Site C Cultural Centre Project Overview

The BC Hydro Site C Cultural Centre will commemorate and celebrate the cultures of the Indigenous Peoples impacted by the construction of the Site C Clean Energy Project. The Cultural Centre will be located near the Site C dam and generating station, a short drive from Fort St. John, BC. The facility will include the following elements:

• Belongings/artifact compact storage facility to house belongings/artifacts collected from the 1980s to present in the Peace River Valley during archaeological studies conducted in support of development of the Site C Dam project. 
• Indoor and outdoor exhibit spaces, including dedicated exhibit rooms which will display a selection of archaeological artifacts and/or contemporary items.
• Indoor gathering space to facilitate gatherings, ceremonies, meetings, and events.
• Café and food services area with seating.
• Gift Shop.

General Description

The Collections Manager is a fully qualified and experienced professional who possesses theoretical and practical knowledge of museum and collections management practices and will join a team that is developing the Site C Cultural Centre. The role is temporary and specifically tied to the design, development and construction of the project. The role is expected to end around the time of the public opening of the Cultural Center.

Experience and Role Accountabilities

• Five to ten years’ experience in the museum and collections management fields.
• Experience cataloguing, inventorying, and maintaining records of belongings/artifacts.
• Experience overseeing object handling, packing, and transportation.
• Experience ensuring proper storage, conservation, preservation, care and handling, and environmental conditions for belongings/artifacts.
• Experience with and knowledge of museum database management software.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from diverse interested parties.
• Ability to lead a significant scope of work with limited oversight.
• Flexible and creative problem-solving skills while remaining accountable to project requirements.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of Northern BC archaeology and familiarity with Indigenous communities in the Peace Region is considered an asset.
• Familiarity with the BC Archaeology Branch’s Archaeological Repository Guidelines and the process for gaining approved Repository Status in BC is considered an asset.
• This is a remote position with periodic travel required. Lower Mainland or Fort St John are the preferred base locations, and Victoria and Kelowna will also be considered.

Education and Skills

• Master’s degree or PhD in relevant discipline such as archaeology, anthropology, museum studies, collections management, curation, conservation, preservation, or related discipline.
• Advanced written and spoken English skills for professional environment.
• Advanced MS Office skills (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).

Role Specialty Details

The Collections Manager will be responsible for the following specific initiatives which are all in support of the anticipated opening of the Cultural Centre in Spring 2027:

1. Taking all necessary measures to obtain approval from the BC Archaeology Branch to have the Site C Cultural Centre certified as an Approved Repository (see attachment “Archaeological Repository Guidelines”)
2. Developing the associated collections management policies and procedures that are required for a Repository Application, and for proper operations of a repository, in consultation with Indigenous community representatives.
3. Supporting the Exhibit Design Team in identifying appropriate belongings/artifacts from the stored collection for display in the exhibits, accessing them and preparing them for display, arranging for any loan agreements that may be required, and helping to develop written content to accompany their display.
4. Participating in engagement led by BC Hydro, with Indigenous community representatives regarding belonging/artifact selection and representation in the future museum exhibits.
5. Facilitating the physical relocation of belonging/artifact collections from two institutions (one in Burnaby and one in Fort St John) to the new Cultural Centre.
6. Developing an interim or permanent content management system for the collection and exhibit contents.
7. Supporting the project team by providing guidance on future museum operational requirements such as budgeting, staffing needs, computer hardware/software requirements, policies and procedures, equipment and supplies needs, and generally supporting the transition from the development phase to the operational phase of the Cultural Centre.
8. Other initiatives and tasks related to Collections Management and museum operations as required by the Project team.
9. Advising on additional resourcing or staffing needs to achieve all of the above.

Approximate Phasing of Work

Year 1: Repository Application and Exhibits Development

• Repository Application
  • Preparing and submitting the Repository Application to the BC Archaeology Branch.
  • Preparing the subsidiary policies and procedures that are required in support of a successful Repository Application.
  • Ensuring compliance with provincial regulations for artifact curation and storage and advising the Project team on these requirements.
  • Managing this application through to successful approval.

• Belonging/Artifact Selection for Exhibits
  • Participate in consultation with Indigenous community representatives on exhibit design and selection of belongings/artifacts to include in exhibits.
  • Familiarization with belonging/artifact collections in Burnaby and Fort St John to support selecting belongings/artifacts to be included in the exhibits.
  • Collaborative work with exhibit design team to achieve completed exhibits on time for opening.
  • Assessing the condition of artifacts and recommending conservation treatments prior to display or any special requirements for the exhibits, if required.
  • Advising on proper lighting, climate control, and mounting techniques for exhibits.
  • Implementing a system to ensure belongings/artifacts are properly tracked.
  • Arranging for appropriate loan agreements, if required.

Year 2: Preparations for Transition to Operations

• Belonging/Artifact Collection
  • Once access to the Cultural Centre is available, facilitating the physical transfer of artifact collections from two institutions to the Cultural Centre.
  • Installing and organizing the collection in the Cultural Centre artifact storage location for permanent storage.
  • Sourcing appropriate supplies and equipment required for permanent artifact storage and handling of belongings/artifacts.
  • Advising on staffing requirements for long term management of the collection.

• Policies and Procedures
  • Developing any policies that were not yet developed in Phase 1.
  • Establishing guidelines for collection management, including digital assets such as audio and video collected during the project.
  • Establishing guidelines and documentation for collection access and/or borrowing of belongings/artifacts.
  • Ensuring compliance with ethical and legal standards, including Indigenous cultural property rights.

• Content Management / Collection Database
  • Creating a database for tracing the Cultural Centre’s collection of belongings/artifacts and contemporary items.
  • Cataloguing, documenting, and organizing artifacts, historical records, and cultural items.
  • Developing approaches to collection management, including digital assets such as audio and video that will be collected during the project.