Digital Preservation Manager (Specified Purpose Contract)

Overview of the IFI

The Irish Film Institute is Ireland’s national cultural institution for film. At the IFI’s historic home in Eustace Street, Temple Bar, our diverse audiences, and loyal members enjoy our 3 cinemas, IFI Irish Film Archive’s research and access facilities, IFI Film Shop and IFI Café Bar; and our four digital streaming platforms, IFI@Home, IFI Archive Player, IFI@Schools and IFI International.

The IFI has developed strategic objectives around three core activities:

• EXHIBIT Providing audiences throughout Ireland with access to the finest independent, Irish, and international cinema.
• PRESERVE Preserving and promoting Ireland’s moving image heritage through the IFI Irish Film Archive
• EDUCATE Providing opportunities for audiences of all ages and backgrounds to learn and critically engage with film through IFI Education.

Working at the IFI means an opportunity to be dynamic, creative, and part of a community that is passionate about what they do and values mutual trust and respect.

Our values reflect what is important to us at the IFI. They guide our efforts, define our culture, and shape the way we approach our core activities – Exhibit, Preserve and Educate.

As part of the IFI, the Irish Film Archive is responsible for collecting, preserving, and making available Ireland’s moving image heritage and the collections in its care including film, digital materials, and document collections.

Role Overview

Contract: This is a specified purpose contract to cover a period of leave and will continue for the duration of this specified purpose.

Reporting to: Acting Head of IFI Irish Film Archive

Key Relationships: Other Archive Managers, Archive Technical Officer, Archive Team, IT Service Providers, System Integrators, Partner organisations, Vendors, Archive community

Salary scale: The starting salary for this role is at Level 1 of our Senior Manager salary scale €40,800. Progression to higher levels is based on performance as outlined in our competency framework

Other Benefits: Hybrid and flexible working options, 24 days annual leave, bike to work scheme, enhanced sick pay, film store & cafe bar discount, free cinema tickets, pension after 12 months, and many more.

The IFI seeks to appoint an Digital Preservation Manager on a temporary basis to cover a period of absence in the team. The Digital Preservation Manager will lead the strategic management and longterm preservation of its digital collections. This senior management role is based within the Irish Film Archive, a department of the IFI responsible for collecting, preserving, and making accessible Ireland’s moving image heritage, including extensive film, documentation, and born-digital holdings.

The Digital Preservation Manager (DPM) oversees the work of the Digital Collections Team, ensuring that all digital assets – both born-digital and digitised - in the IFI’s care remain authentic, accessible, reusable, and intelligible over time. Reporting directly to the Acting Head of IFI Irish Film Archive, the DPM is responsible for the management and sustainability of the Archive’s digital preservation infrastructure. equipment, and workflows to ensure ongoing efficiency and resilience. This includes liaising with vendors, consultants, and internal stakeholders to maintain and enhance digital preservation capacity.

The DPM leads the Digital Collections Team, providing line management and fostering a collaborative, growth-oriented working environment. They are responsible for identifying and addressing training needs across the team, including volunteers where applicable, and supporting ongoing staff development.

In partnership with the Acting Head of Archive and fellow collections managers, the DPM contributes to the Archive’s strategic planning in areas such as preservation policy, collections management, and disaster preparedness. The role involves drafting and aligning digital preservation policies and procedures with international standards and best practices, ensuring they integrate effectively within the Archive’s wider operational and strategic frameworks.

The DPM also plays a key role in policy communication and compliance, ensuring staff are wellinformed and aligned with institutional standards. They support the preparation of funding applications and reports and contribute to long-term planning in areas such as technological innovation, digital access, and storage infrastructure.

Externally, the DPM represents the IFI Irish Film Archive in national and international forums, cultivating partnerships and staying at the forefront of developments in audiovisual preservation. Active engagement with the broader archival community and a forward-looking approach to collaboration and innovation are essential aspects of this leadership role.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Policy Development

• Lead the development and implementation of digital collections management procedures, including the design and supervision of workflows across all preservation activities.
• Collaborate with the Acting Head of Archive to devise and regularly update the Digital Preservation and Access Strategy.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation of all digital preservation practices, including policies, procedures, and protocols, informed by the OAIS reference model and aligned with the SPECTRUM collections management standard.
• Ensure continuous improvement and compliance with international standards of best practice in digital preservation.

Digital Infrastructure & Preservation Oversight

• Coordinate with the Archive Technical Officer to maintain and optimise the digital preservation infrastructure—ensuring all network systems and equipment are fit for purpose—and recommend upgrades that enhance performance, efficiency, and long-term sustainability.
• Ensure the secure preservation of all digital audiovisual assets, including planning and executing preservation activities such as fixity checks, format migrations, and infrastructure updates.
• Supervise the management of IFIscripts and related digital tools, ensuring systems are maintained and accessible.

Acquisition, Ingest & Quality Control

• Support the Digital Deliveries Manager in implementing best practices for the acquisition, quality control, and long-term preservation of digital materials received through key partnership agreements with Screen Ireland, Coimisiún na Meán, and the Arts Council.
• Oversee and ensure the preservation of all digital audiovisual assets acquired through donation, deposit, purchase, or gift, maintaining rigorous QC and metadata standards.

Team Leadership and Resource Management

• Line-manage staff and interns in accordance with IFI’s performance management framework, fostering a positive and productive team culture.
• Identify training and development needs within the team and ensure appropriate learning opportunities are provided.
• Assist the Acting Head of Archive with financial planning and manage designated budgets in line with IFI procurement policies and financial procedures.

Stakeholder Engagement & Representation

• Act as a key liaison with internal and external stakeholders including the IFI Head of Operations, IT partners, and technology vendors such as Digital Garage.
• Represent the IFI in national and international forums, actively engaging with peer institutions and professional networks to share knowledge, foster collaboration, and promote the IFI’s leadership in digital preservation.

Research & Advocacy

• Stay informed on developments in archival best practice, preservation research, and emerging technologies to ensure the Archive remains at the forefront of digital preservation innovation.
• Advocate for the IFI and its mission, upholding a professional approach in all external engagements.
• Embed a culture of continuous review and improvement throughout the digital preservation programme.

Requirements

• Proven experience in digital preservation, particularly within libraries, archives, museums, or special collections, is essential.
• Relevant qualification in Information Technology, Digital Curation, or a related information management field. Candidates with qualifications in other disciplines and demonstrable experience in digital preservation will also be considered.
• Strong communication, documentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively across teams.
• Proven experience in staff management, with a demonstrated ability to lead, support, and motivate team members.
• Experience in infrastructure management, including oversight of equipment, coordination of system upgrades, and collaboration with IT support teams, is essential.
• Pragmatic and solutions-oriented, with the ability to make positive contributions within the context of available resources and budgets.
• Resilient and flexible, with the ability to adapt to change, manage competing priorities, and maintain a positive, solutions-focused attitude.
• Experience in policy development within a library or archive setting is highly desirable.
• Project planning and management experience, with the ability to deliver outcomes on time and within scope.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to research, analyse, and resolve issues using a range of tools and resources.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into accessible, user-friendly language.
• Collaborative mindset, with the ability to work effectively across diverse teams and professional disciplines.

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with one or all the following: the OAIS Reference Model, The PREMIS Data Dictionary, Spectrum Collections Management Standard.
• Knowledge of command scripts, especially Python and a familiarity with validation protocols for digital archiving, such as checksums.
• Knowledge and interest in the Irish film and media landscape.