National Film and Sound Archive
Collection Management Officer
Help safeguard Australia’s national audiovisual collection through expert handling, storage and care in a dynamic, transforming organisation.
Salary: $70,545 – $76,833 p.a. plus superannuation
Job type: Ongoing/Full-time
Location: Mitchell, ACT
Close date: Thursday, 11 June 2026 at 11:59pm AEDT.
About the National Film and Sound Archive
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) is Australia’s audiovisual archive, telling the national story by collecting, preserving and sharing audiovisual media, the cultural experience platforms of our time. The collection itself dates back to 1935, making it one of the world’s oldest audiovisual collections. It is also one of the country’s most used cultural collections, with around 125 million views of collection content each year. The NFSA is in a period of significant change. Following increased Government investment, the institution is in a process of digital transformation, establishing the NFSA as Australia’s most dynamic and valued cultural organisation. We are rebuilding our curatorial workforce and developing the NFSA’s capacity to digitise our collection at scale – to preserve it for the future, to make sure it can be discovered, and to share it with all Australians.
We continue to work on developing a stable, secure and future-proof workforce across our four physical sites based in Canberra and Mitchell in the ACT as well as in Sydney and Melbourne.
We are also undergoing a program of business improvement for many of our corporate systems to improve efficiency and reduce manual handling.
We are an ambitious organisation, and we aim to be an employer of choice within the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector, providing exciting and challenging work, as well as favourable employment conditions and unique development opportunities for our staff.
Cultural Values
We are an equal opportunity employer, embracing a diverse range of applicants such as veterans, and people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQIA community members, individuals with disabilities and/or health conditions, as well as those from varied faith and cultural backgrounds. At the NFSA we prioritise the development of a safe, inclusive, and high-performance culture through shared actions and behaviours that align with our strategy and direction. This empowers our employees to effectively contribute to our goals.
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia is committed to ensuring a child-safe and child-friendly environment. All employees are expected to demonstrate a commitment to, and support for these principles in theory and practice.
About the Team
The Conservation and Collection Management section is responsible for the preventive preservation of the national collection in the NFSA’s environmentally controlled and secure storage vaults. The Section also provides a range of related services including monitoring environmental conditions, security and collection care, retrieval services, archival packaging and warehouse management, collection auditing and stocktake, capacity planning, relocations and transportation, and collection disaster preparedness.
The Opportunity
The Collection Services Officer plays a key role in the handling, retrieval, packaging, return and relocation of collection material as well as assisting with Collection Services programs. These activities are to be conducted in accordance with established archival practices and procedures. Security and care of the Collection is paramount to any tasks undertaken.
Key Responsibilities
Under general supervision and direction, this position is responsible for delivering the following functions:
- In accordance with museum standards, examine and prepare collection material for long term storage using the NFSA’s Collection Management System, update/create accession records and carry out basic conservation treatments.
- Undertake tasks associated with maintaining a safe, secure and efficient collection storage environment including monitoring of vaults for areas that require repacking or cleaning to improve the storage of the collection.
- Safely load and transport collection items within the Canberra metropolitan area using a variety of commercial vehicle types.
- Work with and provide training, guidance and advice to NFSA staff working with the collection on the storage, labelling, packaging and handling of collection material from incoming and back log acquisitions and in the movement of collection material within the Collection Management System.
- Contribute towards updating and developing procedures, guidelines and workflows as required.
Selection Criteria
The successful candidate will demonstrate their capacity against the following:
Qualifications and/or relevant experience required
Desirable:
- Experience working with collections in the gallery, museum, library, or archive sector.
- Relevant qualifications in cultural heritage management and/or collection management.
- A current forklift licence is desirable.
Notes:
A current “C” class driver licence is a requirement of this role.
How to Apply
When applying via our online e-recruitment system, please address the details in the ‘Key Responsibilities’ and ‘Selection Criteria’ by outlining in 500 words or less, how your skills and relevant experience demonstrate that you would be our ideal candidate. Your current resume is also to be included in your application,
In addition to an application and your resume, the assessment process for this position may also include an interview and referee reports.
We welcome and encourage applications from people with disability, the LGBTIQ+ communities, from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this position you must:
- Be an Australian Citizen.
- Satisfactorily complete an Australian Federal Police National Police Check.
What we offer you
We provide a diverse, inclusive, and supportive work environment with access to:
- Great training and development opportunities.
- Generous leave and flexible working arrangements.
- Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP – a free counselling service for you and your family).
- A competitive salary, plus 15.4% superannuation.
- Rewards and recognition initiatives.
Contact Officer
Stewart Shannon | Assistant Registrar, Collection Services & Projects
Ph: 02 6248 2017
