Job: Chief Archivist (Open Society Archives, Budapest)

Chief Archivist
Open Society Archives, Budapest

The Open Society Archives (OSA) is a private, historical and human rights
archive and research institute, which was established and endowed by
investor and philanthropist George Soros in 1995. Its collections comprise the
archives of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty - one of the largest Cold War archives
in the world - documents of various important human rights organizations
and those of the worldwide Soros Foundations network, totaling almost 5,000
linear meters of textual materials, which are complemented by more than
40,000 periodical and library items, electronic records and a rapidly
growing audio-visual reference collection. 

The Open Society Archives is an integral part of Central European University, a graduate teaching
and research university, located in Budapest, Hungary and chartered as
a degree-granting institution in the United States. The Archives serves
the multi-cultural student body and faculty of CEU as well as visiting
scholars and researchers from all over the world. Also, consistent with
its mission to contribute to the development of open societies in Central
and Eastern Europe and in countries of the former Soviet Union by opening
up research resources and promoting human rights and informational rights
issues, OSA actively supports archival projects and research into recent
history worldwide by means of its grant-giving scheme.

OSA is now seeking a full time Chief Archivist to supervise and coordinate
the professional team of 30 that is responsible for looking after and
describing the holdings and providing access to them, as well as developing
and promoting the increased scientific and public use of the Archives.
The post-holder will be involved in project planning, collections and
reference service management and development, as well as representing
OSA at renowned events.

Required skills/Qualifications: The successful candidate will have a
university degree related to work in a historical and human rights archive.
The Chief Archivist is expected to be qualified and experienced in diverse
fields of the archival profession and archive management. OSA is seeking
a person with professional and human integrity, with knowledge and
experience in the fields of history and/or human rights. S/he will need to demonstrate
relevant professional contacts, extensive knowledge of the latest archival
information technology, good knowledge of electronic records management,
and good communications skills. Fluency in written and oral English and
command of at least one major language of the Central- Eastern European
region is a requirement. Leadership and management qualities are expected
to be backed by a track record in relevant professional fields, such as
the successful digitizing of projects, innovative reference services,
in-depth understanding of archival processing, description, records
management, disaster planning, etc.

Salary/Benefits: Competitive European salary and benefits will be
commensurate with experience.
Employees who are not citizens or permanent residents of Hungary are
required to obtain a work permit. The Central European University will assist the
successful candidate in obtaining the required permits. The compensation
package is subject to Hungarian tax regulations.

Starting date: October 1, 2002

Applications: Letter of application, with a CV and the names and addresses
of two referees, should be sent to the Director of the Open Society Archives
c/o Eszter Kotsis at the address below.

Applications should reach the Human Resources Office by June 30, 2002.
OSA/CEU is an equal opportunity employer.
Eszter Kotsis
Human Resources Office of Central European
University
H-1051 Budapest,
Nador u. 9.
Fax: +36 1 235 6135
e-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.osa.ceu.hu



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