Description:
Full-time
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, seeks a full-time Assistant Registrar for the Art Bridges Initiative to fill a term position (about 16 months) in the Registration and Collections Management department.
Under the supervision of the Registrar for Loans from the Collections:
Perform a wide variety of duties related to the coordinating, monitoring, and planning of object installations at partner institutions, with responsibility for management of projects throughout the process from approval to installation to safe return of artworks and for creation and communication of project plans while working closely with partner institutions and various departments across the Museum.
Essential Functions:
Exhibitions
- With the Art of the America’s Research and Interpretation Associate, schedule and manage regular and ad-hoc installation related meetings, including scheduling, creating, and distributing agendas, and taking and distributing notes. Develop project schedules for each project to provide a framework for planning, budgeting, implementing, and installing all such projects. Establish milestones for information such as final object list, design plan, installation requirements, packing, shipping, and coordinating of couriers, etc. Monitor progress against milestones and correct as needed.
- During installations and deinstallations, be present and available, if applicable, to deal with administrative and production issues.
- Make recommendations to Registrar for Loans from the Collections on non-routine or problematic project requirements.
- Track project budgets.
- Coordinate annual meetings for Art Bridges representatives and MFA staff.
Registrar
- In compliance with local, state, federal, and international laws, make determinations about and arrange for condition reporting, packing/crating, shipping, and insurance for all MFA loans to partner institutions and their return to the MFA. Work closely with MFA curatorial and conservation staff, outside vendors, dealers, private collectors, customs brokers, shippers, and packers to determine best method of safe shipment to and from locations within the United States and abroad.
- Keep abreast of current national and international customs and shipping regulations.
- Determine need for and schedule conservation examinations and reports, both at external venues and at MFA.
- Serve as courier for loans and exhibitions.
- Confirm fine arts insurance whether provided by MFA or owner, verify insurance values and coverage as necessary, and review uncommon situations with Registrar for Loans from the Collections.
- Coordinate schedules of truck arrivals/departures. Meet trucks at loading dock and coordinate with Facilities crew for truck loading/unloading and packing/unpacking. Identify staging and storage areas for artwork and crates.
- In relation to or in addition to above, assist entire registrar staff or act on their behalf with various general and specific projects such as assisting with hiring, training, and supervising interns in all facets of office functions, solving logistical problems, preparing specific documentation, handling and filing correspondence, and responding to specific queries regarding Registrar’s Office functions.
Qualifications:
- Applicants must have 1-3 years of project management or registrar experience.
- Exceptional analytical, planning, time management and follow-through skills.
- Solid computer skills with strong command of Microsoft programs and proficiency working with electronic data/collections databases required.
- Quantitative skills to manage and track budgets essential.
- Demonstrated ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining high standards. Must be precise and highly organized.
- Excellent communication and relationship management skills. Ability to work well as part of a team, and communicate well with all types of personalities.
- Ability and willingness to travel nationally and internationally.
- Ability to execute, with caution and good judgment, some physical work, including but not limited to placing dollies under crates, carrying boxes and objects of approximately 20 lbs, and standing on shipping dock for extended periods.
- Ability to perform tasks in professional manner and with discretion when working with confidential records.