About Art Bridges

Art Bridges Foundation is the vision of philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton. Since 2017, Art Bridges has created and supported projects that bring outstanding works of American art out of storage and into communities. Art Bridges partners with a growing network of over 200 museums of all sizes and locations on nearly 900 projects—impacting more than 5.3 million people across 49 states and Puerto Rico—to provide financial and strategic support for exhibition development, loans from the Art Bridges Collection and Partner Loan Network, and programs designed to educate, inspire, and deepen engagement with local audiences. The Art Bridges Collection represents an expanding vision of American art from the 19th century to present day and encompasses multiple media and voices. For more information, visit artbridgesfoundation.org.  

Required Documents to Apply:

Please provide a copy of your resume and cover letter.

Job Description:

Position: Head Registrar
Reports to: Director, Collection Loans and Exhibitions
Location: Bentonville, Arkansas
Salary range: $70,600 - $88,000

About the Position

The Head Registrar will manage the registration team and oversee all registration functions across Art Bridges portfolio. This position is responsible to maintain the highest stewardship standards related to the Art Bridges collection and other art sharing programs. The successful candidate will have experience in all areas of collection and exhibition management, a clear communication style, a proven history of proactively balancing multiple tasks, and an eye towards sustainability. The position requires a collaborative and diplomatic professional who is service-minded and can build and maintain professional, collegial relationships cross-departmentally at Art Bridges and with external partners.

Responsibilities

• Hire, supervise, mentor, and provide professional development opportunities for direct reports
• Assess, prioritize, assign, and manage department workflow
• Develop and implement collection loan and registration policies
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders on Art Bridges projects
• Consult on and review contracts and funding award applications
• Arrange and advise on insurance for the Art Bridges Collection loans, partner loans, and traveling exhibitions
• Oversee and assist coordination of artwork crating, packing, and shipping logistics for all art sharing programs
• Assist with project management of Art Bridges' art-sharing programs
• Prepare materials for external use, such as crate lists, packing notes, handling instructions
• Oversee courier pool; train and develop staff couriers, assign couriers to artwork movements and exhibition installations
• Develop and track the annual department budget
• Advise on sustainability initiatives
• Code and submit invoices for art sharing related activities
• Travel independently as a courier and oversee artwork installations and deinstallation
• Condition report artworks
• Review facility reports and make recommendations for potential exhibition venues
• Review and approve venue layouts and security arrangements
• Support and manage accurate team data implementation across all internal platforms, including
• Schedules timely meetings, prepares agendas, and facilitates positive and productive meetings
• Produce and present departmental reports and updates to the leadership team
• Support the fulfillment of departmental goals and strategic initiatives
• Supervise department interns
• Performs other duties as assigned

Attributes that Support Your Success

• Passion for expanding access to American art
• Eagerness to join a new and growing organization and the dynamism that involves
• Ability and interest in working with people from diverse backgrounds, including age, race, ethnicity, gender identity, and lived experiences
• Positive attitude, collaborative spirit, and sense of humor
• Talent to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• High degrees of initiative and discretion

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in art history, museum studies, arts or equivalent degree/experience, Master’s degree preferred
• 10+ years’ experience in museum or gallery registration and/or collections care is required
• 8+ years of supervisory experience is required
• 6+ years demonstrated collection and/or exhibitions project management is required
• Documented success in traveling exhibitions logistics coordination and in meeting deadlines within fast-paced work environments
• Knowledge of current museum standards and best practices
• Demonstrated experience with accounting and database software
• Demonstrated knowledge of current practices in collection care and traveling exhibitions
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 applications: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Experience with or the ability to quickly learn specialized software systems such as TMS, Workday, Asana, Teams, MediaValet, Salesforce and Trainual
• Willingness to work weekends and evenings, and adjust hours, as required
• Ability to travel domestically as needed to support art exhibitions and loans

Physical Demands and Work Environment 

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Physical demands: Position requires utilizing a computer and telephone for prolonged periods of time, good eye/hand coordination, verbal and written conversation with others, and lifting/carrying up to 10 lbs. Vision abilities required by the job include close vision. 

Work environment: Work will be performed in an office environment full-time. The noise level in the work environment is typically low to moderate. Some overnight travel may be necessary on occasion.

Art Bridges and DEAI

At Art Bridges, diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are central to all work and decisions made within our organization. We support our colleagues and partners in learning and growing together to make this important work part of our daily lives.

Art Bridges is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building and maintaining a culturally diverse workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage all qualified applicants including women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and background check. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States on your first day of work.

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