Check Collections Manager jobs in Saint Paul, MN

The Walker Art Center empowers people to experience the transformative possibilities of the art and ideas of our time and to imagine the world in new ways. In our over 125-year history, we have become one of the most celebrated art museums in the country and we are known for our innovative presentations and acclaimed collections of contemporary art across the spectrum of the visual, performing, and media arts.

The Collections Management Supervisor oversees Walker Art Center’s collection and storage facilities, attending to the day-to-day needs of the collection.  The role partners with the Director of Collections and Exhibition Management to develop and define collection care-related initiatives and provides work direction as needed to the technician team.

WHAT YOU GET TO DO 

Collection Care:

• Develop and maintain policies, procedures, and best practices for the care, handling, and documentation of work on Walker’s care.
• Processes artworks added to the Visual Arts Collection, maintaining meticulous records for all works under Walker’s care.
• Work collaboratively with curators, artists, and artist assistants towards the success of their projects.
• Leads project teams and manages project schedules across the team, ensuring milestones and deadlines are met and that information is shared on time.
• Ensure that artworks are prepared and presented in a manner that aligns with curatorial objectives and the museum's mission, developing packing strategies and crate specifications for collection works being lent and exhibited.
• Oversee and optimize internal processes for the movement of works of art from storage for exhibition or study.
• Lead inventories and record management of the permanent collection work.
• Attends and participates in professionally relevant meetings and training.
• Joins the Exhibition installation team to mount large-scale exhibitions and/or occasionally in private residences when requested.
• Locally transport works.
• Assigns and oversees projects given to Collection Management technicians.
• Load and offload trucks transporting works, occasionally outside of standard hours. Be aware of and maintain preventative conservation best practices, including working with appropriate staff to monitor and maintain appropriate environmental conditions.

Facility Management:

• Manages the care and routine housekeeping of all collection storage facilities at Walker. 
• Maintain supplies of tools and materials.
• Ensure proper housing and storage of collection objects.
• Identify areas of the collection that are not stored in a manner that meets best practices and systematically upgrade their housing.
• Assist in the skill development of storage technicians and the constant improvement of art handling techniques and protocols for the team.

WHAT WE NEED IN YOU 

Minimum Requirements

• B.F.A. degree or B.A. degree in Museum Studies, Art History, a related field, or a relevant combination of education and experience is required.
• Deep knowledge of techniques and materials utilized for the storage of museum collections.
• 5 years of experience designing, fabricating, and packing a broad range of unique artworks.
• Minimum of 6 years museum experience and exemplifying professional museum practices in art handling/installation
• 1-2 years of experience supervisory experience.

Preferred Skills

• Attentive listener, able to take direction, receptive to feedback.
• Hands-on, detail-oriented, able to prioritize various responsibilities and time-sensitive requests.
• Must be able to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Creative problem solver possessing the ability to devise more than one solution to a single problem
• Personify and promote the qualities of a positive and respectful work environment.
• Ability to work on complex projects as a part of a team and major contributor
• Must possess a valid driver’s license.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS   

• Stand for long periods.
• Bend, stoop, reach, lift, and climb to move materials and carefully handle artwork.
• Climb up and down stairs and ladders, work comfortably at heights.
• Reach both above and below shoulder height.
• Be able to lift up to 75 pounds individually.
• Manual dexterity to operate manually controlled equipment and safely handle works of art.
• Ability to visually inspect work; specific vision abilities include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS This position is considered full-time, non-exempt. As a non-exempt position, it is eligible for overtime pay. The minimum compensation for this role is $28.00 hourly. The Walker offers a wide range of benefits for both part-time and full-time employees.

This position is not eligible for relocation assistance.

All applicants must be eligible to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship.

Vaccination Expectation The Walker Art Center’s COVID vaccination policy requires staff to be fully vaccinated or to supply a negative test every 6 days. We will consider requests for reasonable accommodations based on disability or sincerely-held religious beliefs

Walker’s DEI commitment The Walker is committed to being an employer with a staff who, at all job levels, reflects the rich diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We are dedicated to ensuring inclusion and equity in all our employment practices. We deeply value and welcome all the unique lived experiences in our applicants and encourage anyone meeting the minimum requirements to apply.

Recruitment Timeline All positions are open until filled.