Opportunities

(Full-Time / Permanent)

The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) seeks a Registrar who will oversee exhibition care including lender negotiations, shipping, packing/crating, customs brokerage, insurance, courier arrangements, and freight forwarding from consolidation through dispersal for multiple, concurrent, traveling (MAD-organized and outside organized), and in-house exhibitions. The position also
oversees permanent collection’s care, including safety, storage, access, and documentation (digital and physical), loan agreements, and exhibition logistics as related to art objects and manages and/or executes incoming and outgoing loans for exhibitions.

This role will report to the Director of Exhibitions. The Museum of Arts and Design has a mission to explore how craftsmanship, art, and design intersect in the visual arts today. Through its exhibitions, programming, and collection, MAD promotes a view of the world unobstructed by traditional definitions of fine art. MAD provides an opportunity for employees to enrich and develop their love of art, craft and design while contributing their specific skills, expertise, and talents. www.madmuseum.org

Compensation and Schedule

This is a full-time, onsite, exempt position with compensation between $65,000 - $70,000 per annum. Your anticipated schedule will be Monday through Friday 9:30 am – 5:30 pm, flexibility may be required from time to time.

Primary Responsibilities

Exhibitions Responsibilities

Supervision/Coordination

• Employing industry best practices, plan and execute all packing, shipping, and insurance for exhibitions; coordinate and supervise the unpacking, installation/de-installation, condition reporting, and re-packing of artworks for exhibitions.

• Regularly meet with Exhibitions and Curatorial departments in advance of installations to identify and discuss concerns regarding objects installation logistics, conservation, and display/mounting.
• Act as lender representative: note and ensure that lender requirements and restrictions are honored in installation, and throughout design process.
• Create an exhibition schedule of all art shipments and couriers.
• Collaborate with the Exhibitions department for the scheduling of art handlers and vendors for installation/de-installation.
• Coordinate the scheduling and track hours of seasonal registrars for installation/de- installation with Director of Exhibitions and Collections.
• Perform daily checks light cleaning of artworks and displays in galleries: monitor climate conditions weekly, upload and save data readings to eClimate Notebook, and report anomalies to Director of Exhibitions and Collections and Facilities department.
• Coordinate object packing and shipping for MAD-organized, and occasionally MAD co- organized traveling exhibitions and act as courier to oversee installation/de-installations at venues when necessary.

Admin

• Create, maintain, and report on budgets for exhibitions by soliciting and organizing estimates for packing, shipping, and insurance and updating new the Director of Exhibitions and Collections as they evolve.
• Process and submit invoices for registrar-related expenses in a timely manner and update expense records.
• Review and submit comments on exhibition contracts and agreements with venues, artists, curators, and various other contracts as needed.
• Assist in revisions of standard loan agreement/contract language as necessary in response to industry changes and special circumstances such as interactive or other atypical use.

Documentation

• Review and report on venue facilities reports; serve as MAD point person for continually updating MAD Facilities Report.
• Process signed Loan Agreements, notify appropriate parties of atypical requirements or insurance values.
• Coordinate appropriate insurance arrangements in collaboration with the Director of Exhibitions and Collections.
• Compile condition report notebooks and write condition reports upon unpacking/repacking of exhibition loans.
• Create “Security Book”: object lists and comprehensive object photo-inventory to be placed in galleries to serve as reference for each exhibition.
• Create and maintain Lender and Shipping files, archive files following exhibition close.
• With the Exhibitions department, create crate lists, packing notes and special handling instructions for distribution to traveling exhibition venues.
• For international loans: compile all information for and create proformas for selected freight forwarder; when required compile information for USF&W and CITES applications, and State Department applications when necessary.
• Employ TMS for all aspects of exhibitions organization and preparation, including all major forms using loan, object, exhibitions and shipping modules and specialized reports. Continuously update and maintain object locations.
• Investigate and correct old loans.

Collections Responsibilities

• Process all accessioning and deaccessioning: process gifts, bequests, and acquisitions for the permanent collection including creating and maintaining both digital and physical records and executing deeds.
• Process all outgoing loans and associated documentation and billing.
• Process all permanent collections rights and reproduction requests and billing.
• Oversee annual permanent collection inventory of both on and off-site storage as needed and associated data updates.
• Budget for and consult and commission conservators as needed.
• Creates, manages, and maintains permanent collection files digitally and physically.
• Anticipate future on and offsite object storage needs; when needed, research and acquire offsite storage.

General Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with Following RC-AAM/ARCS guidelines and codes of ethics and adhering to accepted best practices for museums. Responsible for the creation and maintenance revision of Registration procedures, legal documents and collection management policies and related legal documents

Required Skills/Abilities

• Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong supervisory and leadership skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
• Ability to function well in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
• Proficient with The Museum System.
• Familiarity with international/domestic fine art shipping/crating companies, international crating standards and TSA shipping and screening requirements, experience with 3-D objects

Education and Experience

Minimum five years in museum registration (experience in museum exhibition required).

College degree preferred, graduate work in museum studies, art history, arts management, or related field a plus, but experience is the most important qualification.

Physical Requirements

Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

Research shows that women and people from underrepresented groups often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the qualifications for a role. If much of this job posting describes you, then please apply for this role.

MAD provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.