Manager, Collections & Archives – Dikan

Job Description

ABOUT AWO INSTITUTE

Awo Institute is Dikan’s repository and archival institution. It builds and safeguards collections that document African life, history, creativity, and knowledge across photographs, documents, oral histories, music, audiovisual records, books, objects, and born-digital materials. The Institute is responsible for ensuring that these materials are acquired responsibly, preserved to professional standards, described accurately, and made available for research, education, exhibitions, and public learning. As Dikan grows, Awo Institute is building the systems, people, and partnerships required to protect African memory for the long term.

ROLE SUMMARY

The Manager, Collections & Archives is the functional lead for Awo Institute’s collections, archives, digitization, and repository operations. The role holder will set standards, establish policies, direct the work of the team, and ensure that Dikan’s physical and digital holdings remain secure, traceable, well documented, and ready for responsible use. Working closely with the Executive Director, the Manager will shape collection priorities, manage institutional

risks, guide investment in archive systems and equipment, and strengthen Awo Institute’s

capacity to operate at scale. This is a senior, hands-on management role for a disciplined

leader who can combine professional stewardship with practical delivery.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Collections Leadership & Governance

• Set the direction, policies, standards, and annual priorities for acquisitions, accessioning, cataloguing, preservation, digitization, rights, and access

• Advise the Executive Director on collection opportunities, risks, resource needs, technology choices, and long-term repository development

• Ensure ownership, provenance, donor terms, consent, copyright, restrictions, and custodial responsibilities are properly documented and observed

Collections Management & Preservation

• Direct the receipt, registration, storage, movement, inventory, audit, and retrieval of all physical and digital collection materials

• Establish preservation priorities and coordinate conservation, environmental monitoring, security, and emergency response

• Maintain effective controls for fragile, rare, confidential, culturally sensitive, restricted, and high-value materials

Digitization & Repository Systems

• Lead digitization strategy, production planning, quality control, backlog reduction, equipment use, and digital preservation

• Set standards for capture quality, Jile formats, naming, metadata, storage, backup, recovery, and long-term Jile management

• Guide the selection and implementation of collection management, archive description, preservation, and public access systems

Cataloguing, Metadata & Access

• Own the classification, cataloguing, metadata, Jinding aids, and documentation standards that make collections discoverable and usable

• Ensure physical holdings, database records, and digital Jiles remain accurate, consistent, and fully traceable

• Govern access, reproduction, licensing, and internal use in line with legal, ethical, donor, community, and preservation requirements

Team Leadership & Institutional Coordination

• Build and lead the collections and archives team, with clear roles, performance standards, work plans, and professional development

• Coordinate collections work with research, education, exhibitions, conservation, technology, facilities, partnerships, and communications teams

• Represent Awo Institute in approved discussions with collection owners,

communities, universities, cultural institutions, funders, and technical partners

• Supervise digitization technicians, archive assistants, cataloguing assistants, interns, and volunteers

Planning, Performance & Reporting

• Prepare departmental plans, budgets, project schedules, procurement requirements, and resource priorities

• Maintain clear reporting on repository growth, processing, digitization, metadata quality, access, backlogs, risks, and team performance

• Ensure grant-funded and partner-supported archive projects meet agreed standards, timelines, budgets, and reporting obligations

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE•

Degree or recognised professional training in Archives, Library and Information

Science, Museum Studies, Heritage Management, History, Information Management, or a related Jield; equivalent applied experience may be considered

• 6-10 years of progressive experience in archives, collections, museums, libraries, digitization, cultural heritage, or a related Jield, including at least 3 years leading people, projects, or a function

• Proven experience establishing or improving collection policies, workJlows,

documentation, digitization, metadata, preservation, or repository systems

• Strong working knowledge of accessioning, cataloguing, digital preservation, rights management, storage, risk control, and responsible access

• Experience managing teams, budgets, service providers, technical projects, and competing institutional priorities

• Strong judgement, integrity, record-keeping discipline, and the ability to build reliable systems in a growing organisation

• Demonstrated respect for African history, cultural ownership, community trust, and Dikan’s mission; experience in an African cultural or knowledge institution is strongly preferred

To apply, send your CV and a motivation letter to people@dikancenter.org by July 20, 2026.