Come join a dynamic team of professionals as Senior Registrar at the Weisman Art Museum at the University of Minnesota.
The head registrar is the lead administrator in the areas of registration and art-related operations and has overall responsibility for the smooth and efficient functioning of art services. The head registrar is responsible for short- and long-range planning related to art security, exhibitions, fine arts insurance, budgeting, and the record-keeping required therein. Head registrar supervises registrar for collections, senior preparator/museum designer and assistant to the registrars.
The Weisman is a dynamically engaged teaching museum and vital institution for the University and the Twin Cities region, creating art experiences that spark discovery, critical thinking, and transformation.
PRIMARY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:
The head registrar is the lead administrator in the areas of registration and art-related operations and has overall responsibility for the smooth and efficient functioning of art services. The registrar is responsible for short- and long-range planning related to art security, exhibitions, fine arts insurance, budgeting, and the record-keeping required therein.
•Establishes and implements policies and procedures that are in keeping with acceptable, welcoming, and inclusive museum standards and ethics for the registration, record-keeping (both paper and electronic), documentation, packing, handling, storage, care, condition, display, and security of objects on loan to and in collections of the museum. Is aware of and sensitive to varied cultural and historical interpretations of objects and their description.
•Performs all duties related to the above procedures, with emphasis on exhibitions and department planning.
•Establishes workflow and responsibilities from department staff.
•Supervises and coordinates activities of personnel (permanent staff, temporary staff, and volunteers) involved in these and related tasks.
•Participates in budget preparation and oversees the department budget, the technical line items of exhibitions budgets, and expenditures from these budgets.
•Supervises the management of the TMS collections database (The Museum System), including data clean-
up, staff training, and the creation of user guides and reports; and works with staff to ensure data standardization.
•Assists other registration staff in the use of the collections and records by scholars and visitors to the museum.
•Along with the registrar for collections, oversees packing and arrangements for shipping works of art.
•Instructs museum staff in proper art-handling and security procedures including any special arrangements that may be required in consideration of their unique significance to a cultural group.
•Responsible for ensuring compliance with laws and regulations pertaining to collections and collecting activities.
•Keeps abreast of trends and developments in the profession of registrar and the fields of collections management, security, fine arts insurance, emergency planning, environmental control, reappropriation, etc. and uses that knowledge to update and/or implement new policies and procedures as needed.
•Solicits, educates, trains, and supervises interns in museum registration methods.
•Counsels, guides, and acts as mentor for students interested in museum work and registrars new to the profession.
•Gives lectures, tours of the building, speaks to classes, or otherwise promotes the understanding of museum work, this museum building, and the profession of registrar.
COLLABORATES/CONSULTS WITH/ON:
•The registrar collaborates with the registration and exhibition staff, the curators, and the art preparators to share information and supervise/schedule/coordinate the production of such projects as art exhibitions, gallery installations/deinstallations, traveling programs, label copy and label production, and loans to and from the museum. Assists with label copy production that is accessible and acceptable to diverse groups within the community.
•In close coordination with Senior Curator, drafts and reviews contractual agreements with lenders and participating institutions. Negotiates terms of the contracts and monitors compliance of agreements and payment schedules.
•Shares the duties of short- and long-range planning with other members of the senior staff and exhibits committee, bringing the needs and concerns related to such areas as collections management, exhibition logistics, DEAI and security to the full committee. Reports pertinent information to department staff.
•Consults with directors, curators, and/or the accountant regarding budget issues and planning.
•Consults with human resources administrator and/or directors regarding issues of personnel management.
•Maintains a network with other registrars throughout the world.
OTHER DUTIES:
•Ensures performance to standards set by AAM (Alliance of American Museums) standards, participates in reaccreditation process.
•Maintains facility reports; in conjunction with Operations / Facilities staff, monitors environmental conditions in galleries and vaults at offsite storage facilities.
•Liaises with Security on emergency preparedness plan and collections evacuation plan.
•Ensures compliance with IRS regulations, copyright laws, NAGPRA laws, and AAMD guidelines.
• Fills in when additional staff is needed for programs or projects such as openings, installation/cleaning in the galleries, etc.
•Acts as courier to accompany designated works of art from the collection to borrowing institutions. Performs all aspects of courier ships in keeping with practices endorsed by the Registrars Committee of the American Association of Museums.
•Represents the museum on various campus-wide committees as requested by or with approval of the director.
Maintains professional relationships within the field.
Other duties as assigned or needed.
Requirements
- B.A. degree (required), in the field or comparable experience
- Minimum 6-8 years of registration, exhibition management or museum experience and working with a Permanent Collection preferred
- Demonstrated knowledge of procedures for art handling, storage, and condition reporting
- Track record of assisting the planning and production of exhibitions that are accessible to a wide, diverse public and stakeholders
- Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated experience of project management
- Fluency in various computer and collections management systems (TMS a plus)
- Values diverse viewpoints
- Ability to manage simultaneous priorities and meet deadlines
- Ability to maintain a flexible work schedule
- Ability to work well and/or supervise various constituencies
- Fluency in languages other than English a plus
Salary range: $66,000 to $70,000
ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA’S HUMAN RESOURCES WEBSITE. https://humanresources.umn.edu/content/find-job
The job number is 334991
Categories: Job Postings