Collections Manager and Chief Registrar at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts

Job Description:

About the Museum

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art opened its doors in Amherst, Massachusetts 20 years ago with a bold but simple vision: to ensure that picture-book art is celebrated around the world.

We organize exhibitions that encourage the exploration of children's book art through artistic, cultural, and historical lenses. More than 9,000 original works of art make up our collection, which spans more than 120 years of publishing. Our education programs provide a foundation for arts exploration and literacy, and encourage visitors to look carefully in the galleries, read closely in our Reading Library, and explore materials in the Art Studio. Dozens of artists visit the Museum every year as special guests, connecting directly with their audience. A believer in arts integration, The Carle also offers a broader introduction to the arts through a regular program of performances, music, and film, many of them picture-book themed.

As an institution and as a team of museum professionals, The Carle is committed to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI). We bring these values to our exhibitions, programs, partnerships, and organizational culture. The Carle Bookshop, for example, prioritizes carrying and displaying a diverse selection of books that reflect artists and characters from underrepresented experiences and backgrounds. Through ongoing professional development, we continue to expand our DEAI knowledge and are striving to diversify our team, currently made up of 40 hard-working, art- and book-loving staff members, with additional support from 35 volunteers.

How you will contribute

As the Collections Manager and Chief Registrar you are responsible for the general safety, management, cataloguing, conservation, storage, transport and access to The Carle's collections. As a key member of the Collections Team, you supervise the associate and assistant registrars, and works collaboratively with the curators, and other collections project staff, including work study students and interns, to support the museum and contribute to The Carle's mission. In addition, you have oversight over the safe transport and appropriate display of all display artifacts (either from the museum's collections or on loan) and the traveling exhibition program logistics.

Duties and Responsibilities

You will be accountable for the successful execution, coordination, and documentation of a broad range of collections duties and responsibilities, including the following:

Collections Management

• Responsible for the appropriate care of the museum's physical collections.
• Oversees all object storage and movements and ensuring the safety and security of the collections.
• Leads the museum's overall conservation and preservation planning efforts in collaboration with the curators, developing as appropriate, policies and procedures to guide both short and long-term museum practice.
• Develop and maintain policies and procedures for the registration of art in the Museum's care.
• Supervises a team of registrars who plan and manage the logistics of packing, crating, and shipping of all artifacts for acquisition, exhibition (traveling and onsite), loan, and disposal. Manages art handlers, movers, riggers, and other specialists as required. Arranges (and participates as required) in courier trips.
• Oversees all required condition reports and assists the associate and assistant registrars with other loan arrangements including insurance, customs, ITAR and other special regulations governing the safe handling of artifacts while in transit.
• Works closely with the associate and assistant registrar and the digital asset specialist to ensure the coordinated registration, care and secure documentation of both physical and digital collections.
• In collaboration with the registrar team and digital asset specialist, supports the resolution and assignment of collection inventory and object numbers in the museum's collections information management system and provides location control; oversees registrar team management of regular inventories, audits, and spot-checks of the collections.
• Provides access to collections for appraisals, insurance and other outside inspection efforts.
• Ensures the museum is in compliance with collections care standards and best practices.

Exhibition Management

• Oversees the installation and deinstallation policies and procedures for exhibitions at The Carle.
• Oversees installation and deinstallation of exhibitions at The Carle.

Safety, Security, and Environment

• Responsible for ensuring a safe and secure environment for the Collections storage and for collections on display in the Museum. Develops security standards and systems for all areas associated with collections care and/or display.
• Administers climate control system and monitors environmental conditions (especially temperature and humidity) and pest control in all spaces associated with collections and helps support facilities management for the entire museum complex.
• Serves as a liaison on collections-related concerns with Operations team.
• Monitors gallery and collections workspace light levels, establishes appropriate standards and provides general guidance for staff.
• Develops and regularly updates the Carle's Museum Facilities Report.
• Develops and implements emergency and disaster plans and procedures for the collections.
• In collaboration with Chief Curator, oversees policies, procedures, and training associated with the safety, security of the collections and proper environmental controls.
• Participates in all security audits as required by insurers and other external safety organizations.

