Associate Collections Manager

Description

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Registrar & Collections Manager, the Associate Collections Manager oversees the care and documentation of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Collections at Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin, a historic site inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage list. The FLWF Collections at Taliesin include more than 3,000 fine and decorative art objects, personal effects, and textiles, as well as published and archival material such as books, periodicals, photographs, correspondence, and ephemera.

The Associate Collections Manager ensures all objects and materials are safely and properly displayed, stored, and cared for using professional standards and following the Collections Management Policy and implements all preventive conservation methods such as cleaning, pest management, and emergency preparedness. The Associate Collections Manager also assists with planning, implementing, and documenting collection projects and programming, supports the work of students and scholars, and serves as a resource about the Foundation Collections, Frank Lloyd Wright, and the Taliesin Fellowship.

Excellent communication skills, the ability to work independently, and being a self-starter are essential qualifications for this position as their supervisor and department director are based at Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

Essential Functions:

• Under the direction of the Registrar & Collections Manager, implements the daily care, cleaning, display, organization, registration, conservation, and storage of all Collections items at Taliesin according to professional museum standards. 
• Assists with updating and maintaining the collections management database, PastPerfect.
•  In conjunction with preservation and Taliesin Preservation staff, monitors environmental conditions and pest management in collection storage spaces and in the historic core. 
• Assists in updating and maintaining a current inventory of collections. 
• Assists in organizing digital and physical files and plans for digitization where appropriate.
• Oversees the crating and shipping of collections objects in compliance with the Foundation’s Collections Management Policy.
• Supports Foundation and Taliesin Preservation programming through tours, collections displays, presentations, or research as directed.
• Works with the Research & Special Collections Librarian to care for and administer the library collection in Wisconsin.
• Works with the Archivist to care for and organize the archival collection in Wisconsin.
• Assists the Registrar & Collections Manager to develop and evaluate policy and procedure at Taliesin.
• Supervises and monitors access to the Collections for students, researchers, and staff.
•  Oversees the work of volunteers and interns. 
• Serves as point person for collections vendors and independent contractors.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Art History, Museum Studies, Library Science, or a related field. 
• Two years’ hands-on collection management experience in a museum or historic house. 
• A strong knowledge of museum collections management standards and best practices.
• A familiarity with collections registration methods and practices, and an understanding of museum legal and ethical issues. 
• The ability to conceptualize, develop, and implement collection-related projects such as Emergency/Disaster Plan, Environmental Monitoring, and Pest Management.
• The ability to understand and follow departmental policies and procedures. 
• Experience with Past Perfect 5.0 Web Museum software, Hoboware Pro Data Logger software, Microsoft, and Adobe suites.
• A strong attention to detail.
• A self-starter and creative problem solver who can work both independently and in a team environment. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

This position is a full-time hourly position with a target rate of $21.64/hour, plus comprehensive benefits including a paid time-off package. The Foundation pays up to 90% of monthly health-care premiums (for employee and family) and enrolls all regular full-time employees into our life insurance, short-term and long-term disability policies at no cost to employees.

Physical Demands and Work Environment: The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job. 

• Physical Demands: While performing the essential functions of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; and consistently talk or hear; and rarely taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. 
• Work environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent for the Midwest at the time. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• OSHA Risk Classification for COVID-19 Exposure: Lower Risk (Caution): This position has minimal occupational contact with the public and other co-workers and is therefore determined to fall within the Lower Risk category as defined by OSHA. To further minimize risk, employees are required to follow the Foundation's Safe and Healthy Workplace guidelines and related personal and facility infection control policies.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.