COOK MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE
Collections Manager/Registrar
Reports To: Executive Director of Cook Museum of Natural Science
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Responsible for care and management of all taxidermied animals, bio fact collections, the education collection, and with the goal of advancing the mission, and objectives of the Cook Museum.
- Expected to develop the museum’s network of community partners and serve as the primary resource for understanding other regional resources are available for the museum collections.
- Plans, executes, directs, and participates in work involving the care, display and safety of the museum collection.
- Works with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to develop, write and finalize the Collections policy, Collections Plan, and Collections disaster plan.
- Responsible for adhering to all standards and procedures set forth in the collections policy and plan and Cook Museum long policy.
Specific Duties Include:
- Oversees the stabilization of the collection for long-term preservation and housing in a proper storage environment
- Maintain the highest quality, cleanliness, look and feel to the exhibit and storage environments
- Responsible for any conservation efforts when preventative measures have been unsuccessful
- Completes a regular collections inventory to standards set forth in the Cook Museum Policy
- Conducts regular monitoring of the collections and the storage environment
- Documents collections and monitoring activities
- Responsible for maintaining accurate records and documents that form a body of information pertaining to the collections and loaned objects, that can include information regarding the current location, condition, dimensions and descriptions of objects,
deed of gift, loan agreements, receipts, photos, permits, historical records, and other items.
- Responsible for determining and arranging correct methods of handling, packaging, transporting and delivering objects in our collection
- Identify potential risks and complications to the collection and act to reduce or eliminate them, including pest control, temperature, humidity and lighting
- Ensures compliance with museum grant, donor, and contract agreements as they apply, with highest quality implementation
- Determines, recommends, implements and manages a detailed annual collections operating budget in collaboration with the Executive Director, and Museum Finance Department
- Monitors department expenses and meets annual departmental budget
- Be familiar with the terms of our insurance coverage and ensure that insurance reporting is accurate.
- Supervises and trains interns and volunteers working in the collections and exhibit areas
- Stays current with museum collections standards and researches, develops, implements, presents/delivers, and best practices for collections
- Diligently oversees science content accuracy in all areas of your department as well as the exhibits
- Obtains as needed, prepares annual reports and renewals, and maintains all federal and state permits and licenses.
- Sets up intake procedures for donations to the collections and serves as the point of contact between donors of physical items and the museum.
- Establishes and maintains working relationships between local universities, science institutions, and professional associations in order to remain current with research studies, and collection best practices
- Conducts oral presentations for museum visitors in a clear and effective manner to explain exhibits
- Works with the Development and Membership Director and the Executive Director to meet the museum’s development goals and objectives by providing support for both grant application and implementation and funding opportunities
- Provide information as needed by Development and Marketing for inclusion in external documents such as grants, newsletters, flyers, teachers guide and other documents. Assists in planning and implementing marketing activities.
- Performs annual cleaning and maintenance of taxidermy on display and in collections storage as needed
- Works with the education department to maintain and provide taxidermy, and bio-fact collections for use in onsite and outreach education programs.
- Attends internal planning meetings including, but not limited to, exhibits, leadership, full staff, and others as deemed appropriate by the executive director
- Recommends items for accession and deaccession with supporting documentation
- Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director and the Board of Directors
Qualifications:
- Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science, Zoology, Biology, or other Natural Science field and 4-5 years direct experience in natural science museum collections.
OR
- Master’s degree in public history, museum studies, collections management or related field
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
- Willing to learn best practices in natural science collections management
- Collections database management
- Implementation, use and trouble shooting of the collections database
- Knowledge of U.S. Federal and Alabama State Permits a plus
- Strong organizational, time management, interpersonal, problem-solving and communication skills. Able to build and lead a team of passionate collections volunteers.
- Highly motivated, team player with innovative and creative thinking
- Detailed orientated, independent worker and able to multitask, with the ability to clearly communicate with all levels of staff
- Computer literacy, particularly in Microsoft Office Suite and willing to learn other programs as needed
- Willing to work some weekends, evenings and special events
Cook's is an Equal Opportunity Employer
