Senior Museum Acquisitions Specialist

The Metropolitan Museum of Art•The Met Fifth Avenue, NY

12h•$100,000 - $110,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Museum Acquisitions Specialist manages the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s procedures for art acquisitions, deaccessioning and disposal, and other 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 partners with Counsel’s Office attorneys and colleagues in curatorial and conservation departments, the Registrar’s Office, Finance, the Director’s Office, and Development. The position is fully on-site, and applicants are asked to include a cover letter and writing sample. Employees must be located within commuting distance of the Museum in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Arts Administration, Art History, Museum Studies, or a related specialization; an MA is preferred.
4–5 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.
High attention to detail and excellent organizational skills.
Conflict-resolution ability; diplomacy and discretion.
Ability to handle several tasks simultaneously.
Ability to work both as a team member and independently.

Nice To Haves

MA degree.
Experience with The Museum System (TMS), Tessitura, and InDesign.

Responsibilities

Manage acquisitions and deaccessioning/disposal processes and other collections-related issues, including abandoned property, retroaccessioning, reaccessioning, found objects, N.A. numbers, and study and touch collections.
Review submissions for the General Counsel & Secretary’s approval and review documentation for art acquisitions, deaccessioning, and disposal.
Facilitate deaccessioning, including overseeing related correspondence, maintaining databases, and preparing reports for the Board of Trustees and other Board Committees.
Review and proofread meeting materials for the Board of Trustees and Board Committees, 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, and 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 and 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 meeting setup and breakdown.
Provide Board and acquisitions coverage as necessary and perform other Counsel’s Office duties, including mail, filing, answering phones, and covering for attorneys when assistants are out.
Work occasional evenings and weekends as required and perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match.
Considerable 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 healthcare expenses on a pre-tax basis.
Commuter benefits for parking or mass transit on a pre-tax basis.
Free financial-planning services.
Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs.
25% staff discount in Museum shops.
Subsidized staff cafeteria.
Access to the Museums Council pass, which grants free admission to various museums and cultural institutions.