Senior Collections Manager

Summary

The senior collections manager will supervise a team of professional collections management practitioners to oversee the long-term care and stewardship of the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Members of the collection management team work collaboratively across collections to oversee the day-to-day operation, collection access, and maintenance.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage the care of all the Museum’s permanent collections objects
• Ensure compliance with all legal, ethical, and professional standards, including accreditation requirements, provenance research, and repatriation regulations
• Lead risk management efforts including environmental monitoring, security, disaster preparedness and response planning
• Oversee maintenance of all collections records, digital and physical
• Supervise collections managers, in addition to recruiting and supervising consistent team of volunteers, interns, and work study students
• Manage acquisition process for relevant collections and prepare collections objects for entry into permanent collection
• Provide leadership, mentorship, and professional development for collections staff
• Contribute to creation and maintenance of the fiscal year operations budget for the collection department
• Perform all duties according to established museum collections, operating, safety, and environmental policies
• Perform other duties as assigned by Director of Collections or senior management, as required

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in history, art history, museum studies or related field preferred, but not necessary, with demonstrable experience working in collections and/or preventive conservation
• 5-7 years of collections management experience required
• 5-7 years of supervisory experience, with demonstrable strong management skills
• 3-5 years of relational database experience required

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Comprehensive and current knowledge of standards and best practices for museum collections management care and demonstrable experience of handling, moving, preparing, and rehousing collections objects
• Strong experience supervising, leading, and motivating a team of full-time staff, as well as volunteers, interns, and work study students
• Experience working across collection types, with a pragmatic approach to problem solving
• Excellent organizational and project management skills with a high degree of attention to detail; an ability to undertake complex and methodical projects to a high level of accuracy
• Excellent IT skills including the ability to check and verify data in documents, spreadsheets, databases, scientific literature, or other sources
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, and interpersonal skills; ability to deal effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, maintaining positive working relationships
• Self-motivated with a demonstrated ability to work independently, as well as successfully in a team, towards deadline driven projects

Equipment

Working knowledge of collections equipment and supplies for preventive conservation

Physical Working Conditions

• Indoor/Outdoor, all weather conditions

Physical Effort Required

• Some physical effort may occasionally be required
• Must be able to stand or walk for extended periods of time
• Must be able to climb up and down ladders
• Must be able to lift 30 lbs
• Must be able to run or respond to emergency situations