(Part-time) Collections Manager at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art – Museum Studies

Job Title: Collections Manager

Job Status: Part-time, approximately 20 hours/week

The Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art provides a platform for artistic exploration through multifaceted queer perspectives. We embrace the power of the arts to inspire, explore, and foster understanding of the rich diversity of LGBTQ+ experiences.

COLLECTIONS MANAGER

Employment type: At-will

Reports to: Chief Curator and Director of Programs

Employment status: Part-Time, non-exempt position, approx. 20 hours per week

ABOUT LLMA

Based in Soho, NYC since 1969, Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art is a vibrant platform for artistic exploration through multi-faceted LGBTQIA+ perspectives – serving as a home for queer art, artists, scholars, activists, and allies, and a catalyst for discourse on art and queerness. As the Museum reopens after the darkest moments of our 2020-21 pandemic closure with a focus on public engagement, we are at a critical inflection point in our story and poised for significant growth. While the hallmarks that informed LLMA’s beginnings—creativity, inclusion, and activism—continue to serve as guideposts for the future, the new Executive and Curatorial leadership are intent on amplifying our legacy through radical thought-leadership and support of new artist-led activities. Our aim is to center inspiring queer narratives, celebrate humanity, and forefront dignity during this complex time of sociopolitical evolution.

LLMA offers several major exhibitions a year, film screenings, performances, artist and curator talks, and panel discussions. The Museum has a collection of over 25,000 objects spanning three centuries, and an artist archive that contains information on over 2,000 LGBTQIA+ artists—both those represented in the collection and others of interest to LGBTQIA+ audiences. The Museum is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with official accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Chief Curator, the Collections Manager will both be responsible for care of LLMA’s collections and lead the Museum’s efforts to make them more digitally accessible to researchers and the public. A major responsibility of the Collections Manager will be to oversee the migration of the Museum’s current collections database to a web-based system, and understand and implement best practices regarding nomenclature and metadata standards in the context of queer art and art history.

The Collections Manager will be responsible for ensuring the overall preservation, maintenance, cataloging, and documentation of all works in LLMA’s holdings, whether on view, in storage, or on loan. Additional duties, along with Collections staff, include receiving, preparing and cataloguing new acquisitions; the creation and maintenance of forms, legal documents, and records associated with collections objects; and the planning and organizing of exhibition-related movement of collections objects, including packing, shipping, and insurance. Together with the Chief Curator, they will train and supervise Collections staff, interns, and volunteers, and collaborate on collections-related initiatives.

The Collections Manager should have a minimum of five years experience in a position of responsibility in museum collections, archives, or special collections. They must thoroughly understand best collections practices, have considerable experience with museum registration, collections management databases, object care and storage, and exhibitions. They should be organized, proactive, and flexible, and have the ability to work productively in a collaborative environment. Strong oral and written communication skills are important. Some physical activity such as climbing ladders, lifting boxes up to 50 pounds, and kneeling is required.

This position is part-time, with the possibility of expanding to full-time.

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

• Recommend collection and conservation priorities to strengthen the Collections, ensuring the highest standards of ethical practice are met;

• Oversee all aspects of the Museum’s Collections, including receiving, cataloging and documenting new and existing works of art;

• Train Curatorial staff (including the Museum’s Registrar) in best collections and registrations practices, as well as volunteers and interns working on the collection;

• Create and implement a process to ensure that all works within the Museum’s Collections are correctly inventoried;

• Photographing, scanning, writing condition reports and clearing reproduction rights;

• Oversee and maintain the Museum’s fine art database from which reports are created as needed/requested;

• Order archival supplies for the protection and documentation of the Collections;

• Oversee the execution of all Deeds of Gifts from donors for works of arts donated to the Museum;

• Oversee all arrangements with the separate storage locations for the Collections;

• Maintain the biographical histories of individual artists in the database and the physical documents and ephemera relating to the artists, their art and support material;

• Perform research on objects in the Collections as necessary or directed, including provenance research;

• Accommodate research requests and assist guest researchers to the collections;

• Oversee the Museum’s research library;

• Additional duties as assigned.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL POSSESS:

• Master’s degree (or equivalent experience) in Museum Studies, Library Science, or related field preferred;

• Minimum of 5 years collection management experience required;

• Knowledge of current registration practices and basic conservation procedures required;

• Experience with web-based collections management software;

• Experience with the handling and shipping of museum collection materials, including but not limited to condition reports, insurance and transportation, loan forms, and rights and reproductions required;

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong organizational skills with accuracy and attention to detail, along with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work well with individuals who have diverse backgrounds, interests, and working styles.

The Leslie-Lohman Museum is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. The Leslie-Lohman Museum will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. The Leslie-Lohman Museum encourages applicants of all ages. The Leslie-Lohman Museum strives to provide a welcoming environment to all visitors and applicants.

We are located at 26 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10013 (between Grand Street & Canal Street). External steps lead to our entrance doors; a wheelchair lift is available. All galleries are wheelchair-accessible, and a single-occupancy accessible restroom is located behind the visitor services desk; all restrooms are gender-neutral.

To Apply:

Please send a resume along with a cover letter addressing both your interest in LLMA and your qualifications for this position as well as your salary requirements to jobs@leslielohman.org. All attachments should be in PDF format. All employees (and public museum visitors) are required to present proof of vaccination and wear masks inside. We maintain social distance whenever possible.