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The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF) are the city's largest public arts institutions and are comprised of the de Young and the Legion of Honor museums. The de Young, designed by Herzog & de Meuron and located in Golden Gate Park, showcases American art from the 17th through the 21st centuries, international contemporary art, textiles and costumes, and art from the Americas, the Pacific, and Africa. The Legion of Honor displays a collection of over 4,000 years of ancient and European art and houses the Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts in a Beaux-Arts style building overlooking Lincoln Park and the Golden Gate Bridge. The staff, the Board of Trustees, the volunteers, and various support groups are continuously working together to ensure the optimal utilization, display, preservation, and enrichment of this magnificent collection. The Fine Arts Museums believe that each employee contributes directly to the Museums' growth and success, and upholds the Museums' mission to make art accessible to the large and diverse Bay Area audience.
Job Responsibility
Receives, inspects, accessions, documents, labels and catalogs objects acquired for collections and/or exhibitions
makes notes and/or comments on condition reports
oversees deaccession procedures in compliance with collection management policies
Oversees the movement, exhibition, storage, and disposition of art objects in order to guarantee security of the collections, including coordination with conservators, preparators, designers, curators and photographers
Facilitates care and security of collections of art and artifacts on site
coordinates with conservators regarding the conditions necessary to store objects in a seismically safe, temperate place
controls art storage area
oversees object movement, internal and external
conducts periodic inventories of collection areas
maintains storage records and shelf lists
Arranges for insurance on permanent collection, outgoing or incoming loans, including executing applications for federal indemnification of international exhibitions, maintaining insurance coverage and computing premiums when due, and processing liability and damage claims
Prepares agreements and arrangements for outgoing and incoming loans, special exhibitions or permanent installation of objects, including contractual arrangements, loan agreement forms, exhibition contracts, condition reports, facility reports, supplying photographs, cataloging information, and other documents related to collections management
Makes shipping arrangements for incoming and outgoing objects
inspects objects and checks condition reports, making notes as needed
coordinates the packing, crating and couriering of objects
establishes the date and method of shipping items
Works collaboratively with museum staff including curators, conservators, preparators, and packers, as well as representatives of other museums and outside art handling personnel such as airline personnel and cargo handlers in coordinating, scheduling, and monitoring the safe and legal movement of objects
Researches and provides accurate information to museum administrators, staff and board members, representatives of other museums and the general public regarding loans, special collections, catalog information, packing, shipping, and insurance
promotes compliance with federal, state, and local laws relating to art collections management
Serves as a courier accompanying valuable objects of art in transit as required
May prepare and manage special project budgets as required
May train and supervise the work of subordinate personnel such as associate or assistant registrars, interns, and volunteers when required
May check exhibitions to ensure environmental standards and security
Requirements
Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in art, art history, museum studies, arts administration or a closely related field and four years of verifiable museum registration experience
OR Possession of a master's degree from an accredited college or university in art, art history, museum studies, arts administration or a closely related postgraduate program and two years of verifiable museum registration experience
Computer literacy in word processing, database management and a computerized registration system
Nice to have
Knowledge of and diversified experience with museum registration methods and techniques particularly as they relate to accessioning and deaccessioning
Ability to work effectively with a variety of donors, vendors, international and domestic institutions
Thorough knowledge of and efficient mastery of software and databases, including applications such as Microsoft Office and collections management database systems
Familiarity with customs restrictions, provenance and repatriation issues, and pertinent fine arts insurance practices
Familiarity with basic conservation concepts, procedures, and terms
Skill and awareness in regard to the sensitive handling of works of art, including current best practices in packing, crating, and transportation of objects
Demonstrated organizational skills and knowledge of pertinent office and administrative procedures, including: basic accounting (A/P, A/R, POs)
rigorous collections documentation practices
receipting
organizing and maintaining digital and hard-copy records
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Extremely high level of accuracy and attention to detail
commitment to efficiency and effectiveness of systems and schedules
Ability to work well under pressure and with conflicting demands
Ability to efficiently and effectively work on a variety of projects concurrently, with attention to the goals and priorities of the department and the Museums
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with colleagues, volunteers, interns, and effectively represent the Museum to outside professionals, lenders, donors, and members of the artistic community