Museum Collections Manager

Museum Collections Manager

General
This position plays an important role in caring for and developing the Lake Placid Olympic Museum’s (LPOM) artifact collection. As an integral part of the Museum department, they are responsible for ensuring the overall safety, preservation, and documentation of all historic items in the LPOM’s possession.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The collections manager is responsible for making the archives and artifacts accessible to the public and scholars, answering all research requests, and conducting independent research. The collections manager leads curatorial decisions and exhibit research, contributes to the quarterly e-newsletter, helps create engaging social media content, manages collections projects, and, with the Director, applies for grants. This position reports directly to the Museum Director and collaborates with Museum and Olympic Authority staff. Regular duties include, but are not limited to:

●Oversight and care of the Museum’s artifacts, archival, and library collections.
●Exhibition development includes research and writing, project timelines, artifact curation, exhibit needs, and maintaining communication and collaboration with the appropriate departments for a successful exhibit. This position will also work with touring exhibitions, co-organized exhibits, and other collaborations when applicable.
●Maintains and uses CatalogIt, the collections management database, improving record keeping and care related to the collection.
●Oversees research requests and provides information about the collection for all Museum aspects, including publications, exhibits, press releases, ORDA needs, and the retail store.
●Responsible for processing incoming acquisitions, incoming and outgoing loans, transporting artifacts, conducting condition reports, cataloging, photographing, digitizing, environmental monitoring, and other routine collections management duties.
●Continues to improve and implement new storage solutions for the Archives and other collection storage areas.
●Maintains the cleaning schedule for the Archives and Exhibit Galleries on a daily, weekly, quarterly, and annual basis.
●Responsible for monitoring care and climate control of artifacts and exhibit conditions.
●Reviews collections and collaborates with the Board on the disposition of de-accessioned objects.
●Assists with public programming, school field trips, and groups.
●Leads museum tours for group visits, school field trips, Can/Am Hockey Camps, bus tours, etc.
●Works with the Museum Board and Director to develop and nurture relationships with the collector community.
●Serves as the Staff Team Liaison for the Collections Committee.

Skills and Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
●Bachelor’s degree in History, Museum Studies, or other appropriate field with a specialized focus on managing a historic collection.
●Detailed knowledge of collections care practices and basic conservation skills.
●Experienced researcher, able to analyze, manage, and organize information.
●Skilled in coordinating resources and establishing priorities.
●Strong public speaker.
●Knowledge of archival ethics relating to collections management.
●Strong project management skills with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
●Skilled in communicating technical information to non-technical personnel.
●Experience with Windows and Google-based operating environments and collections management software like CatalogIt and/or PastPerfect. Ability to learn additional platforms used to complete individual and cross-functional work.

Wage/Salary:

This position is identified as a Grade 15 on the ORDA/CSEA schedule with an entry rate of $23.64 per hour

Interested candidates should email a letter of interest and resume with the subject line

Museum Collections Manager to Marianne Smith: [email protected]

Any offer of employment will be contingent upon the completion of a successful background check in accordance with the Olympic Authority’s Background Check Policy:

https://orda.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Background-Check-Policy.Revised.12.7.22.pdf
Background checks will be conducted by a Third-Party Administrator of the Olympic Authority’s choosing in compliance with the requirements of the New York State Fair Credit Reporting Act (General Business Law § 380) and the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681).

The Olympic Authority is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer