Registrar Exhibitions

MoMA PS1 champions how art and artists are at the intersection of the social cultural and political issues of their time. Providing audiences with the agency to ask questions access to knowledge and a forum for public debate PS1 has offered insight into artists diverse worldviews for more than 45 years. Founded in 1976 by Alanna Heiss the institution was a defining force in the alternative space movement in New York transforming a 19th-century public schoolhouse in Long Island City into a site for artistic experimentation and creativity.

With an annual budget of approximately $12M PS1 has been a member of New York Citys Cultural Institutions Group (CIG) since 1982 and an affiliate of The Museum of Modern Art since 2000.

We recognize that a successful candidate will meet many of the requirements listed on this job description but may not meet 100% of the qualifications. If much of this job description describes you we encourage you to apply for this role.

Summary

PS1 seeks an experienced Exhibitions Registrar to join a team of three registrars in the planning documentation and logistics surrounding a robust program of loans exhibitions and installations at MoMA PS1. The Registrar monitors fine art holdings at the museum at all times and implements policies and procedures to support the exhibition program at the museum and ensure that best museum practices are maintained.

Supervision

This position reports to the Senior Registrar Exhibitions and works collaboratively across all museum departments including Program Production Curatorial External Affairs Visitor Engagement Security Operations and Administration as well as with lenders conservators artists couriers and other artistic collaborators. The Registrar works closely with one Assistant Registrar as well as regularly scheduled contract collaboration with the Assistant Installation Manager the Registrar guides a team of seasonal gallery installation staff.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and manage logistical arrangements pertaining to transportation customs clearance booking transports and requesting/comparing shipping estimates packing and courier needs for borrowed artworks.
• Develop registration budgets by creating initial estimates processing and tracking expenses and reporting regularly on budgets related to exhibitions.
• Issue loan agreements and review/negotiate lender terms and requirements of agreements in collaboration with the Director of Program Production Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs MoMA Legal team and insurance agent.
• Plan install and deinstall schedules in collaboration with the Program Production team; consider staffing levels for art handler needs contract registrar assignments artists on-site couriers conservators shipping deadlines and curatorial priorities.
• Adhere to the industrys best practices for art handling movement installation storage condition reporting data management packing and shipping.
• Create and maintain all condition report documents and images.
• Work across museum departments to implement security protocols and floorplans as they pertain to art object safety; communicate and educate staff on art safety; maintain and distribute reference photos of each exhibition to share with front-line staff.
• Liaise with relevant departments to help maintain the incoming and outgoing shipping schedule for the museum.
• Function as the on-site and off-site storage liaison and maintain inventories exhibition data coordinate deliveries track insurance values and issue COIs for artwork on and off-site.
• Collaborate with MoMAs CEMS team to customize templates for MoMA PS1.

Experience

To perform this job successfully an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge skill and/or ability required.

• Minimum of 4 years relevant experience managing exhibitions with responsibility for logistical arrangements pertaining to packing transportation customs clearance and courier needs for complex exhibitions involving foreign and domestic loans.
• Attention to detail with ability to prioritize and manage time effectively multitask and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment with frequently changing deadlines.
• Experience developing managing and overseeing registration budgets.
• Knowledge of standard museum loan and registration practices and understanding of fine arts insurance.
• Experience with art handling transportation and knowledge of best practices.
• Familiarity with exhibition installation and experience with management supervision and guidance of skilled teams.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills effective and professional negotiating skills strong interpersonal skills discretion and diplomacy.
• Proficient with museum databases systems (TMS preferred) and experience working in Microsoft and Google environments.
• Ability to work collaboratively across museum departments and to understand the goals of a small curatorial and program support team in formulating and implementing an ambitious program of temporary exhibitions.
• Ability to maintain a professional and positive attitude in a fast-paced environment.
• Availability to respond to art incidents during off-hours.

This position is permanent and full-time with a salary range of $70000 - $75000. Benefits include 20 days paid vacation leave; 10 days paid sick leave; 11 paid holidays; and 3 paid personal days; participation in a 401(k) savings plans life insurance; medical/health (including visual and dental); transit health and dependent care FSA; and pension plan.