Associate Registrar for Exhibitions

Philadelphia Museum of Art; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 51,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free admission

Discounted guest tickets

Gifts discounts

Staff tours

Restaurant discounts

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Job summary

Philadelphia Museum of Art seeks an experienced Registrar to organize and manage major exhibitions, both in-house and traveling, coordinating packing, shipping, installation, and courier logistics.

The role requires handling loan agreements, insurance arrangements, and indemnity processes, with travel as needed to support domestic and international exhibitions and inventory control.

Qualifications

• Four to seven years registrar experience in a museum setting.
• Knowledge of best practices in registration, handling, packing and shipping artworks.
• Experience organizing complex domestic and international shipments with couriers.
• Familiarity with US Government Indemnity procedures.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines in a team environment.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Willingness to travel nationally and internationally as needed.
• TMS experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage & coordinate all details and logistics pertaining to exhibitions and traveling exhibitions including packing, shipping, insuring, installation, storage and courier arrangements.
• Review and negotiate loan agreements with lenders.
• Organize complex domestic and international shipments with couriers and installation schedules.
• Oversee and document unpacking, condition checks and installation of loans.
• Negotiate and arrange insurance for exhibitions and indemnity procedures.
• Collaborate with conservation, installations, packing, exhibition design, curatorial, protection services and facilities to coordinate exhibitions.

Skills

Exhibitions management

Logistics coordination

International shipping

US Government indemnity

Communication skills

Travel readiness

TMS familiarity

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in museum studies

Tools

The Museum System (TMS)

Job description

We Are Committed to an Inclusive Workplace

At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, we actively seek to employ a diverse group of people who embody our organizational values. We welcome and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply, especially those from marginalized and underrepresented groups in the museum field, who are inspired by our shared purpose and enjoy working collaboratively with others.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected status.

How You Will Contribute

This position will organize and manage large, complicated exhibitions as part of PMA's in-house and traveling exhibitions program

Specifically, you will:

• Manage & coordinate all details and logistics pertaining to exhibitions and traveling exhibitions including packing, shipping, insuring, installation, storage and courier arrangements
• Review and negotiate loan agreements with lenders
• Organize complex domestic and international shipments with couriers & organize installation schedule
• Oversee and document the unpacking, condition check and installation of loans
• Negotiate and arrange fine arts insurance for exhibitions
• Prepare and submit US Government indemnity applications & applications for Immunity from Seizure, and oversee the arrangements for indemnified exhibitions
• Collaborate with conservation, installations & packing, exhibition design, curatorial, protection services and facilities to coordinate exhibitions
• Supervise lender requirements & distributes information to appropriate departments
• Travel as courier for exhibitions and loan shipments as assigned
• Complete condition reports as needed
• Release/Receive shipments before or after hours to meet international and domestic shipping schedules
• Archive closed exhibitions
• Participate in Registration Department activities assisting in achieving overall departmental goals under the direction of the Director of Registration
• Other duties related to the movement and inventory of the collections as required
• Miscellaneous duties as assigned

Your background and experience include:

• Minimum of four to seven years of related registrar experience; Bachelor’s degree or Master’s in museum studies program, or equivalent experience working in museum collections management
• Well-organized, detail-oriented and knowledge of best practices in museum registration, art handling, packing and shipping works of art
• Experience organizing complex domestic and international shipments with couriers
• Prior experience with and knowledge of US Government Indemnity procedures and requirements
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and meet deadlines in a team-oriented environment
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills
• Availability to travel as a courier nationally and internationally as needed
• Experience with TMS (The Museum System) preferred
• Candidate must complete Security Threat Assessment post-hire

Position And Compensation Details

• The salary for this position is $56,292.08
• This position is Full-Time, Exempt, and 35 hours per week
• This position is part of the AFSCME Local 397 bargaining unit.
• This position reports to Director of Registration
• Physical requirements:
  • Able to remain stationary for extended periods of time, to utilize computers and other office equipment required of this job, to perform physically administrative duties in a typical interior office environment, gallery, or exhibit space, and to access most public and staff areas of the museum campus
  • Job-specific physical requirements
• Minor lifting and bending (lifting of no more than 50 pounds)
• Able to regularly set up, adjust, and operate a computer/keyboard and other office equipment used to generate work/transmit data
• Is able to remain seated for extended periods of time, to utilize computers and other office equipment required of this job, to perform physically administrative duties in a typical interior office environment, gallery or exhibit space, and to access all public and staff areas of the Museum campus, with or without accommodation
• While performing the essential functions of job, the individual must be able to remain stationary, standing in galleries during installation and de-installation for long periods of time

• Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job

Institutional Requirements

• Upholds the professional standards of the field, always acts in a manner that is consistent with the best interests of the museum and protects and enhances its reputation and standing within the community of museums
• Adheres to the museum’s code of ethics and Employee Handbook and avoids any real or perceived conflicts of interest
• Shows respect for co-workers and visitors and an understanding of and appreciation for the diversity of the museum’s staff, volunteers, and audiences
• Maintains confidentiality
• Adheres to all museum protocols, procedures, rules, and policies

Application Timeline

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage candidates to apply early as the position will close once we have a robust applicant pool or a candidate has been selected.

What We Offer

Our employees are at the center of the museum. As an employee, you will have access to numerous museum perks including, but not limited to:

• Free general admission to the museum for you and your immediate family
• Discounted guest tickets for admission
• Discounts on gift memberships
• Special staff tours and presentations from our curatorial and conservation teams
• Discounts at the museum restaurant, museum cafés, and museum retail and online stores

We offer a comprehensive benefits package for employees including:

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits
• Fully paid short-term disability insurance, long-term disability insurance, and life insurance
• Health savings or flexible spending account program
• Retirement savings program with museum match
• Paid vacation, personal days, sick days, and holidays
• Eligibility for certain benefits is based on a variety of factors including the employee’s regular schedule and tenure