Director, Yale Film Archive

Position Focus:

Reporting to the Associate University Librarian for Research & Learning, the Director provides vision and leadership for the Yale Film Archive and a team of three FTE responsible for delivering high-impact research and learning services to the Film and Media Studies Program and the broader Yale community.

The Director works closely with colleagues in the library’s Research & Learning unit to help advance organizational research and learning strategies. Under the Director’s leadership, the department will expand working relationships and collaborations with students and researchers and deliver a program of services and expertise that accelerates scholarship. Through robust assessment and user engagement, the Director will ensure that the department’s programs, spaces, collections, and projects are grounded in faculty and student needs, and complement and enhance film and media programs and services offered by other allied units at the library and at Yale.

The director will oversee film and media collections ensuring alignment with library collection priorities, sustainable stewardship principles, and university research and learning activities. This role is responsible for collection development, management, and preservation of video, including management of funds for both tangible and streaming collections. The director will act as the selector for feature films and for the Film and Media Studies program. The director will also oversee the film acquisition and preservation programs, working closely with the Managing Archivist to ensure alignment with research and learning strategies and collection priorities.

The incumbent will manage Yale Film Archive facilities and technology, as well as public and access services, including film and media course reserves. To ensure the highest levels of customer service, the Director will proactively collaborate with colleagues in Access and Public Services and Technical Services to align policy, practice, and service design. To support continuous improvement of spaces and services, the Director will design and implement the unit’s assessment plan and support user research initiatives.

The incumbent is expected to demonstrate leadership within Yale Library, as well as a commitment to participation in regional, national, and international professional organizations. In particular, the director will ensure that the Film Archive remains an active and vital member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF).

Yale University Library serves a diverse staff, campus, local, and global community and is deeply committed to advancing its goals for equity, inclusion, and accessibility. This commitment is reflected in our mission, strategic directions, staff values, initiatives, and scholarly activity. To support our goals for staff recruitment, retention, and development, Yale Library invites applications from candidates whose philosophies align with these commitments and who have demonstrated success with supporting diversity and inclusion through their work, service, research, and/or teaching.

The position will be assigned a rank of Librarian 3 to 5 based on a combination of professional experience and qualifications. Librarian ranking information can be found here:

Essential Duties

1. Provide coaching, mentorship, and performance management for 3 FTE (1 exempt and 2 non-exempt). 2. Serve as the central resource concerning access to the film and media collections and assists faculty and students in the use of film and media in support of teaching, learning, and research. 3. Lead development of services, strategies, and policies to improve user access and accessibility to library film and media collections. 4. Act as a liaison to the Film and Media Studies Program 5. Oversee Yale Film Archive spaces, technology, and public and access services. 6. Oversee film and media collecting strategies, develops the library’s video collection strategy, and lead collection development for video in all formats regardless of location. 7. Ensure continuing access to legacy formats through appropriate preservation channels. 8. Seek opportunities for collaboration with partner libraries, consortia, and grant-funding agencies to enhance collaborative collection development, preservation, infrastructure, and community engagement. 9. Manage department budget, including funds for collection development. 10. Work with Library Development and External Affairs and Library Administration to participate in raising external funding for projects and initiatives. 11. Participate in professional activities outside of Yale and monitor developments and best practices elsewhere to encourage innovation and ensure excellence. Represent the library at relevant professional organizations and consortia (, Video Trust). 12. Collaborate with colleagues throughout the Yale Library and relevant campus units. 13. Work independently with varied user groups in a complex organization and team environment. 14. May be required to assist with disaster recovery efforts. 15. May be assigned to work at any Yale University location. 16. May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

1. A Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited library school or equivalent degree or other relevant advanced academic degree. Six years of professional experience. 2. Three years of supervisory, leadership, and/or project management experience, with demonstrated success in promoting teamwork, collaboration, and support for professional growth.

Required Skill/Ability 1:

Knowledge of research methods and practices in film, media, or relevant subjects or fields. Demonstrated ability in the management of digital assets.

Required Skill/Ability 2:

Strong commitment to innovative and user-driven research, learning, and/or public service programs. Knowledge of collection development principles and practices.

Required Skill/Ability 3:

Demonstrated ability successfully leading change. Excellent oral and written communications and analytical ability.

Required Skill/Ability 4:

Excellent interpersonal skills, flexibility, and a strong commitment to innovation, creativity, and excellence. Familiarity with film/media copyright and licensing issues. Excellent interpersonal skills, flexibility, and a strong commitment to innovation, creativity, and excellence. Familiarity with film/media copyright and licensing issues.

Required Skill/Ability 5:

Ability to innovate services and practices based on user need and technological innovations. Ability to prioritize, problem solve, and work in a complex organizational environment. Demonstrated ability leading and/or managing teams. Demonstrated ability developing and leading research and learning services or programs.

Drug Screen

No

Health Screening

No

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. For additional information on the background check requirements and process visit "Learn about background checks" under the Applicant Support Resources section of Careers on the It's Your Yale website.

COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement

The University maintains policies pertaining to COVID-19. All faculty, staff, students, and trainees are required to comply with these policies, which may be found here:

Posting Disclaimer

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the particular position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring departments.