Collections Manager/Registrar

National Civil Rights Museum

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Located at the Lorraine Motel, the assassination site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the National Civil Rights Museum chronicles the American civil rights movement, examines today’s global civil and human rights issues, provokes thoughtful debate and serves as a catalyst for positive social change.

The Collections Manager and Registrar is responsible for the overall care of the collection of the National Civil Rights Museum by developing and implementing policies and procedures that ensure the proper documentation, indemnification, protection, movement, and installation of works of art, objects, artifacts, and material culture. The Collections Manager/ Registrar also makes the collection accessible to the museum’s internal and external audiences while ensuring the museum maintains a high level of accuracy and operates at the highest professional and ethical standards as established by the American Alliance of Museums. Serving as the primary contact for public and media inquiries regarding the collection, the Collections Manager also continually researches the collection and possible acquisitions. The position reports to the Director of Interpretation, Collections & Education.

As the museum ventures into its next phase, the Collections Manager/ Registrar will serve as the lead for the organization’s ventures into digitizing its collection.

Responsibilities

GENERAL

  • Reports to and works under the general supervision of the Director of Interpretation, Collections & Education (DICE)

  • Answers inquiries from the public and the media regarding the collection, and manages all incoming and outgoing loans & image use requests

  • Assists in budget preparation and reports and maintains annual collections budget

  • May manage two or more direct reports including volunteers and interns

  • Work collaboratively with Development and DICE in grant writing and submission

  • Collaborate with Interpretation, Collections & Education team on projects

COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT & CARE

  • Develop, revise, and implement policies and procedures regarding the care, preservation, conservation, storage, documentation of the museum’s collections ensuring all activities meet all legal and regulatory standards.

  • Research the museum collection as well as artifacts significant to the American Civil Rights Movement and the museum’s mission.

  • Chairs the Collections Committee as well as facilitate and plans meetings

  • Maintains and updates collections catalog through PastPerfect, collections database software

  • Prepares condition reports involving exhibit structures, Museum collections and incoming artifacts

  • Partners with Operations to insure proper environmental conditions for artifacts and exhibits

  • Trains staff on collections care and maintenance

  • Responsible for the care, maintenance, and management of staff resource library including new acquisitions and the digital library catalog database, LibraryWorld.

  • Lead the museum’s collections digitization efforts

  • Create a monthly blog on the museum’s collections.

EXHIBITIONS

  • Conducts regular assessments (weekly and monthly) of the condition and environment of permanent and traveling exhibitions; submits report to senior level staff.

  • Works collaboratively with exhibit preparator and Operations regarding: shipping and receiving, housekeeping procedures, repairs, and installation/de-installation of exhibitions and objects.

  • Coordinates loan agreement and details regarding traveling exhibitions

  • Works collaboratively with Chief Financial Officer regarding insurance coverage for loans and temporary exhibitions.

  • Collaborates with exhibit preparator on care of exhibitions (permanent and traveling) and collections items

  • Communicates traveling exhibit restrictions to museum departments

  • Maintains documentation and records regarding object loans, traveling exhibitions, image licenses and reproduction privileges.

  • Presents on Museum collections to internal and external audiences

  • Serves on museum exhibitions team

OTHER FUNCTIONS

The Registrar performs additional functions (essential or otherwise), which may be assigned from time to time. The position may require work on weekends, nights, and holidays to accommodate facility programming and utilization.

Requirements
  • Accuracy: Maintain a high level of detail and accuracy in management and

completion of tasks, maintains clear, clean, and accessible records

  • Adaptability: Adjust to changing situations, learns new and different tasks,

responds appropriately to constructive feedback

  • Attitude: Maintains a positive attitude and contributes to an encouraging and

empowering work environment. Has a sense of humor.

  • Communication: Strong written and verbal skills, can speak and write clearly and

concisely

  • Collaboration: Ability to work with diverse staff, and outside stakeholders

  • Dependability: Maintain an acceptable attendance record, complete work as

scheduled

  • Flexibility: Balance departmental priorities with museum-wide goals and

Objectives

  • Interpersonal: Comfortable interacting with diverse audiences including the

general public, the department, and across the museum. Strong people skills

PHYSICAL

  • Requires the ability to operate general office equipment and move Museum exhibits, artifacts, etc. weighing up to 60 lbs. on occasion

  • Occasionally required to work outside and offsite

  • Must be able to operate electrical equipment (drills, hammer, & screwdriver) for creation and maintenance of exhibits

  • Occasionally subjected to nuisance dust

  • Bending, stooping, and flexibility needed for creation/maintenance of exhibits

  • May be exposed to confined spaces or heights

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

  • Masters degree preferred, with a focus in Museum Studies, Public History or related field

  • 3 - 5 years of museum related experience required, or any equivalent education and experience that would demonstrate ability to meet essential functions of the position

  • Must have demonstrated education or knowledge of African American history/studies and/or the American Civil Rights Movement

  • Skills in collections management, exhibit handling, art handling and shipping, and administration required

  • Experience with collections management software (PastPerfect), and Microsoft Office

  • Strong administrative and organizational skills

  • Familiarity with operating a digital camera and scanner

  • Familiarity with collections digitization

  • Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and across departments in a fast-paced dynamic environment.

  • Ability to work in a self-directed capacity

  • Supervisory experience preferred

  • Strong problem-solving & project management skills

  • Able to make sound judgments, multi-task effectively, meet deadlines and achieve organizational goals and objectives.

  • Must possess a valid state driver’s license

How to Apply

Please send resume to Dr. Noelle Trent at ntrent@civilrightsmuseum.org

Contact
Posted on June 21