10%:      

Draft or review proposals, solicitations, fundraising promotional materials, grant reports, etc., related to funds for the Research Center as needed. Make recommendations for the annual departmental budget and present and articulate budget requests. Administer and control the expenditure of departmental fund allocations within the constraints of approved budgets. Oversee the collection of fees and charges.

Technology and Compliance Oversight

Percentage of Role - 5%:        

• Oversee the administration of copyright compliance and enforcement of contractual obligations related to the use, access, reproduction, and distribution of archival and library materials. Ensure all activities align with legal standards and institutional policies.
• Supervise the application and ongoing maintenance of technologies used to deliver and enhance Research Center services, ensuring tools are effectively integrated into daily workflows and meet the needs of both staff and patrons.
• Provide oversight for the continual development and content management of the Research Center’s web page, ensuring it functions as a dynamic platform for service delivery, information exchange, research support, and public outreach.
• Ensure that the Research Center's online presence supports discoverability and public access to collections, as well as compliance with institutional branding and accessibility standards.
• Manage the use of ArchivEra (for archival collections) and EOS (for library collections) as the Research Center’s systems of record for collection management. Responsibilities include system configuration oversight, data integrity, staff training, and process improvement related to cataloging, accessioning, and accessing.

Supervisory responsibilities: This position directly supervises archival staff, reference staff, interns, and volunteers. The position may work closely with consultants including conservators and appraisers as needed.

Qualifications:

Knowledge, skills and abilities:

Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of both archival (primary source) and library (secondary source) functions, including collection development, access, reference services, and preservation. Demonstrated ability to administer and oversee the daily and strategic activities of a library and archives, including the supervision of staff, prioritization of competing tasks, and effective resource management. Proven ability to establish and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with senior leaders, colleagues, subordinates, public officials, donors, and the general public. Exceptional personal and communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with diverse audiences including researchers, donors, stakeholders, board members, and community partners. In-depth knowledge of current archival arrangement and description standards (such as DACS, EAD) and relevant library descriptive standards (such as MARC, RDA), as well as practical knowledge of computer standards and software applications used in archival and library environments. Experience with collection care protocols, including pest remediation strategies and implementation. Must be able to assess risks, coordinate with pest control professionals, and carry out mitigation procedures while preserving the integrity of affected materials. Ability to work independently and handle highly sensitive or confidential material in a secure, ethical, and professional manner. Willingness and ability to attend evening or weekend events as required for outreach, programming, or donor relations. Active participation in professional archival or library associations (such as SAA, ALA, or regional equivalents) and a demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional development in areas such as archival studies, library science, preservation, conservation, public administration, and training. Must demonstrate initiative, sound judgment, discretion, and foresight, and the ability to remain composed and effective under pressure or in high-stakes situations.

Education: Master's Degree in Library Science from an accredited college or university with archival concentration preferred. Candidates with a Business degree in addition are highly preferred.

Experience: A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible library, archival, museum, and exhibitory experience including at least six years in a supervisory capacity and five years in the supervision of a major department in a large archival facility or as a director of a smaller one.  Education and experience with archival collections is highly preferred. Experience working in a historical society or special collections library is preferred.

Physical Requirements:

Must have the ability to alternate between sitting and standing for extended periods and walking and standing frequently.  Must be able to reach with hands and arms, lift and carry objects up to 50 pounds occasionally, and use hands to manipulate objects including a keyboard/mouse and GHS collection material.  Must have good vision and hearing to perform tasks like reading documents and communicating with colleagues, donors, patrons, and the general public in person and over the phone. Must be able to ascend and descend ladders while carrying objects, ascend and descend stairs and work in semi-confined spaces. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required to reach, stoop, and kneel to reach materials at various angles and locations occasionally. Must provide staff support with an annual event requiring additional work hours and advanced walking, standing, reaching, lifting, and carrying materials.  This annual event will require an ability to hear accurately to interact with the public, demonstrate clarity of vision, judge distance and space relationships, and identify and distinguish colors.