Archivist

Position Description

The City of Seattle is seeking a dynamic, innovative, and service-oriented individual to serve as the City Archivist (Manager-LEG). This is a Civil Service exempt, regular position in the Office of the City Clerk, a division of the Legislative Department.

As City Archivist, you will manage the Seattle Municipal Archives and the Citywide Records Management programs, and the Information Services unit of the Office of the City Clerk—providing a rich resource of historical information on Seattle city government to the global public, and offering expert internal business support and comprehensive records and information management services to City agencies.

Additionally, you will work to improve archives and records management practices across municipal departments, develop training programs, and guide policy implementation. You will champion electronic records management initiatives and provide expert advice on archives and records management.

The City Archivist role has general administrative responsibility for the development and implementation of these programs and the authority to recommend City‑wide policies and rules related to the management and preservation of records. As a member of the Office of the City Clerk’s leadership team, you will report directly to the City Clerk and collaborate with leadership to carry out the vital historical information services function for City government and the citizens of Seattle.

• Establish, implement, and maintain a strategic plan and governance framework for the City to effectively and efficiently manage public agency records, information, and data regardless of physical format or characteristics, including developing strategies to ensure the collection and long‑ accessibility of public records in all formats.
• Provide management and leadership direction and oversee all core functions for the SMA and CRMP Programs.
• Manage, select, instruct, schedule, train, and evaluate the activities of assigned personnel.
• Assist with staff recruiting and make hire recommendations.
• Lead city‑wide efforts for acquiring, maintaining, and stewarding city archival records.
• Prepare and monitor work plans and prepare annual reporting materials.
• Develop, review, and implement all policies and procedures specific to SMA and CRMP.
• Plan, coordinate, and oversee outreach activities including public programs, presentations, exhibits, newsletters, and other appropriate programs to provide educational services to the city and the general public.
• Engage with community groups, educational institutions, and other relevant organizations to ensure diversity and representation in archival records and preservation.
• Serve as an information and knowledge resource for City government; provide direct reference service to City Council.
• Conduct special projects with City departments, external consultants, agencies, and vendors, and establish high‑level partnerships for sharing Seattle’s history.
• Assess potential records for intake and advise on electronic and born‑digital records storage.
• Identify grant opportunities, write grant applications, and administer grant programs.
• Support programming for disaster preparedness.
• Determine the program’s budgetary and purchasing needs, prepare justifications, and present data to the City Clerk for unit budgets.
• Work with Legislative IT team on technology system replacements for outdated Information Services Systems including current Collective Access migration for legislation and identifying new software for tracking filings.
• Maintain archival technologies and equipment and lead migration to new preservation software and electronic records search portal.
• Develop and present recommendations to the City Clerk and/or City Council members as needed. May require presentation in a public meeting setting. Implement approved recommendations.
• Serve as a member of the Division management and leadership teams.
• Serve on intra‑departmental teams and lead teams as assigned, providing team supervision and project supervision and/or leadership as needed.
• Engage in the core functions of the program as appropriate to the division of labor among staff.
• Serv…