Exhibits and Collections Manager, Victoria, TX
Museum of the Coastal Bend, Victoria College
Location: Victoria, TX
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 201400691
Division: Administrative Services
Opening Date: 07/17/2024
Victoria College’s Cultural Affairs Department is recruiting for a full-time Exhibits and Collections Manager to work at the Museum of the Coastal Bend. This position is responsible for overseeing the permanent and loan collections as well as managing exhibit development and implementation. The position is actively involved in exhibits- and collections-related outreach and public programming.
WORK HOURS: This position is expected to work a flexible 40-hour week, year-round, to encompass the museum's public visiting hours (Tuesday – Saturday, 10a-4p), lectures, and events. Lunch breaks are not included in the 40 hours. 'Weekend' for museum staff is defined as Sunday/Monday. If required to attend business activities on either of these days, employee is expected to flex hours with another standard workday during the same work week.
This position is benefits eligible. For more information on Victoria College's excellent benefits package, visit VictoriaCollege.edu.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Manages all aspects of collections care, following and implementing accepted museum professional standards and practices. Directly manages the acquisition, documentation, accession, inventory, care (including minor conservation), maintenance and handling, use and access, copyright, security, and environmental monitoring of objects.
- Prepares exhibit and collections interpretation and contextualization utilizing academic research best practices.
- Actively works to maintain Curatorial Facility Certification and informs Director of CFCP activities.
- Receives, prepares, and catalogs exhibits and collections materials.
- Creates and implements exhibits in concert with Exhibits Committee, exhibit designer(s) and/or curator(s), and museum team.
- Recommends to museum director, and implements facility environmental and security controls related to collections and exhibits care and control.
- Plans and organizes exhibition-related movement of objects, including packing, shipping, and insurance for collections exhibitions as well as for incoming and outgoing loans.
- Oversees collections database development, and maintains the database of collection contents, paper files and archives.
- Facilitates and manages collections research; communications and fostering of relationships with scholars, donors, lenders and collectors.
- Organizes Exhibits and Collections Committee meetings as staff liaison to document, develop, implement, and evaluate exhibits and collections activities.
- Actively contributes to the educational staff’s development of tour programs, outreach activities, and public programming, and assists with implementation.
- Strategically develops and implements exhibits and collections related outreach programs that build a strong presence for the Museum in the community.
- Work closely with appropriate staff to develop grant concepts and to secure income and funding for exhibits and collections initiatives.
- Manage Public Archaeology Lab activities and collections volunteers, including recruitment, training, scheduling and communicating.
- Work with appropriate museum and college staff to market programs.
- Develop articles and relevant information for newsletters, website and other media outlets.
- Maintain inventory of supplies for exhibits and collections.
- Strategically participate in community events to promote museum programs.
- Active support of donor cultivation efforts and other development, membership, and fundraising activities.
- Prepare monthly, annual, and other periodic reports analyzing and summarizing program attendance, successes, challenges and other relevant information; participate in reporting said information.
- Assists as needed with daily museum operations including supervision of support staff; opening and closing the museum and museum store; coordination of facilities and staffing needs for tours, meetings, and special events; membership communication; and promotions.
- Active participation in the museum’s programmatic and intellectual life.
- Perform some overnight travel, weekend and evening duties as required.
- Performing other duties as required.
Qualifications
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Museum Studies, or related field from an accredited college or university.
- Minimum of two years’ experience in a museum, curatorial repository, archive, or other cultural institution.
- Minimum of one year experience in academic research practices and methods.
- Knowledge of curatorial practices, museum ethics and principles.
- Experience managing collections and exhibits.
- Demonstrated knowledge of NAGPRA and other regulations governing fair use of collections.
- Requires excellent organizational, interpersonal, public speaking, and critical thinking skills.
- Must possess a valid drivers’ license.
- Ability to work collaboratively and organize groups such as committees and teams.
- Excellent organizational, interpersonal and critical thinking skills, as well as demonstrated verbal and written communication skills.
- Basic computer skills, proficiency with MS Office Suite and database systems, and willingness to learn advanced computer skills.
- Must be able to maintain a good-natured disposition, even in the face of adversity; Must be enthusiastic, energetic, curious, excited to share amazing things with the public, interested in innovation, and equally willing to work autonomously or as a team.
- Must be comfortable speaking to and interacting with audiences of all sizes both formal and informal.
- Discretionary judgment regarding confidential information.
- Demonstrated high level of initiative, persistence in completing assignments, and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Ability to accomplish basic business tasks, meet deadlines, and ability to learn and interpret policies and procedures.
- Ability to interact with diverse groups.
- Some overnight travel, weekend and evening duties as required and ability to maintain a flexible schedule.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Graduate degree in a related field and additional experience in a variety of cultural institutions.
- Experience with Adobe Suite; InDesign or other graphic design software; and collections databases.
Physical Demands
ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands and fingers to handle controls, key pads, etc. Will be required to sit and reach with hands and arms as well as, sit, stand and walk. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 40 pounds, and team lift larger weights as appropriate, while handling and loading artifacts, boxes, crates and educational display components. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, some color vision, and the ability to adjust focus from documents to computer screen. Hearing of light to moderate sound is required by this job. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Must be able to work outdoors for extended periods, must be able to remain on feet during tours and programs.
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