Senior Museum Acquisitions Specialist
About The Position
The Senior Museum Acquisitions Specialist manages procedures for art acquisitions, deaccessioning and disposal, and related collections-management matters. The role develops reports and summaries for the Acquisitions Committee of the Board of Trustees and provides administrative support to other Board Committees and the Board. It works in partnership with the Counsel’s Office, curatorial and conservation departments, Registrar’s Office, Finance, Director’s Office, and Development. This is a fully on-site position. Applicants are asked to include a cover letter and writing sample. The position also supports Board and committee meeting preparation, documentation and archival work, provenance research, acquisition-related research, institutional surveys, and routine Counsel’s Office coverage. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Arts Administration, Art History, Museum Studies, or a related specialization.
- Four to five years of experience in collections management, museum administration, or an auction house environment.
- Experience managing and organizing files and familiarity with legal documents.
- NYS Notary Public License or ability to pass the exam.
- Proficiency with MS Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint; Adobe Acrobat Pro; and Zoom.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills.
- Ability to resolve conflicts and exercise diplomacy and discretion.
- Ability to handle several tasks simultaneously.
- Ability to work both as a team member and independently.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree.
- Experience with The Museum System (TMS), Tessitura, and InDesign.
Responsibilities
- Manage acquisitions and deaccessioning/disposal processes and related collections matters, including abandoned property, retroaccessioning, reaccessioning, found objects, N.A. numbers, and study and touch collections.
- Review submissions for approval by the General Counsel & Secretary.
- Review documentation for art acquisitions, deaccessioning, and disposal.
- Facilitate deaccessioning, oversee correspondence from related inboxes, maintain databases, and prepare reports for the Board of Trustees and other Board Committees.
- Review and proofread Board and Board Committee meeting materials, including minutes, draft correspondence, and reports.
- Draft internal acquisition memos, reports, policies, and procedures.
- Review gift and purchase paperwork for art acquisitions and gifts-in-kind, including touch and study collections.
- Assist with processing acquisition paperwork as needed.
- Review documentation for Workday invoices and art purchases.
- Administer Museum accounts with third parties for acquisitions.
- Support provenance research related to acquisitions.
- Oversee processing of departmental loan paperwork.
- Compile responses to institutional surveys.
- Clip news articles and prepare summaries for Board Committees.
- Prepare acquisition reports for senior management.
- Conduct research projects related to art acquisitions.
- Administer the Board and Acquisitions sections of the Counsel’s Office internal SharePoint site and manage documents on the Counsel’s Office k-drive.
- Review and prepare files for deposit in Museum Archives and coordinate and maintain the archival process for Board materials.
- Assist with preparation for Board and Board Committee meetings and dry runs.
- Greet and escort Trustees and assist with setup and breakdown for Board and Board Committee meetings.
- Provide Board and acquisitions coverage as necessary.
- Perform other Counsel’s Office duties, such as mail, filing, answering phones, and covering for attorneys when assistants are out.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
- 403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an employer match.
- Paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays.
- Long-term disability coverage.
- Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Account for eligible health care expenses.
- Commuter benefits for parking or mass transit expenses.
- Free financial-planning services.
- Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs.
- 25% discount for staff in Museum shops.
- Subsidized staff cafeteria.
- Museums Council pass granting free admission to various museums and cultural institutions.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
