Registrar/Collections Manager [ Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at UC Davis, Davis, CA]

The Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at UC Davis is seeking a Registrar/Collections Manager to work in a startup environment under the direction of the Senior Director, Curatorial and Collections.

The Manetti Shrem Museum is under construction and is slated for completion in 2016-17 as the capstone of a planned “arts district” at UC Davis’ new front door alongside Interstate 80. The museum is dedicated to education and will serve a primary audience of faculty and students as the lens through which it will engage a broader audience. With architecture underway, the museum team is now defining a provocative program steeped in the university’s legacy of making, its physical presence in the Central Valley, and the university’s role as a progenitor of conceptual art in California.

Under the direction of the Senior Director, Curatorial and Collections, the Registrar/Collections Manager is responsible for stewardship, documentation, and care of all objects in the Fine Arts Collection, as well as all objects on loan to the Manetti Shrem Museum. Primary responsibilities include: assuring that collections practices comply with museum policies and accepted practices related to collections care, preservation and conservation of objects, and intellectual and physical access to collections. The registrar/collections manager is responsible for: risk management; coordination of art handling, transport, and insurance; and management of collections records. This position maintains all collections records including object files, rights and reproductions, and cataloging of new acquisitions; and assists with development and management of the annual budget for collections management. The registrar is responsible for coordinating logistics for art transportation both on- and off-campus and for monitoring art storage and exhibition spaces to ensure appropriate temperature/humidity, cleanliness, safety and maintenance.

For more information, or to apply for the position (requisition # 03015106) please go to www.employment.ucdavis.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=71776. For full consideration, applicants should apply by October 11, 2015.

The Registrar/Collections Manager will be working in a startup environment that requires flexibility, initiative, willingness and the ability to problem solve. The incumbent must be creative and enjoy working within a small, entrepreneurial environment that is mission-driven, results-driven and community oriented. Must have the ability to exercise good judgment in a variety of situations, exhibiting perseverance and grace under pressure. The ideal candidate will demonstrate an enthusiasm for working with students and for students as the museum’s primary constituency. Requires strong written and verbal communication, administrative, and organizational skills, and the ability to maintain a realistic balance among multiple priorities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Three or more years of collection management experience in an art museum or art collection.
• Experience with museum registration methods and standards for collection and registration practices including object handling and care, documentation, packing, shipping, insurance, and legal and ethical issues.
• Experience with physical standards to ensure museum-level collections care including temperature/humidity controls and monitoring, pest management, environmental and safety hazards.
• Strong computer skills including experience with and knowledge of imaging software and Filemaker Pro database and ability to access, maintain, and fully utilize digital collections records.
• Experience with condition reporting protocols and experience managing all incoming and outgoing loan documentation.
• Skill to set priorities, meet deadlines, produce clear and effective schedules, and manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong oral and written communication skills and attention to detail.
• Knowledge of rights and reproductions, fair use, and licensing in regard to visual arts.
• Museum experience with progressive responsibility.
• Skills and thorough knowledge in museum administration, fiscal administration, and collaboration with staff and volunteers.