Head, Arches Initiative

J. Paul Getty Trust, The • Los Angeles, CA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) works internationally to advance conservation practice in the visual arts—objects, collections, architecture, and sites. We serve the conservation community through scientific research, education and training, field projects, and disseminating information. In all our endeavors, we create and deliver knowledge that contributes to the conservation of the world's cultural heritage.
Within the Getty Conservation Institute, the Heritage Data Management: Arches department works to improve data management internationally in support of more effective cultural heritage conservation. As part of that work, the department is responsible for supporting the Arches® platform—which is freely available for cultural heritage organizations to independently deploy to manage cultural heritage data—and its open-source community.
Arches is an open-source data management platform providing a robust suite of software tools to support a broad range of data management needs of the international cultural heritage community. The software integrates a wide range of modern and innovative tools, including semantic, geospatial, and web technologies.
The Heritage Data Management: Arches department is comprised of team members with experience and expertise in all aspects of data management including knowledge organization and related standards, managing software development, open-source software community building, and the application of information to support the understanding, conservation, and management of cultural heritage.
The Head, Arches Initiative will lead the activities of the department with budget, planning, and staffing oversight, and is accountable for the maintenance and development priorities of Arches software, the governance efforts of the Arches open-source community, and the dissemination of Arches publications, branding changes, and community resources.
The Head, Arches Initiative will not only direct the Arches team but also liaise with the global and interdisciplinary heritage open-source community, including representatives from various leading heritage organizations, software developers and service providers, funding groups, and individual heritage professionals such as IT staff, archaeologists, architects, conservators, researchers, scientists, and educators.
This position is based at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California.

Requirements

• 5-7+ years of team leadership/supervisory experience
• 5+ years of progressive software analysis development and implementation experience
• 5+ IT project/process management experience with open-source experience preferred
• Significant professional experience in the global cultural heritage space is strongly preferred. At minimum, a demonstrable personal passion for the global conservation and cultural heritage space is required
• Bachelor’s degree; Master’s degree preferred
• A balanced approach to leadership, with an ease operating effectively at both a strategic and tactical/hands-on level.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and address complex issues while balancing the needs of diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent project management skills with a demonstrated ability to address and balance competing needs and priorities, and to frame actionable solutions for complex organizational challenges.
• Proven ability to create and nurture a culture of collaboration, partnership and teamwork, empowering team members and facilitating cross-functional collaboration.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted, effective partnerships with vendors, service providers, and strategic community members.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to deliver both tactical and visionary messaging to global audiences and stakeholders, with diverse agendas and stakes in the initiative.
• Strong technology skill set with the curiosity and knowledge to envision, learn, communicate and implement needs, new software approaches and methods quickly.
• Familiarity with or working knowledge of any of the software components of the Arches platform.
• Demonstrated ability to provide clear, concise, and meaningful reports that are essential in strategic planning, budgeting, resource planning, and program execution.
• International travel will be required.

Responsibilities

• Ensuring alignment between Getty leadership and the broader Arches heritage community regarding governance and needs.
• Facilitating the development, oversight and implementation of Arches’ strategic priorities and effectively relationship-building to ensure mission is centered and standards of delivery are consistent.
• Engaging key members of the global cultural heritage community, software development partners and service providers to elicit requirements, comment on potential technical solutions, share data, and participate in testing of Arches software.
• Managing the increasing intricacy of programs and the diversity of stakeholder interests, prioritizing conflicting needs in an open-source ecosystem.
• Managing the growing complexity of developing technology and gaining stakeholder buy-in regarding various interconnected Arches technologies (including core Arches, Arches for Science, Arches Lingo, and other related applications).
• Identifying areas of technical debt and establishing new priorities to reflect emerging community needs and evolving technological landscapes.
• Envisioning community events (both in-person and virtual) to strengthen alignment across a large global ecosystem.
• Developing budgets necessary to achieve goals and objectives with Arches software and community resources.
• Actively directing resource forecasting efforts to ensure effective delivery of strategic new Arches applications, ongoing maintenance of the platform via review of community contributions, engagement and initial support of strategic existing and new Arches adopters.
• Identifying, analyzing, and managing risks and maintaining program stability to ensure the long-term success of Arches software.
• Effectively communicating the rationale for updating Arches development, maintenance and dissemination strategies, and ensuring that they are implemented in a timely and effective manner.
• Fostering a culture of collaboration, creativity, and accountability within the Heritage Data Management: Arches team.
• Managing relationships with international consultants bringing expertise to the Arches team.
• Providing regular feedback and professional development opportunities to ensure team growth and skill enhancement.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental and Vision insurance coverage, starting on date of hire. Getty pays 75%-95% of the premium, depending on the plan selected.
• 403(b) Employee Investment retirement plan – with up to 5% Getty Match
• Getty contribution of 6%, on behalf of employee, to 401(a) retirement account
• Educational Assistance and professional development
• Paid Vacation, Sick and Personal Days
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Many positions have bi-weekly Off-Fridays
• On-Site Fitness Center at Getty Center
• Community service opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager