Collections Manager, Registrar, Modern & Contemporary [End Dated]

About the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.

Since its founding in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as the audiences we engage. Our staff members are art lovers who are passionate about working toward a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring art museum in the world.

At The Met, every staff member – from security officers to researchers to scientists and beyond – lives by our core values of respect, inclusivity, collaboration, excellence, and integrity. 

Respect: Engage one another with collegiality, empathy, and kindness, always.

Inclusivity: Ensure that all are and feel welcome and valued.

Collaboration: Reach across boundaries to exchange ideas and work together toward our shared mission.

Excellence: Lead the cultural world in quality and expertise—and inspire curiosity and creativity.

Integrity: Hold ourselves to the highest moral standards, admit when we fall short, and then evolve. 

About the Department

The Department of Modern and Contemporary Art is working on a capital project to completely design and build the new Tang Wing.  The collection of modern and contemporary art comprises more than 12,000 objects, including painting, works on paper, sculpture, decorative art, and time-based media, most of which is presently located on site.

The project requires a complete assessment of the permanent collection that is both on display and in onsite storage, for movement to offsite storage in advance of construction for the Tang Wing.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

As the Collections Manager, Registrar, you will be a key member in leading the movement and assessment of artwork to offsite storage in advance of construction of the Tang Wing. You will work closing with both the department’s Senior Manager, the Chief Registrar and the other collections managers in all activities related to the care and assessment of the collection during the renovation of the Tang Wing.

This is a position with an established end-date or time frame.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

• Partner with the collections team and registrar department to develop a plan for the movement of artworks on and offsite during the enabling phase for the new Tang Wing;

• Lead the transfer of artwork to/from the Museum including the organization of transportation, security, insurance, with emphasis on documentation;

• Work with Senior Manager, Collections Manager, Registrars and other departments to oversee the budget for the move offsite and move back to The Met Fifth Avenue;

• Oversee two direct reports;

• Work with Senior Manager, Collections Manager-Registrar and collections team to review the assessments for the collection works;

• Coordinate viewings of the collection in storage by curators, conservators, collection managers, photographers, and others to assess objects and to update record keeping;

• Coordinates and works with contract staff hired to assist in the assessment of the collection and the move offsite;

• Monitors and updates collection-move data, such as dimensions, locations, components, etc., into The Museum System (TMS), collection management software working with other members of the Collections Team;

• Compiles and maintains collections documentation associated to the project, both digitally and in physical files;

• Will be required to work in multiple locations;

• Other duties as assigned.

Education & Experience:

• Minimum 5 years working with museum collections preferred.

• BA or BFA degree required; MA in Museum Studies or Collections Management preferred.

• Demonstrate experience working with museum collections.

• Strong interpersonal skills required.

• Experience with managing a team.

• Excellent organizational, management, and communication skills required.

• Collections Management database experience in TMS.

• Intermediate knowledge of archival materials and best practices in collections care.

• Formal or on-the-job training and experience in handling and moving 3-dimensional artworks required, familiarity with fragile composite objects preferred.

• Demonstrated abil