Collections Associate at the Seattle Art Museum

Job Title: Collections Associate

Job Status: Full-time

Location: Seattle, WA

Salary: $24-$30/hr

COLLECTIONS ASSOCIATE OVERVIEW:

Support curatorial division in matters relating to the permanent collection. SAM is dedicated to racial equity and strives for employees, volunteers, and interns who are passionate, qualified, and offer diverse perspectives. SAM prioritizes racial equity in the workplace because we know that people of color are the most impacted when it comes to inequities. We are particularly interested in engaging with historically under-represented groups in the museum field as we strive to be inclusive and equitable. SAM is responsive to cultural communities and experiences, and our strategic plan goals address the role art plays in empowering social justice and structural change to promote equity in our society.

FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt

REPORTS TO: Deputy Director for Art

COMPENSATION: $24 – $30 an hour

BENEFITS:

Full time employees are covered by medical, dental, vision, basic life insurance/LTD/ AD&D. Employees are able to enroll in our company’s 403b plan. Employees will also receive ten days of sick leave and ten days of vacation leave every year, twelve paid holidays and one floating holiday throughout the calendar year. Additional benefits include subsidized transportation (ORCA business passport), access to fitness facility, and museum membership.

Essential Functions

  • Coordinate acquisition activities of the Board Committee on Collections, including scheduling meetings, preparing agendas and minutes, managing restricted funds (purchase and support funds), processing payments and Seller’s Warranties, reviewing new TMS entries, providing media for TMS records, and research on provenance, exhibition, and publication histories of new works to the collection.
  • Perform regular ongoing collection research, contributing updates to SAM object files and TMS object records.
  • Act as liaison to the public for art-related research inquiries and catalogue raisonné requests. Coordinate research inquiries to curators or research as assigned
  • respond to messages sent to submitting@seattleartmuseum.org, research@seattleartmuseum.org, and collection@seattleartmuseum.org, and answer phone calls related to permanent collection
  • respond to donation and sale offers, coordinating offers to appropriate curator after gathering information.
  • Coordinate deaccession activities and IS object dispersal, including managing internal processes and COC involvement, tracking sale plans and proceeds, and making sure credit lines “by exchange” are applied.
  • Conduct provenance research on potential gifts, new acquisitions, and permanent collection objects as prioritized. Seek to ensure that SAM is in compliance with AAMD and AAM protocols and guidelines for potential new acquisitions. Work with Legal, Director of Museum Services and Chief Registrar, and curators on responses to repatriation claims.
  • Coordinate with curators to organize collections access for visiting scholars, students and artists
  • add any notes from such visits to TMS object records.
  • Manage presentation of museum’s collection online (via TMS/eMuseum), including performing updates to web artwork pages and coordinating web projects to completion.
  • Work with Communications team to publicize and promote permanent collection.
  • Work with Assistant Registrar for Rights & Reproductions and Museum Photographer to identify and coordinate collection photography needs.
  • Serve as contact for monthly verbal appraisals program. Coordinate and manage allocated verbal appraisals each month, coinciding with outgoing loans and Registrars’ annual fine arts insurance renewal.
  • Assist with cross-divisional preparations for biennial New Acquisitions Evening.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities Required

  • Master’s degree in art history or equivalent plus 3 years’ relevant administrative or research work experience, preferably in museum setting.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills.
  • Demonstrated art historical research experience and proficiency.
  • Demonstrated proficiency with MS Office products, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Asana, Access & other software programs.
  • Good knowledge of works of art, art terminology, and institutions.
  • Reading ability in a second language highly desirable.
  • Ability to take initiative and prioritize multiple competing tasks
  • excellent time management and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to work with close attention to detail and to maintain confidentiality.
  • Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with Board members, key donors, executives, management, employees, and the public.
  • Ability to work professionally and tactfully and support management decisions in a positive, professional manner.

Working Conditions

Work areas are inside, in a climate-controlled environment with light-to-moderate background noise.

Physical Activities Required To Perform Essential Functions

Sitting/Standing/Walking: Approximately 75% of time is spent seated while working at a desk. Balance of time (approximately 25%) is spent standing or moving around the work area.

Speaking/Hearing: Clear diction and acute hearing are necessary for effective communication with co-workers, the public and outside agencies, by telephone and in person.

Lifting/Carrying/Pushing/Pulling: The ability to lift and carry up to twenty-five pounds is necessary for transporting files and office supplies.

Vision: Corrected vision close to 20/20 is necessary to effectively use the computer screens and color vision (red, green and blue) are necessary to actively view works of art.

Stooping/Kneeling: The ability to stoop and kneel is necessary for accessing files.

Reaching/Handling: Good manual dexterity is necessary for computer keyboard use and for retrieving and working with appropriate paperwork, equipment, and supplies.

Centering equity, diversity, and inclusion as an organization, and as individuals, Seattle Art Museum (SAM) is committed to ensuring that all employees and volunteers enjoy a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming workplace. SAM is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, caste, ancestry, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, status as a mother breastfeeding her child, presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability, political ideology, gender identity or expression, genetic information, honorably discharged veteran or military status, use of Section 8 certificate, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, or any other class protected by federal, state or local laws.

Please contact the Human Resources Department at (206) 654-3188 or HR@seattleartmuseum.org for additional information or to request reasonable accommodations for the application or interview process.

Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check

To Apply

Please visit https://seattleartmuseum.applytojob.com/apply to submit SAM employment application, cover letter and resume

Deadline

September 15, 2023