The USOPC Archivist & Collections Curator is responsible for collecting and preserving the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s history, serving as the USOPC’s steward of archived assets. This position runs the operations of the state-of-the-art archives that track, process, inventory, and retrieve the USOPC’s history. Central themes of the role include fulfilling domestic and international requests for information or resources, actuating loans, collaborating with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, and curating Olympic & Paralympic exhibits when requested.
Duties & Responsibilities
Existing Archives
- Maintain the system of collection and organization of the archived assets in the USOPC’s possession, and continuously upload contents into a digital medium that can be accessed and utilized by USOPC staff.
- Evaluate the value of archived assets and ensure they are properly insured, stored, and cared for to preserve and exist in perpetuity, while effectively managing the budget to support the care of these items. Manage deaccession of materials that do not adhere to archives collection policy.
- Maintain the system for loaned assets from the USOPC’s archives and artifacts on display. Fulfill research requests for both internal and external users as appropriate, which may include fee-based and free loan services.
- Assess photo inventory and determine ownership and rights for usage while digitizing hard copies of photos to the digital archives photo library.
- Facilitate identification of artifacts for loans of archival materials to national historic institutions and USOPC corporate sponsors as requested. Supervise the packing, shipping, and tracking of all artifacts loaned to and from requesting parties.
- Complete assessment of current archived assets and determination of missing pieces necessary to complete important historical moments in U.S. and international Olympic and Paralympic history. Conduct inventories of holdings every 5-10 years to maintain intellectual control of archives.
- Create strategy to collect missing items in archives collection as well as future acquisition of resources to best tell the story of U.S. Olympians and Paralympians, the Olympic and Paralympic movements, and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
- Adhere to a collection development policy that fulfills the mission of the archives to capture and preserve the history of the Olympic and Paralympic movements in the United States.
- Review all prospective donations to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum as part of the agreement between the USOPC and the USOPM. Accession the appropriate donations that pertain to the USOPC’s collection policy or that the USOPM deems relevant to its exhibits.
- Foster and maintain relationships with major USOPC stakeholders and donors to deepen donor engagement experiences with the USOPC, instill confidence in the USOPC’s historical stewardship, and encourage continued support of the USOPC.
- Assist and collaborate with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum on exhibit creation and upkeep, gallery reviews, artifacts for display, donations and loans, donor relations, historical material review, and daily operations.
- Assist USOPC HQ facilities with office image requests in USOPC headquarters to maintain oversight of athlete image use within the USOPC headquarters building and ensure cost-effectiveness, image licensing rights, and image integrity.
- Provide support, historical analysis, and design assistance for USOPC staff, buildings, and projects. Collaborate with appropriate USOPC divisions accordingly.
- Facilitate requests between the public and the USOPC legal marks approval system regarding use of Olympic and Paralympic imagery used for publication, in exhibits, for editorial purposes, and for professional purposes.
- Manage annual budget of the USOPC Archives to afford maximum protection and preservation of assets, facilitate growth of archives, and meet staffing requirements.
- Design and curate exhibits and displays of archival materials in the USOPC Colorado Springs Visitor Center, USOPC Headquarters, and Colorado Springs and Lake Placid Olympic & Paralympic Training Centers. Curate temporary displays at USOPC functions as requested by USOPC departments in support of Team USA.
- Lead tours of the Archives for Team USA athletes, major donors, sponsors, VIPs, and community organizations to enhance knowledge and awareness of the mission and holdings of the Archives, facilitate donations to the Archives, and encourage donations and financial support to the USOPC.
- Stay up-to-date in education and knowledge of historic and contemporary issues related to the Olympic & Paralympic movements and adjust accordingly in acquiring or highlighting USOPC archived assets. Support research initiatives that benefit the USOPC and Olympic and Paralympic movements.
- Oversee temporary employees, student apprentices, and volunteers to maintain operations of the USOPC Archives. Oversee projects, provide training in archival practices, and provide leadership of archives team.
Support the following programs, divisions, and properties:
- International Olympic Committee and Museum
- International Paralympic Committee
- S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum
- S. National Governing Bodies
- S. Bid Cities
- S. Olympians & Paralympians Association
- S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame
- USOPC Development division
- USOPC Events & Logistics division
- USOPC Partners (sponsors, broadcasters, licensees, outfitters, etc.)
- USOPC Media and Broadcasting divisions
Minimum Qualifications Required
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Library and Information Science, Museum Studies, or History/Archiving required
- Master’s Degree preferred
- Certified Archivist – current or to be completed during first year of employment
- 4+ years of experience in archiving and curating
- Strategic planning and creating and/or maintaining archival systems
- Knowledge of Olympic and/or Paralympic sports
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
- Computer experience with associated software necessary for the successful execution of duties, such as spreadsheet, presentation software, word processing, scanning software, digitization processes, cataloging software, database management and web content management
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Must possess strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with diverse populations, including athletes, coaches, administrative staff, physicians, volunteers and other medical personnel
- Proven ability to independently take appropriate action and make sound decisions within scope of authority
- Ability to deal with non-routine matters and special projects with either minimum or specific instruction
- Exhibit a working knowledge of U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s operations, organizational procedures and personnel
- Demonstrate accountability and transparency in producing quality, error-free materials that are consistent with USOPC expectations as a steward of the Olympic & Paralympic movements
- Ability to travel when required
- Standard office equipment
- Office environment on multi-building site
- Personal computer, peripherals, and related software
- Office environment in multi-story building
- Prolonged sitting and use of hands/wrists
Colorado Springs Downtown Headquarters
Salary Range:
$68,854 - $87,445 per year