The Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven (JHSGNH) began in 1976 as a grassroots effort. It documents the Greater New Haven Jewish community’s past, publicizes its history, and preserves its heritage for future generations. It is part of the Ethnic Heritage Center on the campus of Southern Connecticut State University. The collection includes synagogue, cemetery, school, business, and other organizational records, photographs, personal papers, genealogical material, newspapers, scrapbooks, artifacts, and an extensive library. JHSGNH has over 400 audio and video recordings of our programs, meetings, events, and more than 300 oral histories.

The Managing Archivist will be responsible for managing and providing access to JHSGNH’s archival, library, and museum collections, as well as implementing new professional standards and practices. This may include expansion of a recently adopted collection management system and digital collections platform (CollectiveAccess / Connecticut Collections), updating policies and protocols around acquisition, cataloging, and digitization. Among the key projects will be implementation of a digital preservation system, resuming collection of oral histories and acquiring the archives of Congregation B’nai Jacob, the oldest Eastern European congregation in New Haven. The Managing Archivist will help with reference requests, co-manage JHSGNH’s electronic communications, social media, and website, contribute to monthly and annual programs, and assist with exhibit curation and grant writing. Other duties may be assigned.

The Managing Archivist is supported by a Research Archivist, Technical Assistant, volunteers, and interns. JHSGNH regularly collaborates with other member societies of the Ethnic Heritage Center, the New Haven Museum, Southern Connecticut State University’s Buley Library Special Collections and Archives, and other Jewish historical societies in Connecticut.

This position is 20 hours a week with flexibility in scheduling. Hourly rate is $25-35 depending on experience. A healthcare stipend may be provided. There are no additional benefits.

Required qualifications:

·       Master’s Degree in Library Science, coursework towards the degree, or comparable education or work experience.

·       Strong technical skills and knowledge of archival standards and best practices.

·       Ability to work independently and set priorities for different projects.

·       Experience with collection, donor, and web content management systems.

Preferred qualifications:

·       Experience with outreach, email marketing, and social media.

·       Experience with programming and exhibit creation.

·       Familiarity with CollectiveAccess, ArchivesSpace, and WordPress.

·       Familiarity with Jewish history and culture.

·       Experience with oral history collecting and collections.

Applications: Please email a resume and a brief cover letter to president@jewishhistorynh.org. The ideal start date is in March 2024.

Apply online here

Submit specified application materials to president@jewishhistorynh.org.