Description

Position Title: Registrar and Collections Manager
Department: Curatorial
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Pay Range: $75,000-$80,000/year
Hours: Full-Time

Position Summary:
The Registrar and Collections Manager acts as the steward of the Museum's collection, responsible for the physical care, documentation, legal compliance, and movement of collections. Key responsibilities include maintaining the collections documentation and the collections management system, supporting acquisitions, managing incoming and outgoing loans, coordinating shipping and insurance, and overseeing storage and preservation, often combining administrative precision with hands-on handling. In the near term, this position plays a central role in preparing for and implementing the transition of collections into the Museum’s new building.

Requirements

Responsibilities include but not limited to:

Collections Documentation and Policy

• Maintain legal documentation, accession records (ownership, provenance, value, condition, copyright, movement/location, exhibition history). Organize and administer regular inventories of the collection to verify location of works, including the art and personal tangible property collections at all Museum locations.
• Review and update collection management policies and procedures in response to planning and evaluation efforts and reports. Oversee and implement collections portion of the Museum’s Emergency Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response Plan.
• Manage the collections management system, ensuring that standards for data entry are maintained. Arrange for periodic system upgrades and migrations. Manage collection records and object files (physical and digital formats). Produce and maintain documentation of all exhibitions, incoming, and outgoing loans in the collections database system and associated files.
• Assist in obtaining appropriate levels of fine arts insurance, including participation in vendor negotiations. Maintain legal documents pertaining to temporary exhibitions, including loan agreements, receipts, and certificates of insurance.

Collections Care and Handling

• Manage handling, movement, transportation, installation, and deinstallation of objects, including loans and exhibitions at the Museum, Historic Properties, and offsite storage locations.
• Develop, implement, and enforce care and safety protocols for the collection, exhibitions, and loans, including handling, shipping and packing, customs, insurance storage, deaccessioning, and general art movement.
• Plan, oversee, and implement packing, shipping, customs, and insurance for exhibitions. Assist with installations, de-installations, and exhibition rotations in galleries.
• Manage couriers for both incoming and outgoing loans; coordinate logistics for Museum couriers; and serve as a courier.
• Coordinate outside services related to collections care and management as needed, including contracting packing, crating, and shipping.
• Assist with collection-focused grant proposals and applications; implement and track grant-funded initiatives.
• Assist with condition reporting, housing creation, identifying materials needing conservation, or rehousing.
• Research and document the collections and support additional curatorial research efforts as needed.
• Support and advance sustainable practices and protocols for integrated pest management and environmental monitoring related to collection care and exhibition planning.

Special Projects and Additional Duties

• Provide direction and training for direct report(s) ensuring standards are met, and goals are achieved.
• Support financial planning and assist in department budget management.
• Complete special projects or additional duties as assigned, and consistent with the skills, training, level of responsibility and other requirements for this position.
• Work collaboratively with Museum departments, other museums, and external organizations.
• Participate in Museum and Collections and Interpretation planning, committees, task forces, and teams.
• Engage in regional and national professional organizations and collaborative activities.
• Serve as key collections team member in executing the relocation of the collection into the Museum’s new building including rehousing, and coordination of interim and offsite storage logistics throughout construction and transition.
• Complete special projects or additional duties as assigned, and consistent with the skills, training, level of responsibility and other requirements for this position

Background and Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent professional experience in museum studies, library sciences, art history, or a related field is required.
• 7-10 years experience in museum registration is required.
• 5 years of supervisory experience in a museum environment is required.

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated experience working within AAM standards and practices as they relate to collections management, exhibitions, ethics, preservation, conservation, presentation, and risk management.
• Experience in collections care protocols, inventory management systems, and managing collections management systems.
• Experience in handling, installing, transporting artwork, and coordinating logistics for both permanent collections and traveling exhibitions.
• Ability to travel and work extended hours as needed.
• Ability to understand and use technical computer equipment and systems, including collection databases, project management software, and Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Excel and Word).
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as dimensions of collection objects in relation to space, discounts, mark-ups, interest, proportions, and percentages.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex documents furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Exhibits excellent decision-making skills, judgment and adaptability. Maintains confidentiality and discretion at all times in handling sensitive information.
• Maintains a solution-focused orientation and is a team player.
• Must hold a valid driver’s license.
• Regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. Regularly required to stand; walk; sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel or crouch, and climb stairs and/or ladders. Work requires frequent visits to project sites, walking, standing, bending, carrying items 25-50 pounds and climbing to lift up to 50 pounds and carry a distance of 10 feet and to push and/or pull up to 50 pounds a distance of 10 feet. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Responsibilities include on-call with the ability to respond to various critical situations.