Museum Registrar

COFAM- Corporation Of the Fine Arts Museums • San Francisco, CA

5d • $38 - $51 • Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the Director of Registration and Collections Management, the Museum Registrar is the lead registrar on assigned exhibition projects, performing all registrarial functions for the Museum’s temporary loan exhibitions, executing short and long-range planning for an average of four large-scale exhibitions annually, while simultaneously working on the planning for the exhibitions in future years. They work collaboratively with Exhibitions Management, Technical Production, Exhibition Design, Conservation, and other museum departments to implement the Museum’s ambitious exhibition schedule across two museums. The application deadline is Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 9 PM PST.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in art, art history, museum studies, arts administration, or a closely related field.
• Minimum four years of art museum registration experience.
• Knowledge of and diversified experience with museum registration methods and techniques as they relate to loan exhibitions of a large scale.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a variety of international and domestic institutions
• Thorough knowledge of and efficient mastery of software and databases, including applications such as Microsoft Office and collections management database systems.
• Familiarity with customs restrictions, US Government Indemnity, repatriation issues, judicial seizures, TSA regulations and practices, and pertinent fine arts insurance practices.
• Familiarity with basic conservation concepts, procedures, and terms. Skill and awareness in regard to the sensitive handling of works of art, including current best practices in packing, crating, and transportation of objects.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and knowledge of pertinent office and administrative procedures, including: basic accounting (A/P, A/R, POs); rigorous collections documentation practices; receipting; organizing and maintaining digital and hard-copy records.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to make accurate arithmetic calculations.
• Extremely high level of accuracy and attention to detail; commitment to efficiency and effectiveness of systems and schedules.
• Ability to work well under pressure and with conflicting demands.
• Ability to efficiently and effectively work on a variety of projects concurrently, with attention to the goals and priorities of the department and the Museums.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with colleagues, volunteers, interns, and effectively represent the Museum to outside professionals, lenders, donors, and members of the artistic community.

Nice To Haves

• Preferred experience: two of the four years working on major loan exhibitions.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for arranging and overseeing all aspects of the packing and transport of loans to and from the museums for exhibition, working with a variety of national and international lenders and agents
• Generates loan and transport-related documents, maintains and tracks records, including conditions of incoming loans and insurance through digital and physical documentation; disseminates information to stakeholders through reports
• Obtains estimates for loans and transport arrangements and prepares associated budgets; monitors expenditures to ensure they stay within budget; maintains related billing and other financial documentation
• Negotiates financially optimal arrangements with lenders, vendors, packers, freight forwarding agents, and shippers while maintaining the highest museum standard
• Arranges and oversees all aspects of the (de)installation of artwork in exhibitions. Works with agents, conservators, and technicians in planning and executing the safe movement of works of art and implementation of lender requirements; tracks the location of objects both during and after exhibition, and records location changes.
• Conducts and documents condition reports on a wide range of object types, coordinating condition reports with conservators; may measure or label objects
• Maintains insurance coverage and obtains premium estimates
• Secures and provides to lenders insurance certificates for incoming and outgoing loans; maintains insurance coverage and obtains premium estimates
• Contributes to applications for and implementation of the US Government Indemnity
• Reviews and advises on exhibition agreements with partner institutions and artists
• Occasionally acts as an art courier
• Provides collaborative support as needed outside of exhibition assignments. May support work to complete and improve collection documentation and activities, labeling, and housing; creates and maintains both manual and digital records relating to objects, exhibitions, and loans
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Benefits

• This is a union position eligible for the Museums' benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance and a generous time off package.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level