Repository Specialist

Full job description

Type: Permanent

Hours: Full time

Location: Flexible – Preference for Lower South Island

Business Group: Access and Collection Care

Branch: Archives and National Library

Salary: Salary: $+2,425 - $115,018

Preserve the Past and Protect the Future of Aotearoa’s Collections

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha o ngā hau e whā, nau mai, haere mai.

Greetings to the many authorities, voices, and experts of the world.

As Repository Specialist, you will help safeguard New Zealand’s documentary heritage through the effective management of our storage repositories. This is a specialist role focused on the long-term preservation, accessibility and environmental stability of collections held across multiple locations. While the role location is flexible, we’re particularly interested in hearing from candidates based in or open to relocating to the lower South Island, given the current and future needs of our storage sites.

You’ll provide expert guidance on repository operations, lead planning for current and future storage needs, and oversee improvements to repository systems and practices. The role involves close collaboration with conservation, property, and facilities teams, as well as project management responsibilities for key repository-related initiatives.

What we’re looking for

You’ll bring deep practical knowledge of collection care and repository management, along with:

Proven experience managing repositories, archives or taonga, including storage systems and documentation standards

A strong understanding of preservation needs, environmental monitoring and disaster recovery planning

Experience leading collection movement or repository improvement projects

Solid planning and project management skills, with the ability to deliver results in a complex, multi-site environment

Excellent communication skills and the ability to advise colleagues, property teams and external partners

Familiarity with facilities management and the operational realities of collection storage

An understanding of the implications of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and a willingness to integrate tikanga Māori and te reo Māori into your work

You’ll be methodical, solutions-focused, and motivated by the responsibility of protecting some of Aotearoa’s most significant collections.

About us

As part of the Department of Internal Affairs, we are the kaitiaki of Aotearoa’s documentary heritage. At Archives New Zealand and the National Library, we care for the records, stories, and knowledge that shape who we are as a nation. We collect, protect, and provide appropriate access to everything from government records to treasured taonga, working with communities, libraries, and archives across the motu and beyond to make sure the history and information that matter remain accessible for generations to come.

Applications close : 5pm, + June 2025

Contact : Peter.Whitehead@dia.govt.nz

Job description : Click here to view the full job description

We are an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to providing a workplace where all employees are supported to succeed.

Hikoia te whetū, hikoia te marama, ka rere, ka rere.

Stride over the stars. Stride over the moon, take flight.