Museum Collections Manager Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

Title: Coordinator of University Art Collection and Instructor

Position Type: Staff Full-Time

Days Per Week: M-F

Hours Per Week: 40

VP Area: Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs

Department: Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences

Location: Elon Main Campus

Position Summary

The Art Collection Coordinator supports the stewardship, management, and academic integration of Elon University's Art Collection. This position coordinates daily operations of the collection, ensures proper care and documentation of artworks, and facilitates access for faculty, students, and external partners.
In alignment with the teaching mission of the collection, the coordinator collaborates with faculty to integrate objects into coursework and may contribute to instruction of courses or modules consistent with their disciplinary expertise and program needs.
The role plays a central part in stewarding donor collections and advancing the Art Collection as a dynamic teaching and learning resource.

Benefits of Working at Elon

As an Elon University employee, you'll join an internationally acclaimed university with a commitment to fostering a thriving community. Ranked among the most innovative, creative and best-run universities in the nation, Elon's personal approach to education extends to employees, whose growth, professional development and success is a hallmark of our training and advancement opportunities.
Elon University's home is the charming town of Elon, North Carolina, a small, friendly community located a short distance from the beach and the mountains, and among the vibrant cities of Greensboro, Raleigh and Durham. In addition to the beautiful canopy of historic oak trees iconic to our campus, you'll find boundless opportunities for family-friendly recreation, cultural events and outdoor activities. Hiking, water sports, fine dining and entertainment are just a few of the many happenings in the Elon area, making the region one of the nation's premier travel destinations.
Employees at Elon enjoy a generous and comprehensive benefits package that includes:
28 annual days off, including holidays and vacation.
Immediate tuition remission for undergraduate courses
Tuition remission for approved graduate-level courses after 12 months of employment.
Retirement plan with an 8 percent contribution from the university.
Immediate eligibility for health, dental and vision insurance, along with free acute care and lab services at our onsite Health & Wellness Clinic.
Free use of campus fitness facilities.
Free admission to musical and theater performances, guest speakers, religious and ethnic observances, recitals, art exhibitions, entertainment and our Division I Phoenix athletics.
Eligibility for tuition remission at Elon for spouses, qualifying domestic partners and dependents begins at two years of service. After two years of employment, eligibility begins for participation in the Tuition Exchange, a national scholarship exchange program that enables dependents to enroll in nationally recognized partner colleges and universities.
Elon values and celebrates the diverse backgrounds, cultures, experiences and perspectives of our community members. As an equal opportunity employer, Elon's principles of diversity extend to race and gender identity, age, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, religion, and other aspects of one's identity. At Elon, our employees respect human differences, passion for lifelong learning, emphasis on personal integrity and an ethic of service.

Minimum Required Education and Experience

Master's degree in Art, Arts Administration, Art Education, Art History, Museum Studies, Public History, or related field
Experience in collections management, museum, gallery, or archives environment
Demonstrated experience in organization, documentation, and project coordination

Preferred Education and Experience

Doctorate degree in Art, Arts Administration, Art Education, Art History, Museum Studies, Public History, or related field
Experience with collections management systems and digital cataloging
Experience teaching, guest lecturing, or supporting academic instruction
Experience working with undergraduate students in applied or experiential learning settings

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of museum standards and collections care practices
Strong organizational and project coordination skills
Ability to support teaching and student learning in an academic environment
Strong communication and collaboration skills
Attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities
Ability to handle, lift, and move artworks safely
Occasional evening/weekend work for exhibitions or events
Work occurs in storage, gallery, and classroom environments

Job Duties

• COLLECTION STEWARDSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
  • Coordinates proper handling, storage, and security of artworks in accordance with professional standards
  • Maintains inventory and collection records, including cataloging and condition documentation
  • Monitors environmental conditions and identifies conservation needs
  • Assists with acquisition, accessioning, and deaccessioning processes
• COLLECTIONS DOCUMENTATION AND RESEARCH
  • Maintains and updates the collections database and digital records
  • Conducts research on artworks, provenance, and donors
  • Photographs and digitizes works for access and documentation
• ACADEMIC INTEGRATION AND INSTRUCTION
  • Collaborates with faculty to integrate the Art Collection into courses across disciplines
  • Supports course-based projects, exhibitions, and research using collection objects
  • Provides guest lectures, workshops, or instructional modules related to the collection, museum practice, or material culture
  • May teach a limited number of courses or course sections, consistent with expertise and institutional need, subject to appropriate approvals
  • Supervises and mentors student workers, interns, or course-based project teams
• EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMMING SUPPORT
  • Assists with planning and installation of exhibitions and displays
  • Supports interpretive materials, labels, and educational programming
  • Coordinates logistics for object movement, loans, and installations
• OPERATIONS AND COORDINATION
  • Coordinates collection-related projects, timelines, and communications
  • Maintains documentation and reporting for collection activities
  • Facilitates collaboration with faculty, Advancement, and external partners
  • Provides administrative coordination for meetings, scheduling, and project tracking
• Inclusive Community Building Community is foundational to Elon and a shared responsibility within our residential campus. All who work at Elon should demonstrate an understanding of and engagement with Elon's foundational commitment to relationships, mentoring and collaboration in a close-knit residential community. We embrace the shared responsibility to foster inclusive excellence within a strong residential community. Accordingly, employees are expected to join together and build connections in activities that foster an active and engaged campus environment and engage in professional development to support the shared responsibility of enriching diversity, equity, and inclusion through meaningful relationships and mentoring at Elon. Employees are encouraged to, for example, attend or participate in campus activities such as College Coffee, Numen Lumen, campus cultural events, athletic events, continuing education, professional development opportunities and trainings, employee resource groups and other university-sponsored activities to demonstrate an active commitment to the Elon community.