JOB TITLE: Museum and Exhibitions Registrar Original Date: 05/2024
DEPARTMENT: Mercy Archives Revision date: xx/xxxx
REPORTS TO: Director, Mercy Archives
FLSA Status: Exempt
TELECOMMUTE ELIGIBILITY:
This position has the option to telecommute.
JOB PURPOSE: Mercy Archives and Records team preserves, relates, and promotes the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas through professional archival, library, museum, and records management practices. This full-time position will be an integral part of the department, in collecting and managing artifacts, artwork, and heritage of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. Fieldwork across the Institute will be critical to the success of this role. This role engages in outreach, education, and accessibility creation activities to connect users and stakeholders, including exhibitions, heritage displays, and other programs. As we are a smaller team, this position will collaborate and support other department initiatives and projects as needed.
Sustained and inspired by their relationship with God and one another, the mission of the Sisters of Mercy is to respond with vision and compassion to the needs of people who are poor, sick, and uneducated. This mission serves as a motivational force in the day-to-day activities of the employees of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and as we extend compassion and mercy to others, practice and encourage social justice, and strive to live mercifully.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Collections
· Follow professional archival and museum best practices to provide inventory management, proper care, preservation, security and storage of Mercy’s art, museum, and heritage collections.
· Provide guidance to key stakeholders responsible for local collections management across the Institute, ensuring the continued preservation and security of artifacts and heritage related to the story of Mercy, regardless of location.
· Oversees process for all incoming and outgoing loans of objects, including packing, shipping, receiving, logistics, and insurance consistent with best practices. Maintains records of provenance, purchase or donation, photographs, evaluation, insurance, condition, and location.
· Supports the Director in coordinating active collecting from Mercy or Mercy-affiliated locations in transition, traveling to sites when appropriate for the work.
· Oversee exhibition and heritage spaces, collections storage rooms, and environmental monitoring consistent with best practices at the central repository, Mercy Heritage Center located in Belmont, North Carolina.
· Manages all rights and reproductions requests for access to works in the permanent collection. Arranges for photography of exhibitions, artifacts and art objects as needed for collection records, research, and exhibition archives. Supports the reference and research services as it relates to the art, artifact, and heritage collections.
· Serve as the authority on the art, museum, and heritage collections, ensuring a balance of schedule, scholarship, cultural relevance, diversity, and value for the community and key stakeholders. Promotes an environment that fosters inclusive relationships and creates unbiased opportunities for contributions through ideas, words, and actions that uphold principles of the mission and charism of Mercy.
Exhibitions
· Curate/co-curate rotating exhibits at Mercy Heritage Center Coordinate and document aspects of borrowing and lending objects to and from other Mercy institutions or individuals for exhibits and other uses, in accordance with established department policies and best practices. Duties include responsibility for loan forms, condition reports, shipping forms and procedures.
· Participate in the creation, execution, and maintenance of programming, including exhibitions and heritage displays among others, to educate audiences on the history and legacy of Mercy.
· Maintains exhibition schedule.
· Supervises installations, de-installations, and re-installations of all exhibition spaces and supervises personnel involved in those activities.
Administration
· Collaborates with the Director for budgetary requirements of collections, preservation, and storage efforts. Monitors the ordering and purchasing of supplies for storage and conservation of permanent collections.
· In collaboration with the team, review and update core collections and exhibition policies and procedures for approval.
· Assist in staff training and education efforts related to artifacts and heritage.
· Support the supervision of volunteer, intern, and contract staff performing duties related to artifacts, art, or heritage care.
· Advocates for the Archives function and how it contributes to the ongoing vibrancy of the community.
· Participate in professional activities of archives, museums, and religious archival groups, including attending and representing Mercy Archives at professional conferences, workshops, or regional meetings.
· Actively participate in activities to make more visible and build upon multiculturalism and international initiatives reflected in the Mercy history and culture.
· Other duties as assigned.
Miscellaneous
- Demonstrates initiative in observing what needs to be done and does it without having to be asked to do so.
· Remains in compliance with employee handbook and other established community guidelines
· Communicates with co-workers, management, sisters, visitors, families, and others in a courteous, tactful and professional manner
· Conforms with and abide by all regulations, policies, work procedures and instructions,
QUALIFICATIONS:
Education, Competencies and Experience
Required
· Master’s degree in museum studies or closely related field such as material culture, history, public history, or comparable field.
· A minimum of 3-5 years' practical experience applying professional museum principles and practices such as inventorying artifacts, evaluating materials for historical value, and creation of heritage displays or exhibitions. Experience managing collections containing artifacts, heritage, and other objects.
· Experience assisting with the production of exhibitions.
· Ability to maintain professional confidentiality when working with sensitive non-public documents and artifacts.
· Ability to build relationships and work independently, collaboratively, proactively, and efficiently.
· Familiarity with database management, metadata, and authority control.
· Computer proficiency with a working knowledge of Microsoft applications, scanning software and equipment and image-editing software.
· Excellent oral, interpersonal, and written communication skills.
· Ability to relate to a broad and diverse audience.
· Ability to manage varying duties and priorities while meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
· Strong organizational skills and ability to establish priorities.
· Capable of displaying strong self-motivation and sound decision-making ability.
· Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
Preferred Qualifications
- Understanding and appreciation of the traditions and culture associated with the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and religious life.
- Subject-area knowledge related to women’s history, religious history both in the United States and across the world.
- Experience using PastPerfect museum software or other collections database.
- Exhibition installation, mounting, and/or hanging objects, management of loans, and copyright clearance process.
- English/Spanish bilingual communication and comprehension skills.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $59,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 403(b)
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Physical setting:
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Monday to Friday
Experience:
- applying professional museum principles: 3 years (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Belmont, NC 28012 (Required)
Ability to Relocate:
- Belmont, NC 28012: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person