TERMS OF REFERENCE: ARCHIVES ASSISTANT

The Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development (EJS Center) was founded in 2018 to be a catalyst for political and social change across Africa by helping unleash its most abundant latent power — its women. The Center aims to amplify the voice of women and girls in all spheres of life by increasing the representation of women in public service leadership roles in Africa. Through a unique blend of programming, advocacy, archival research, and museum exhibitions, the EJS Center seeks to become a premier institution dedicated to advancing and sustaining women’s political and social development on the continent.

The EJS Center is seeking to hire an Archives Assistant to assist the team in securing former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s personal and presidential archives and making them available to multiple audiences for research and education purposes. Our goal is that once this work is complete, processed, and cataloged, it will be used by students, scholars, development and economic policy analysts, foreign policy analysts, public health policy analysts, war and peace negotiation analysts, journalists, and economists for years to come.

Position Title: Archives Assistant
Position Legal Status: Full time for six months (possible extension based on performance) Position Location: Monrovia, Liberia
Report To: Lead Archivist
Target Start Date: As soon as possible

JOB SUMMARY

The Archives Assistant is responsible for assisting in assembling, preserving, digitizing, and managing the EJS Center Archives Collection, including historical documents, videos, audio, and memorabilia. The archives assistant will report directly to the EJS Center Archivist and work with a team including additional stakeholders of the EJC Center.

SPECIFIC DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the direction of the Lead Archivist, responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Works with the Center archivist in sorting, organizing, and providing access to collections.

• Provide support with the physical organization, lifting of, and shelving of materials.

• Perform routine preservation of the collections.

• Assist with the development of standard work forms and archives policy documents.

• Maintain accessible, retrievable computer archives and databases. 1

• Organize, catalog, and label archival materials.

• Sort and scan materials according to professional archival protocols.

• Support archives staff with basic clerical work and refiling.

• Maintain a high level of confidentiality regarding archival documents and materials.

• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Lead Archivist.

  QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

  The ideal candidate will fit the profile below:

  Education

• Bachelor’s degree is required; Masters or another advanced degree in a relevant field (History, Sociology, Political Science, or Library Science) is an advantage.

Experience and Skills

• Experience in museums or archives is preferred but not required.

• Strong work ethic and ability to work well as a part of a team.

• Strong written communication skills.

• Ability to follow directions and work independently.

• Excellent attention to detail.

• Excellent computer skills, especially proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office applications

  (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).

• Excellent research and analytical skills.

• Ability to execute tasks with confidentiality, integrity, and professionalism

• Prior archives or library experience is a plus.

  To apply, submit (1) a cover letter highlighting why you should be considered and (2) a CV to: info@ejscenter.org applications will be reviewed as they are received. Please quote the position title above in the email’s subject.

  Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted with further instructions.

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