Collections Manager

Collections Manager

The Staten Island Museum seeks a Collections Manager to serve as registrar, provide public access, and maintain and care for the institution’s collections and archives. The Collections Manager is part of a three-person collections team, along with the Director of Natural Sciences / Head of Collections and reporting to the Senior Collections Manager. This role’s responsibilities will be focused primarily on the history and archival collections with support as needed for the art and natural science collections. The Collections Manager role provides an excellent opportunity for hands-on collections care and research facilitation, under the guidance of a longstanding Sr. Collections Manager.

The Collections Manager will oversee 1-2 part-time staff and conduct inventory and rehousing projects in the lead up to a major institutional move into new state-of-the-art collections storage, as part of a planned museum expansion. The Collections Manager will also be responsible for responding to and facilitating research requests in the history collections and archives and supporting use of the history collections in institutional efforts, including exhibitions and public programs. The Collections Manager will advance the museum’s ACEGen special initiative to add to the documentation record of under-represented groups. The Collections Manager is a key member of SIM’s team in the overall stewardship and multidisciplinary interpretation of SIM’s collections.

About the Staten Island Museum

Founded in 1881, Staten Island Museum engages visitors with interdisciplinary exhibitions and education programs that explore the dynamic connections between natural science, art, and history based on its broad collections. The Staten Island Museum is a member of the Cultural Institutions Group, a public-private partnership with the City of New York. SIM is a premier cultural institution with a longstanding history in the community. In Fall 2015, Staten Island Museum opened its flagship building at Snug Harbor after a $24 Million renovation. Further expansion into an adjacent, connected building for a STEAM Education Center is in active planning stages, nearing construction.

The Staten Island Museum's collections and archives contain invaluable objects, artifacts and records that tell the rich history of Staten Island on a national and sometimes global stage. They are a collection of stories held in trust by the museum to be told by its own efforts or those of the researchers who use the collections and archives to inform their work. These are essential to the museum because they inform its exhibits and programs. Moreover, they are the tools the museum uses to fulfill its educational mission and engage with the community it serves.

See www.statenislandmuseum.org for more info about the museum. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

Collections Management 70%

• Inventory and catalog collections and archives in Past Perfect Museum Software as part of ongoing collections management
• Digitize collection objects and documents as part of ongoing projects
• Preserve and maintain existing collections and archives, including monitoring storage spaces and rehousing materials
• Acquire and process new collections and respond to donation offers
• Process incoming and outgoing loans
• Supervise part-time museum fellow and college-level interns
• Assist in planning and executing the move of the collections and archives to new climate-controlled storage in coordination with the collections and facilities teams
• Serve on the staff collections committee and represent History and Archives to the Board Collections Committee
• Oversee the museum’s Access, Collaboration, and Equity in Genealogy Initiative (ACEGen) to add documentation and records from under-represented groups through community partnerships 

Research/Reference 30%

• Respond to reference or image requests with relevant information and documentation found in the collections and archives
• Arrange and prepare for research appointments
• Support the exhibitions team in finding relevant collections and artifacts for temporary and permanent exhibitions
• Provide content for social media, grant applications, exhibitions or other museum content as needed

Skills and Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Museum Studies, Public History, Archives and Records Management, Information Science or equivalent degree. 
• Significant experience with caring for museum collections and/or archives will be considered in lieu of Master’s.
• Minimum 1-2 years’ practical experience with inventorying or management of museum collections and/or archives.
• Working knowledge of current museum collection and archival standards and best practices.
• Working knowledge of object safety, digitization processes, and conservation methods is essential.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize and delegate tasks; prior supervisory experience desirable.
• Strong data management and time management skills; attention to detail and accuracy is essential.
• Excellent research skills and ability to synthesize information from a variety of sources.
• Proficient with collections management databases. SIM uses Past Perfect Museum Software.
• Technical literacy including Zoom, Microsoft Suite and Google Suite
• Knowledge of American history preferred.

Start Date and Schedule:

Position is open immediately. The position is full-time 35 hours/week, Monday through Friday, with occasional evening and weekend attendance for community events and special museum programs.

To Apply

To apply, please submit cover letter and resume to [email protected] with subject line: Collections Manager – [your last name, first name]. 

Applications and interviews will begin on a rolling basis. Applications will be accepted Oct 1 or until the position is filled.

No Calls Please.

Research shows that women and people from underrepresented groups often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. If you believe you meet most of the qualifications, we strongly encourage you to apply.

Staten Island Museum is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  

10/01/2025