Museum Collections Manager

Job Summary

DESCRIPTION:

The Neville Public Museum currently houses and cares for Brown County’s permanent collection that includes over 100,000 three-dimensional objects, approximately 750,000 images that represent our local and regional communities, and 4 million feet of news film and home movies.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Collections Manager is a salaried management position under the supervision of the museum Executive Director. The position collaborates with the Exhibitions Manager to ensure selection, availability, readiness, and procurement of exhibit assets including graphics material, collection objects, loaned artifacts, non-collection objects, artworks, or other exhibit props; audio visual material, and other exhibition media to enhance story lines and the visitor experience.
The Neville Public Museum Collections Manager is responsible for the care, documentation, safety, and long-term preservation of the artifacts owned by or loaned to the museum, including the integrity of collection management systems.

In addition, creates, organizes and maintains records according to professional standards, including the movement, storage and documentation associated with collection accessioning, registration, de-accessioning, and loans.

Some evening and weekend work is required.

Essential Duties

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

Maintains the Museum's collection management system (PastPerfect), which includes creating and maintaining administrative and user documentation for the software, managing user access, and training staff and interns on using the system.
Facilitates incoming and outgoing loans for collections, exhibitions, or research. Coordinates and manages documentation for deeds of gifts, bequests, and donations.

Assures compliance of NAGPRA Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and other Federal, State and local laws which affect collections.

This management position is responsible for directly supervising the Curator, Education Specialist, and Research and Digitization Technician. As part of the management team, they are responsible for the backup/ assistance of these positions including providing guided tours as needed for the Education Specialist for all programs including school field trips, guided tours, lectures, off-site programs, etc.
With the Executive Director and Exhibitions Manager, oversees risk management, including ensuring

adequate insurance coverage pursuant to the care, custody and control of all objects in the Museum's care. Manages all rights and reproduction rights of Museum objects.
Develops long-term collection strategies and acquisition plans in alignment with the Museum's mission, goals, and areas of focus, and works with the Museum Director, Exhibitions Manager, and staff to develop and implement museum policies governing collections and their use, custody, and control.
Oversee and helps facilitate the pulling, mounting, installation, handling, and movement of collections objects for exhibitions and collections objects. Facilitates professional packing and shipping of museum objects.

Conducts periodic inventories of museum collections, reports the findings, and updates registration records.

Organizes and maintains a professional system for object storage. Monitors environmental conditions in all collection spaces, including RH & temperature, and corresponds with Facilities concerning problems and/or cleaning needs.
Assesses conservation needs and conducts basic collections care, object surveys, and inventories along with working with the Museum Director to contract outside consultants to provide conservation care when needed.

Selects, trains, supervises, and evaluates collections department volunteers and interns. Supervises museum staff and researchers when they are performing collections tasks or projects.
Coordinates, facilitates, and ensures documentation of minutes in Collections Committee meetings and attends other Museum meetings as required.
With the Exhibitions Manager, oversee and ensure proper maintenance of museum facilities in routine walk through of exhibits, storage, and maintenance areas.
With the Exhibitions Manager and Guest Services Coordinator, annually reviews and updates the Museum Disaster Plan. Schedules and facilitates staff training in its implementation. Maintains a disaster supplies inventory. Schedules and facilitates staff training in its implementation.

Keeps informed of current professional conservation and management techniques and legal aspects of collections management to ensure proper care of the collections.
Represents the Museum to the general public and the profession through public programs and consultations, providing information for queries, giving interviews, attending meetings/lectures/workshops, and presenting museum-related research in workshops, conferences and/or in publications.

Performs research for objects and collections, as necessary. Assists in the preparation of grant proposals.
Prepares various oral and written reports as requested by the Museum Director including budgetary and monthly department reports.

Prepare the collection for the next reaccreditation process with AAM, following the guidelines set out in the previous process.
Performs related tasks as assigned.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT USED:

General office equipment Computers
Photography and digitizing equipment A/V equipment
Paper, board and fabric cutters
Basic conservation equipment (i.e. iron, steamer, variable speed vacuum, etc.)

Minimum Qualifications Required

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor’s required or Master's degree preferred from an accredited college or university in Art, American History or Natural Sciences, and/or in Museum Studies with a concentration in collections management.
A minimum of three (3) years working experience in museum registration; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities.

LICENSES OR CERTIFICATIONS:
Valid Wisconsin Driver's License

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Demonstrated experience with PastPerfect Web Edition.

Knowledge of NAGPRA Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and other pertinent collections-based legislation.
Knowledge of professional museum collections management procedures. Demonstrated ability to organize and classify documents and artifacts.
Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite Software.
Familiarity with digital asset management (DAM) systems. Knowledge of museum operations, methodology, and techniques. Knowledge of conservation techniques and methodology for objects. Demonstrated knowledge of budget formulation and management. Knowledge of current research methods and sources.
Knowledge of risk management/inventory systems/disaster planning.
Knowledge of storage systems and methods, packing, processing and recall of museum objects. Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the public, Museum and Brown
County staff, volunteers, interns and other museum professionals.

Ability to organize, coordinate, solve problems and manage people and resources. Ability to collaborate, build trust and work as part of a team.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Lifting 30 pounds with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 20 pounds. Intermittent standing, walking and sitting; occasional driving.
Occasional bending, twisting, squatting, climbing, reaching, and grappling. Communicating orally in a clear manner.
Distinguishing sounds at various frequencies and volumes. Distinguishing people or objects at varied distances under a variety of light conditions.
Occasional exposure to dust and/or mold when assessing potential collections.

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