Digital Archivist

Job Posting Organization:
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has been a leader in humanitarian response for over 80 years, having been founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein. The organization specializes in providing emergency relief and support to refugees and communities affected by conflict and disaster. With its headquarters in New York, the IRC operates in more than 30 countries worldwide, focusing on rebuilding lives and providing lifesaving assistance. The IRC is dedicated to a culture of bold leadership, innovation, and accountability, ensuring that they effectively serve the most vulnerable populations.

Job Overview:
The Digital Archivist position is essential for supporting the IRC Country Office in Syria. This role is focused on ensuring that all program-related records are complete and compliant with donor regulations, while also enhancing the efficiency of internal archiving processes. The Digital Archivist will enable IRC teams to concentrate on client needs and maintain strong relationships with donors by managing the digital archiving of important documentation. This includes understanding donor requirements, adapting global document policies to local contexts, and ensuring that all relevant documentation is properly archived and accessible.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Digital Archivist will collaborate with various functions within the Syria Country Program to ensure that key documentation is digitally archived and organized effectively. Responsibilities include:

• Understanding donor requirements for different expenditure categories.
• Adapting the global document scanning policy as necessary.
• Assessing current documentation practices, both physical and digital.
• Identifying and scoping the backlog of documentation that needs to be archived.
• Establishing a digital folder structure for relevant projects.
• Scanning physical documents and ensuring that all digital files are stored and named appropriately for easy navigation.
• Transitioning ownership of the digital archiving process to relevant functions to ensure continuity and compliance.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess strong communication skills, with the ability to work fluently in both Arabic and English. They should have a solid understanding of relevant policies and the capacity to critically assess and adapt these policies to the local context. The ideal candidate will be skilled in explaining requirements and gaining buy-in from staff members across various functions.

Educational Background:
While specific educational qualifications are not detailed in the job description, a background in information management, library sciences, or a related field would be beneficial for this role, particularly given the focus on documentation and archiving.

Experience:
The position requires experience in online knowledge management systems such as Box, Dropbox, or Google Drive. Previous project management experience, particularly in document management or knowledge management, is highly desirable. Familiarity with operating scanning hardware is also considered an asset, as it will be necessary for the physical scanning of documents.

Languages:
Fluency in Arabic is mandatory, and proficiency in English is also required. These language skills are essential for effective communication and understanding of documentation requirements.

Additional Notes:
The position is a temporary contract role based in Damascus, Syria. It is important to note that the job is intended for internal candidates only, which suggests that it may not be open to external applicants. The specifics regarding contract duration, compensation, and benefits have not been detailed in the job description.