Collections & Exhibitions Manager

AKC Museum of the Dog; New York (NY); On-site; USD 85,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

AKC Museum of the Dog is seeking an experienced professional to oversee its permanent collection, ensure ethical stewardship, and manage complex exhibition logistics in New York City. The role includes cataloging, provenance, conservation coordination, and working with lenders and vendors.

You will supervise staff and contractors, prepare loan and insurance documents, and contribute to exhibitions, interpretation, and public engagement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in museum studies, art history, decorative arts, history, conservation, or related field is required.
• At least four years of progressively responsible museum collections management/registration experience with objects and exhibitions.
• Knowledge of professional standards for acquisitions, accessioning, loans, provenance, documentation, storage, handling, conservation, and risk management.
• Experience with collections-management databases and digital recordkeeping; familiarity with Veevart/Salesforce preferred.
• Ability to prepare and review loan agreements, condition reports, insurance and shipping docs, facility reports, object lists, and installation plans.
• Strong project-management skills to handle multiple exhibitions and collections priorities.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the Museum's permanent collection stewardship, documentation, security, accessibility, preservation, and care.
• Manage collections records and databases, including cataloging, provenance, ownership, location, and imaging.
• Lead collections care, inventories, environmental monitoring, conservation, and risk management.
• Manage acquisitions, deaccessions, and dispositions with due diligence and policy compliance.
• Administer loans including insurance, condition reporting, and shipping coordination.
• Lead exhibition logistics from object selection to installation and deinstallation.
• Contribute to exhibition development, narratives, labels, credits, and archival documentation.
• Support education, marketing, development, publications, and public programs with accurate content.
• Develop and manage collections and exhibition operations, including budgets and calendars.
• Provide leadership, supervise staff, and represent the Museum externally.

Skills

Bachelor's degree requirement

4+ years museum experience

Project management

Ethical standards knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in museum studies

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Veevart/Salesforce

Job description

Primary Job Duties:

• Oversee the Museum's permanent collection, ensuring its stewardship, documentation, security, accessibility, preservation, and physical care meet professional and ethical standards.
• Manage collections records and databases, including cataloging, provenance, ownership, condition, location, valuation, imaging, digitization, and related legal and administrative documentation.
• Lead collections care and risk management, including inventories, environmental monitoring, conservation, storage and handling standards, emergency preparedness, and long-term collections-care planning.
• Manage acquisitions, deaccessions, and dispositions, including research, due diligence, condition assessment, accessioning, donor communications, institutional approvals, and compliance with policies and ethical standards.
• Administer incoming and outgoing loans, coordinating agreements, insurance, condition reporting, valuations, shipping, customs, couriers, deadlines, and relationships with lenders and vendors.
• Lead exhibition and installation logistics, managing object selection and movement, schedules, budgets, condition checks, mounting, installation, deinstallation, and coordination with staff, contractors, lenders, and designers.
• Contribute to exhibition development and interpretation, including object research, exhibition concepts, narratives, labels, checklists, credits, photography, reproduction rights, and archival documentation.
• Conduct research and support public and institutional engagement, providing accurate collection and exhibition content for education, marketing, development, publications, programs, donors, scholars, and the public.
• Develop and manage collections and exhibition operations, including budgets, workflows, policies, calendars, reporting, audits, grants, insurance, facility planning, and resource allocation.
• Provide leadership and collaboration across the Museum, advising senior leadership on collections priorities and risks, supervising staff and contractors, maintaining professional standards, and representing the Museum with external partners and the public.

Required Skills, Specialized Knowledge and Competency Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in museum studies, art history, decorative arts, history, conservation, or a related field required; advanced degree or equivalent combination of education and substantial professional experience preferred.
• At least four years of progressively responsible experience in museum collections management, registration, or a closely related area, including direct responsibility for art objects and exhibition installations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of professional standards and ethical practices governing acquisitions, accessioning, deaccessioning, loans, provenance, documentation, storage, handling, conservation, and risk management.
• Strong experience with collections-management databases and digital recordkeeping; familiarity with Veevart/Salesforce preferred.
• Proven ability to prepare and review loan agreements, condition reports, insurance and shipping documentation, facility reports, object lists, and installation plans.
• Excellent project-management skills and the ability to manage multiple exhibitions, loans, and collections priorities simultaneously with accuracy and calm.

The salary range in New York City for this position is $85,000 - $89,000/year; however, salary offered may vary depending on skill, experience, job-related knowledge and location.

Weekend and overnight travel may be required.

Equal Opportunity Employer
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