Collections Project Manager [Shaker Museum, Old Chatham, NY]

Collections Project Manager

The mission of Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon is to engage and inspire local, national, and global audiences by telling the story of the American Shakers. In 2004, Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon became owner and steward of the North Family site at Mount Lebanon Shaker Village, consisting of 10 remaining Shaker buildings on 30 acres, part of the Mount Lebanon Shaker Society National Historic Landmark. The Museum also maintains a campus in Old Chatham, New York, where the collections are stored and the administrative staff is housed. This position will work primarily at the Old Chatham site.

Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon is seeking a Collections Project Manager who will oversee a 27-month grant-funded project to create a digital catalog of the Museum’s collections, library, and archive. The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in 19th century American history, religious history, and / or the Shakers, and the capacity to learn about the context in which the Museum’s collections were originally created. This person will also have significant collections management experience in a museum setting and strong project management skills. This position reports to the Director of Collections and Research. It is possible that this position will become permanent or be extended at the end of the grant period.

Responsibilities:

• Hire and oversee a Collections Cataloger

• Work with staff to migrate from the current collections management database to a new one

• Work with Collections Cataloger to establish cataloging standards and a cataloging manual

• Create a work plan for the transcription of approximately 17,000 paper object records into an electronic collections management database, with supplemental original cataloging, and assist with the cataloging

• Manage the outsourcing of library and archive cataloging to a third party

• In consultation with the Director of Collections, select objects for new photography, create a shot list, work with a freelance photographer to establish standards, and upload new and existing digital and scanned images to database

• Develop a working knowledge of the collection

• Oversee the refinement of the collections management database to meet the specific needs of the collection

• With the Executive Director, oversee the design and launch of a public online collections website

Qualifications:

• Strong work ethic, with the ability both to work collaboratively and to take a leadership role

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal

• A Bachelor’s degree in American history, religious history, art history, or museum studies; Master’s degree strongly preferred

• Minimum of three years of professional, post-graduate experience working with museum and / or archival collections in a collections management, registration, or related capacity

• Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects with flexibility, creativity, and a sense of humor

• Experience with collections management systems required; exposure to Qi preferred

• Interest in and capacity for curatorial work encouraged

Hours and Benefits:

Position begins October 2016 and runs through December 2018, with the possibility of extension or a permanent position. The position includes a standard healthcare benefit package, and paid vacation, holiday, and sick leave.

Please send resume and cover letter explaining your interest in the position to Lacy Schutz at programs@shakerml.org.

It is the policy of Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon to provide for equal employment opportunity in and conditions of employment without discrimination based on age, race, creed, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, genetic predisposition or carrier status.