Collections Storage Oversight

• Oversees organization and operation of Collections vault and off-site storage
• Manages storage vault, including cleaning, trash removal, and HVAC controls. Establishes a cleaning schedule to ensure these facilities are clean and neatly organized.
• Oversees proper storage of art in the vault.

Traveling Exhibition

• Oversees logistical management of The Carle's traveling exhibition program, including reviewing venues' facilities reports, organizing schedule, preparing and reviewing traveling exhibition contracts, preparing and reviewing budgets, packing, crating and shipping of all artifacts for exhibition.
• Participates in finding new traveling venues and in marketing exhibitions to museums nationally and internationally.

Collections Team and Museum Responsibilities

• Oversees associate and assistant registrars to ensure normal collections management operations.
• Participates in all Museum, Collections, Emergency Management, and Exhibitions meetings.
• Trains necessary museum staff, work study students, and interns, in collections handling, conservation and care procedures
• Prepares budgets for collections management operations.
• Contributes to strategic planning and vision exercises offering new ideas and advice related to innovative collections management practices.
• Contributes to grant-writing efforts for collections related projects.
• Contributes to the successful achievement of all Collections Team and Museum-wide special projects.
• Other duties as needed or required.

Supervision

• Supervision is provided by the Chief Curator; position requires ability to perform with minimal supervision.
• Directly supervises associate and assistant registrar, work-study students and interns.

Position and compensation details

• This position is full-time, exempt with benefits.
• The annual salary range for this position is $60,000 to $75,000 based on experience.
• The typical work schedule is Monday through Friday and may require occasional weekends and evenings.
• Benefits include: accrued paid time off (sick, vacation, personal and holiday pay), medical and dental insurance, long term disability, flexible spending account, contributions to a retirement account after two years of employment, discount to Museum shop and programs, plus free admission to many cultural institutions throughout New England.
• This position may qualify for a hybrid work schedule, which is defined as an arrangement where an employee's work is regularly performed at a location other than the Museum for a day or two.

The Carle acknowledges that competitive candidates may not meet all the experience requirements 100%. We encourage you to apply if many of these job requirements describe you. The position does not require a background in children's literature.

Education Experience: Bachelor's degree in art, art history, or museum studies plus 5-7 years' experience as Registrar or Collections Manager in an art museum with supervisory experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree or post-baccalaureate certificate in arts administration, museum collection management, or library science preferred.
• Experience with traveling exhibitions nationally (and internationally) a plus.
• Experienced manager who inspires, mentors and supports the team.

Tools & Technology Requirements:

• Advanced MS Office skills.
• Experience with database and digital asset management systems. MuseumPlus experience a plus.

Skills:

• Thorough knowledge of museum policies, practices, and procedures.
• Knowledge of nomenclature, metadata standards, best practices in conservation, object handling, insurance, and museum legal and ethical issues.
• Extensive knowledge of and experience with collections management and digital asset management systems.
• Ability to manage and ensure compliance with loan arrangements of artworks.
• Knowledge of domestic and foreign loan procedures including courier arrangements and travel.
• Knowledge of managing a traveling exhibition program.
• Knowledge of art and art history including identification of specific types of art works.
• Knowledge of research methodology, principles and procedures.
• Excellent project management and leadership skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community in an inclusive and sensitive manner.
• Ability to manage complex projects, defining goals, establishing workflows, and delegating and supervising tasks. Experience managing projects within budget parameters.
• Ability to use independent judgment and manage and impart information to a range of people.
• Organized and detail oriented.
• Ability to juggle multiple tasks in a calm manner.
• Commitment to continuous professional self-development to remain informed of museum and registration standards.
• Ability to handle objects up to 25 pounds, see the normal range of color vision, and/or stand and/or walk an average of four (4) hours per day and climb a typical step ladder.
• Have a drivers' license and the ability to drive a car.

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