Corporate Archivist & Chief Historian

PGBPGNGLOBAL•Cincinnati, OH

2d•Onsite

About The Position

This dual-hatted role leads the preservation and activation of our company's nearly 200-year history to best support Corporate Communications’ mission to protect and build P&G's reputation. This leader will wear two critical hats: as the Corporate Archivist, they are the ultimate steward of our physical and digital heritage collection; as the Chief Historian, they are a strategic communications leader who wields our history to provide authenticity, context, and proof for the stories P&G tells. This is a role for a leader who is both the guardian of the physical past and the chief architect of its narrative. This individual will lead a program that continues to use our historical archives not as a passive collection of materials, but as a dynamic engine for reputation management—inspiring employees, informing brand strategy, protecting intellectual property, and ensuring our past serves as a powerful catalyst and credible foundation for our future. This role's responsibilities are divided into three core functions: 1. Corporate Archivist: Collection Stewardship & Strategy Archival Management: Direct all aspects of archival administration, including collection development, appraisal, processing, and preservation to ensure materials are discoverable and preserved. Operational Excellence: Champion best-in-class archival practices, improving workflows and leveraging emerging technologies (e.g., AI) to enhance access and discovery. Leadership: Oversee the archival budget, manage vendor relationships, and lead a team of archival staff and project-based contractors. 2. Chief Historian: Reputation & Narrative Activation Strategic Storytelling: Translate historical assets into powerful, relevant narratives that build and protect P&G's corporate reputation, particularly around our pillars of innovation, brand and category leadership, citizenship, and superior performance. Content & Communications Partnership: Arm communicators and leaders with the historical proof points, stories, and context needed to engage effectively with media, employees, and external stakeholders. Heritage Center Curation: Lead the content strategy and physical curation of the P&G Heritage Center, transforming it into a primary channel for communicating P&G’s values and character to internal and external audiences. Proactive Activation: Identify stories from our past that can add depth and credibility to current business and communications campaigns, ensuring our history is a proactive, not reactive, tool. 3. Enterprise Partnership & Strategic Service Indispensable Partner: Serve as a strategic partner to both the broader Corporate Communications team (Media, Employee, Executive) and key business functions including Brand, Legal, A&I, and R&D as needed. Expert Research: Provide rapid-response, expert research to support high-stakes needs, from reputational issue navigation (Communications), to in-depth issues-based brand sessions (Brand), and trademark defense and patent history defense (Legal). Spokesperson: Serve as a credible and compelling corporate spokesperson on historical matters, representing P&G’s heritage to media, key stakeholders, and VIPs.

Requirements

A rare blend of deep archival knowledge and a sophisticated understanding of how corporate narrative and authenticity contribute to reputation management.
The ability to craft compelling stories that advance specific communications objectives, moving beyond simple facts to create emotional resonance.
Mastery of archival theory, digital preservation, and descriptive standards to ensure the collection's integrity.
Proven ability to build trust and act as a credible, service-oriented partner to senior executives and cross-functional teams.
Strong skills in managing staff, budgets, and complex, multi-year projects.
An eagerness to creatively solve challenges and leverage new technologies (e.g., AI) to make heritage more dynamic and accessible.
Absolute integrity and experience handling sensitive materials, intellectual property, and confidential corporate information.
Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited program in Library/Information Science (MLS/MLIS) with a concentration in Archives Management, OR an advanced degree (MA/PhD) in History or Public History combined with significant archival experience.
A minimum of 10-15 years of professional archival/historical experience with progressively increasing responsibility. Corporate archives experience is essential.
Minimum of 5 years of demonstrated experience in a leadership role, including direct management of staff and budgets.

Nice To Haves

Professional experience working within or in close partnership with a corporate communications, public relations, or public affairs function.
Certified Archivist (CA) designation is desirable.

Responsibilities

Direct all aspects of archival administration, including collection development, appraisal, processing, and preservation to ensure materials are discoverable and preserved.
Champion best-in-class archival practices, improving workflows and leveraging emerging technologies (e.g., AI) to enhance access and discovery.
Oversee the archival budget, manage vendor relationships, and lead a team of archival staff and project-based contractors.
Translate historical assets into powerful, relevant narratives that build and protect P&G's corporate reputation, particularly around our pillars of innovation, brand and category leadership, citizenship, and superior performance.
Arm communicators and leaders with the historical proof points, stories, and context needed to engage effectively with media, employees, and external stakeholders.
Lead the content strategy and physical curation of the P&G Heritage Center, transforming it into a primary channel for communicating P&G’s values and character to internal and external audiences.
Identify stories from our past that can add depth and credibility to current business and communications campaigns, ensuring our history is a proactive, not reactive, tool.
Serve as a strategic partner to both the broader Corporate Communications team (Media, Employee, Executive) and key business functions including Brand, Legal, A&I, and R&D as needed.
Provide rapid-response, expert research to support high-stakes needs, from reputational issue navigation (Communications), to in-depth issues-based brand sessions (Brand), and trademark defense and patent history defense (Legal).
Serve as a credible and compelling corporate spokesperson on historical matters, representing P&G’s heritage to media, key stakeholders, and VIPs.