Job Listing

Collections Manager

Strawbery Banke Museum

Strawbery Banke Museum (SBM) is a 10-acre living history museum located in the heart of downtown Portsmouth. The museum interprets daily life in the same historic waterfront neighborhood over 300+ years, making the 37 historic buildings accessible to a wide range of visitors one of our primary goals. A Visitors’ Center and a state-of-the-art Collections Center were built in 2005 and 2008, respectively.

Twenty-four business and community leaders from around region comprise the Board of Trustees. The staff is comprised of 27 year-round and approximately 70 seasonal employees. The operational and capital expenditures range from $2-$3 million annually. Annual attendance is 90.000+ including 10,000 school children. Strawbery Banke hosts an ever-growing number of special events and programs for adults, children, and families throughout the year. Seasonal and holiday signature events are time-honored traditions that help make Portsmouth the vibrant destination it is.

Strawbery Banke is continually ranked as TripAdvisor’s #1 “Thing to do in Portsmouth”, Yankee Magazine Editors’ Choice: Best of New England Classics “Best Historic Village” and the 2020 Best of the Seacoast in the Entertainment & Leisure category for Best Group Event/Tour/Activity.

Strategic Framework:
Strawbery Banke Museum:
A place to learn,
A place to gather,
A place to preserve.

Mission Statement:
To promote understanding of the lives of individuals and the value of community through encounters with the history and ongoing preservation of a New England waterfront neighborhood.

Toward that goal, Strawbery Banke Museum:

Acquires and conserves, for today's visitors and for future generations, historic buildings, objects, and other materials pertinent to its mission.
Conducts research aimed at placing local developments within the broader context of city, state, and national history.
Disseminates the results of that research to the public through exhibitions, publications, demonstrations, tours, symposia, workshops, and other educational activities and programs.

Core Values:

In order to create the best possible experience, SBM prioritizes the following core values,
which are integral to the success of the museum, and the organization’s commitment
to the greater community that we serve.

Authenticity
Engagement
Inclusivity
Innovation
Integrity
Sustainability

Equal Opportunity Statement:

Strawbery Banke Museum is committed to the principles of equal employment. We are committed to complying with all federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities, and all other employment laws and regulations. It is our intent to maintain a work environment that is free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation because of age, race, color, marital status, national origin, ancestry, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation (including transgender status, gender identity or expression), pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), crime victim status, veteran status, uniformed service member status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws. SBM is dedicated to the fulfillment of this policy in regard to all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay, and other compensation, termination, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.

Reports to: Chief Curator

Schedule: 15 hours per week

Strawbery Banke Museum seeks a qualified Collections Manager responsible for the care and preservation of over 20,000 objects in the decorative arts collection and the archival collection. The Collections Manager will support department initiatives, including those related to research, exhibit planning and execution, interpretation, and publication; will maintain object records for the collection; process new acquisitions, produce cataloging sheets, and maintain the computer database. An ideal candidate will have the skill to perform minor conservation of objects in the collection.

Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in related field with at least 3 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified; Master’s degree preferred
Knowledge of current museum best practices and curatorial methodologies including collections management, conservation and preservation techniques, and exhibition and interpretation of collections in exhibitions and programs
Fully competent computer skills using Microsoft Office suite and PastPerfect or other collection management software
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to understand and follow complex, detailed technical instructions
Informational research skills
This position requires going up and down stairs to access museum collections, and some heavy lifting. Ability to lift 50lbs and navigate historic structures required.

Responsibilities:

Manage collections care for objects and archival records both in storage and in museum buildings; sustain optimal environment for collection care and preservation in storage and exhibition spaces.
Maintain Museum standards for processing and cataloging new acquisitions, current database (Past Perfect) and conduct routine collections care.
Manage all incoming and outgoing loans.
Manage and engage volunteers for various projects such as audits of the collection.
Assist the public in accessing Strawbery Banke Museum archives.
Support the Curator with research and exhibition installation.
Support future department wide goals such as digitizing the collection.
Other duties as assigned.

How to Apply:

Please apply using the designated Google Form Application:

https://forms.gle/p3f3abCYn4itxxdw7

Candidates will be contacted directly; please no phone calls or emails to inquire on the status of your application.

Salary Type: Hourly

Salary Minimum: 17.00

Salary Maximum 17.00

Job Location:

Portsmouth

Date Added: June 6, 2022