Job Title: Assistant RegistrarÂ
Department: CuratorialÂ
Reporting to: RegistrarÂ
Duration: Full Time with 3 months’ probation periodÂ
BACKGROUNDÂ
Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA) is a public not-for-profit contemporary art museum which collects, preserves, researches, and exhibits twenty-first-century art from Africa and its diaspora; hosts international exhibitions; develops supporting educational and enrichment programmes; encourages intercultural understanding; and guarantees access for all.Â
POSITION SUMMARYÂ
Reporting to the Registrar, this role is responsible for a broad range of registration functions of which primary duties include assisting with the care, maintenance, and preservation of the Zeitz MOCAA permanent and temporary artworks. The incumbent supports the performance of the registration functions relative to temporary exhibitions including loan agreements, condition reports, and insurance and transit arrangements. The Assistant Registrar is required to exercise discretion and judgment in actively managing both the museum’s collection and artworks owned by other institutions or individuals that are part of temporary exhibitions or otherwise on loan to the museum. The Assistant Registrar may serve as a supervisor to interns or volunteers.Â
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES/ESSENTIAL DUTIESÂ
- Assist the Registrar with exhibitions and loans in all dutiesÂ
- Support with the completion of condition reporting for all incoming and outgoing artworks and determine whether damage or deterioration to objects has occurredÂ
- Complete the loan paperwork for the processing of all incoming and outgoing loan requests in consultation with the RegistrarÂ
- Perform general administrative duties such as filing, copying, running errands, and general data entry as it relates to temporary exhibitionsÂ
- Complete special projects and basic research as assignedÂ
- Handling of artworks on loan and permanent collectionsÂ
- Prepare and arrange the artwork for packing and shipping and prepare the customs paperworkÂ
- Assist with preparing and executing reproduction contracts and create and manage reproduction contract hardcopy file for temporary exhibitionsÂ
- Monitor conditions of the environment and artwork in galleriesÂ
- Complete weekly reports, and submit to the Registrar for reviewÂ
- Maintain artwork in galleries to ensure care is taken and all is in good orderÂ
- Coordinate the checklist for the Special Projects, a multi-year exhibition program, in conjunction with the Registrar for exhibitions and loansÂ
- Assist with the annual inventory of the permanent collection and temporary loansÂ
- Assist with logistics of artwork shipments and location tracking for loansÂ
- Keep apprised of approved and current registrational standards as well as basic conservation guidelines for the care and handling of artworksÂ
- Assist with the courier of high value or fragile objects when loaned to other institutionsÂ
- Assist with transportation and lodging arrangements for travelling couriersÂ
- Monitoring of artwork handling by the installation crews, Production Assistant, and Assistant Preparator during installation and de-installationÂ
- Assist with the building of a museum storage system, including shelving, drawers, picture racking, object racking, storage mounts, and storage housing for objects in the permanent collection or on long-term loan to the museumÂ
- Maintain collections storage areas to ensure the safety of the art, including cleaning and regular inspectionÂ
- Keep workspaces well organized, well supplied, and inform Registrar of any equipment that needs to be procuredÂ
- Provides in-house technical support related to the databaseÂ
- Helps to coordinate related digital collections documents across collections, loans and exhibitionsÂ
- Runs database reports for distribution to other museum departments as requested or neededÂ
- Provides troubleshooting for staff users and maintains training materialsÂ
REQUIREMENTSÂ
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCEÂ
- Completion of an undergraduate degree, such as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in art history, museum studies, cultural heritage studies, archaeology, visual culture, or an equivalent qualificationÂ
- Minimum of 2 years’ museum registrar assistant experience working within a focus on collections management and/or exhibitions.Â
- Experience working with a museum database programs, such as TMS or EmbARK or similar.Â
- Experience in art handling and preparation for a museum, gallery, university, art mover, or similar institution, or equivalent experience.Â
SKILLS AND ABILITIESÂ
- Strong administration and coordination skills, with a methodical approach and attention to detailÂ
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders at all levelsÂ
- Excellent research skillsÂ
- Ability to work independently and deliver work within the agreed timeframesÂ
- Effective, level of complex problem-solving skillsÂ
- Flexible working when requiredÂ
- Strong computer skills, including the use of Microsoft Office applications, email services and the internet as well as a willingness to learn new computer skills as requiredÂ
- Attention to detailÂ
- TeamworkÂ
- CommunicationÂ
- Trustworthiness & EthicsÂ
- Results orientationÂ
- Ability to work under pressureÂ
- ResilienceÂ
- Willingness to LearnÂ
- Interpersonal engagementsÂ
- Analytical thinkingÂ
- FlexibilityÂ
KNOWLEDGEÂ
- Knowledge of principles and procedures of Collections Management filing and record-keepingÂ
- Knowledge of art collections, handling and storageÂ
- Knowledge of data systemsÂ
As a cutting-edge equal opportunity institution, Zeitz MOCAA celebrates diversity in all its forms including gender, race, creed, and orientation. Zeitz MOCAA is committed to achieving transformation and particularly welcomes applications from suitably qualified Historically Disadvantaged Individuals (HDIs) for this position. The Zeitz MOCAA Employment Equity plan and targets will be considered as part of the selection process.Â
To apply please send your CV and a covering letter to careers@zeitzmocaa.museum
Closing date 16 August 2019.Â