Archivist, South Peace Regional Archives, Grande Prairie, AB

Location: Grande Prairie, AB
Compensation: $57,000.00 - $67,000.00 

Organization Homepage (URL)    

The South Peace Regional Archives (SPRA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to gathering, preserving, and sharing the historical records of our region. We add value to people's lives by increasing their understanding and appreciation of the past. The Archives provides access to our records through our public reading room, outreach events, website, and social media. Our dedicated team of staff and volunteers serve an area with a combined population of more than 120,000 people, within the boundaries of Birch Hills County, the City of Grande Prairie, the County of Grande Prairie, the Municipal District of Greenview, the Municipal District of Spirit River, and Saddle Hills County.  The Archives is located in our new facility in Centre 2000, just off the scenic Muskoseepi Park. 

Description and Duties    
Position Details

• Position Title: Archivist
• Position Type: Full time; permanent 
• Hours: 35 hours per week
• Location: Grande Prairie, Alberta 
• Salary Range: $57,000 - $67,000
• Position Closing Date: July 6, 2025
• Tentative Start Date: September 2, 2025
• Direct Supervisor: Executive Director

Position Summary

The South Peace Regional Archives in Grande Prairie Alberta is looking for a skilled and adventurous Archivist to join our team. As part of a small non-profit organization, you will gain direct experience in a range of archival activities and play a leading role in the heritage preservation of our region. You will have a direct impact on the organization. If you want to be part of a small, dynamic, archives team, and help to build and grow your own workspace, we encourage you to apply.  

The purpose of the South Peace Regional Archives Society is to encourage the appreciation and study of the history of the south Peace River Country of Alberta by acquiring, preserving, and making accessible to the public records which reflect the cultural, social, economic and political history of this area. The Archivist at the South Peace Regional Archives provides archival expertise, helps to facilitate access to our holdings, and completes ongoing collections management. Our archivist supports staff, volunteers, members of the board, and the public as well as contributing to the long-term planning and outreach activities of the organization. 

The Archives is located on the ancestral and traditional lands of many Indigenous peoples, including the Cree and Dene within the territory of Treaty 8. The Archivist plays a key role in honouring the Calls for Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  

Responsibilities and Activities

Acquisition. The Archivist draws on extensive knowledge of archival science to acquire authentic records of enduring value related to the south peace region of Alberta, regardless of media.

• Appraises records offered for donation and provides recommendations on whether or not they should be acquired.
• Guides members of the public through the records donation process, advising them on the legal transfer of ownership, and negotiating access and use conditions.
• Maintains the accession register and the accession files.
• Assists in producing and implementing policies and procedures regarding acquisitions.

Preservation. The Archivist supports the mission of the South Peace Regional Archives by maintaining the physical control and permanent preservation of our holdings.

• Evaluates and assigns use and value priorities to the archival holdings, and applies appropriate preservation and conservation measures.
• Performs preservation activities in partnership with other staff and volunteers.
• Examines the records and uses technical knowledge to identify formats and determine specific care and storage requirements.
• Provides assistance and advice to other staff, members of the public, and other institutions on the proper care, handling, and preservation of records of all media.

Arrangement and Description. The Archivist establishes physical and intellectual control of the records according to national archival standards.

• Conducts research regarding records and collections including: the provenance, arrangement, composition, scope, informational content, and internal and external relationships of the records.
• Processes records, and prepares detailed descriptions about the structure, function and content of the records and records creator according to the Canadian Rules of Archival Description.
• Identify and assist in digitization as necessary for public access, including scanning.
• Enter archival descriptions into the database. 
• Produce finding aids.  

Collections Management: The Archivist oversees the care of the holdings of the South Peace Regional Archives. 

• Maintain Archival Database in Access to Memory (AtoM) and AssetCloud.
• Inventory and rehouse the collection as needed.
• Housekeeping and pest management. 
• Environmental monitoring. 

Access: The Archivist assists researchers in accessing the holdings of the South Peace Regional Archives. 

• Provide reference services and research assistance to researchers in the public reading room.
• Provide reference services for remote research requests submitted via phone or email.
• Assists researchers and members of the public, providing access to holdings and advising them with respect to provincial and federal regulations.
• Provide advice on copyright questions regarding the use of archival records.

Awareness. The Archivist works with other staff, other organizations, and community groups to plan and produce programs, materials and events in accordance with the South Peace Regional Archives Society's goals. 

• Work with staff to develops exhibits.
• Provides archival education by conducting workshops, giving presentations, and writing articles for publication.
• Research and write articles for the Archives blog and Telling Our Stories magazine.
• Research and write social media posts and other materials. 
• Participates in provincial and national associations, advisory boards and cross-government initiatives to foster partnerships with various stakeholder groups.

Administration. The Archivist works actively with the Executive Director to help prepare grants, reports, and other administrative functions. The Archivist is responsible for supervising designated projects.

• Assists with preparation of reports for the Board, funding partners, and others.
• Assists in the preparation of grant and funding requests. 

Performance and Evaluation. 

• The Archivist position carries with it a probationary period of three months, during which time employment may be terminated by either party without penalty. 
• A formative evaluation of the Archivist will be conducted by the Executive Director on an annual basis to support the goals of the organization and the individual.
• A summative evaluation will be conducted as needed, and upon the termination of the employee.

Other job-related activities as assigned. 


Qualifications

• A Master's of Archival Studies or a related field is required. A combination of education and experience in an archival setting may be considered. 
• 1-3 years' experience working in an archival setting is required. Experience in project management would be considered an asset.
• Demonstrated experience applying archival theory and practice, including with appraisal and description of records, and collections care. 
• Awareness of Canadian and Alberta history, political climate, and social context in which records were created would be considered an asset. 
• Good understanding of Reconciliation, and the history of settler and Indigenous relations in Canada would be considered an asset. 
• Experience using Access to Memory (AtoM) or other database software to manage collections would be considered a strong asset. 
• Strong organizational skills, including strategic thinking, detail oriented, and having a high level of accuracy.
• Strong oral and written communication skills. 
• Strong interpersonal skills, including teamwork and public service.
• A strong aptitude for independent decision making and acting with initiative.
• A willingness to learn and grow with our organization

In addition to these qualifications, the successful candidate must:

• Be legally entitled to work in Canada.
• Have a valid driver's license.
• Be willing and able to work some flex time or overtime, including evenings and weekends, as required.
• Be willing and able to travel for events, meetings, and training.
• Be able to lift 40lbs/18kg (ex. archival boxes) on a regular basis

How to Apply    

Interested candidates must submit an application (resume and cover letter) by 11:59 pm on July 6, 2025 to be considered for the position. Applications must be sent to South Peace Regional Archives Executive Director, Ellyn Vandekerkhove, via email at Director@SouthPeaceArchives.org. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. 

The South Peace Regional Archives is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, new Canadians, and others who may contribute to the diversity of our organization. 

Application Webpage (URL): https://www.southpeacearchives.org/careers/
Application Deadline: July 6, 2025
Job Poster
Use of AI in Application Process: No