MUSEUM JOB DESCRIPTIONS
Administrative Staff
ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT / CLERK
Assists Accountant in the preparation, compilation and maintenance of financial data and records to ensure that all financial data are recorded in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Processes/posts a variety of accounting transactions such as invoices, payments, and expenses in accordance and performs related general clerical duties.
ADMINISTRATIVE / PROGRAM ASSISTANT
Provides a variety of administrative and clerical support to managers and/or other staff. Duties may include researching/compiling information; coordinating activities between departments and/or outside services; scheduling; generating reports and other documents using a full range of computer software skills including spreadsheets, word processing, database management, presentation software, etc. May assume responsibility for special projects related to department functions.
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER / DIRECTOR
Directs a group of functions for the organization including any or all of the following: financial and administrative functions, human resources, information technology, retail operations, and/or facilities and grounds. Manages department budgets. Participates as a member of the senior management team in organization-wide efforts.
ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY / ASSISTANT
Performs clerical duties to support managers and/or other staff including: answering telephones and acting as receptionist; maintaining files of information; using computer skills to enter and maintain data; preparing correspondence; making appointments and travel arrangements; and coordinating activities pertinent to department functions.
ADMISSIONS / BOX OFFICE CLERK
Responsible for handling monies and ticket transactions. Maintains accurate and complete database of sales and financial records. Interacts with and disseminates information to visitors.
ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR
Performs a variety of skilled administrative and clerical duties to support directors or other senior management staff that generally require more education and experience than an administrative assistant. Responsibilities involve exposure to sensitive information and require considerable discretion and judgment. Assumes responsibility for special projects and may perform duties pertinent to the Board of Directors.
BOOKKEEPER / ACCOUNTANT
Performs various professional accounting duties including maintaining a general ledger, processing payroll, compiling financial reports, writing checks, preparing deposits, and ensuring compliance with generally accepted accounting principles and the organization’s policies. May prepare federal, state, and local tax returns.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR / VICE-PRESIDENT / ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Responsible for coordinating the institution's administrative and business operations and reports directly to the Director. May supervise personnel and human resource management, community relations, security and building maintenance, and may act as government liaison. May be responsible for financial management, supervising or acting as a controller or business manager.
DIRECTOR / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR / CEO
Responsible to the Board of Directors for management of the entire nonprofit organization and chief executive officer of the institution. Responsibilities include fundraising/development, human resources, strategic planning, programs, finance, communications, and directing staff activities. Represents organization to government agencies, the community, and the public.
DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES / PERSONNEL
Manages all personnel related issues, including oversight of payroll, employee benefits, staff recruiting and training, performance reviews, affirmative action/equal employment, and all personnel records. Responsible for keeping museum up-to-date on all labor issues and immigration laws. Assists in the development of policies, systems, and procedures pertaining to general personnel management.
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING / EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Markets and promotes the museum’s programs and services and serves as a spokesperson for the organization within the community, to government agencies, and/or to business partners. Coordinates media and public relations activities and supervises public relations staff.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS / PUBLIC INFORMATION
Develops and implements public relations strategies pertaining to: media relations; publicity; community and professional involvement/participation; special events; brochures and print materials; newsletters; advertising and direct mail; public service campaigns; and crisis management.
DIRECTOR OF VISITOR SERVICES
Leads museum's efforts to develop and implement customer services, including providing information to the public, selling tickets and/or merchandise, receiving payments, addressing customer questions, and preparing and maintaining records. May supervise admissions staff, retail personnel and/or volunteers.
FINANCIAL OFFICER / CONTROLLER
Oversees the development and implementation of financial systems, which may include budget management, accounting, human resources, operation of the physical plant, security, contracts, taxes, endowment, and auditing. May be responsible for revenue-producing activities such as bookshop and food services. May work for a Deputy Director or function in lieu of that position, and report to the Director.
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER
Manages several functions in the human resources department such as employment, compensation, benefits, training, performance reviews, and employee relations. Advises managers and staff on employment laws, policies and practices. Ensures organization practices are in compliance with labor and immigration laws.
MANAGER OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Provides management of information technology functions including computer operations, applications and systems programming and networks. Analyzes the needs of departments and plans, organizes and implements new and/or modified systems to handle those needs; determines costs and budgets for information technology projects and controls costs to approved budgets; identifies training needs among staff and develops/implements training programs to enhance computer skills throughout the museum.
RECEPTIONIST
Greets and assists visitors; answers and transfers telephone calls; represents organization to callers and visitors in a friendly, professional manner; may issue security badges; may perform routine clerical duties such as filing, word processing, sorting and distributing the mail.
SECRETARY
Performs clerical duties. Takes and transcribes dictation, prepares form letters, screens telephone calls, maintains files and operates copying machine.
WEBMASTER
Develops and maintains web site content in conjunction with other museum departments and personnel. Maintains technical integrity of web site, troubleshoots system errors and bugs, upgrades hardware and software, maintains servers, creates monitoring reports and logs, addresses user accessibility, performs back-ups, and monitors site security.
Development Staff
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT
Provides a variety of administrative and clerical tasks to support development staff members. Duties may include coordinating activities between departments and/or outside services; scheduling; generating reports and other documents; maintaining donor databases; overseeing mailings; assisting with special events; and compiling grant proposals and reports.
DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE
Supports the Director of Development by performing administrative duties directly related to fundraising activities. Responsibilities include maintaining donor databases, overseeing mailings, assisting and participating in special events, organizing and/or writing grant proposals and reports, and acknowledging gifts and donations.
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Responsible for obtaining financial and other support for the organization. Oversees fundraising activities, including membership drives; sponsorship solicitations and grants; planned, annual, and deferred giving programs; capital and endowment campaigns; and special fundraising events. Participates as a member of the senior management team to formulate and implement policies and meet the organization’s fundraising goals.
GRANT WRITER
Researches grant opportunities that match the goals and objectives of the organization. Gathers information from various departments and organizes and writes grant proposals from government, corporate and foundation sources. Develops/maintains effective, long-term working relationships with grantors to facilitate approval of grants. Monitors grant status and reports on use of funds.
MEMBERSHIP ASSISTANT / CLERK
Assists Membership Coordinator in maintaining the membership database, preparing routine correspondence, managing mass mailings, assisting in membership events or promotions, and performing a variety of other administrative or clerical duties.
MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY/ COORDINATOR
Manages and maintains the organization’s membership database; processes receipts of dues and contributions; oversees regular communications to members, including newsletters, event invitations, and solicitations; generates membership reports; researches and develops new methods of increasing membership; and implements programs to attract and retain members.
SPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATOR
Responsible for coordinating special events to generate funds, attendance, or memberships for the organization. Handles all support services for special museum events and/or facility rentals including facility scheduling, catering, equipment rental, post-event clean-up, and event supervision.
Collections / Research Staff
ASSISTANT CONSERVATOR
Performs conservation work under general supervision of senior staff.
ASSISTANT REGISTRAR
Assists Registrar in responsibilities.
ASSOCIATE / ASSISTANT CURATOR
Under supervision of curator, responsible for cataloging, and care and maintenance of the museum’s collection. Usually has knowledge of discipline of the collection. May process and track loans and handle accession duties, serving as a Registrar for museums that do not have this position.
CHIEF CONSERVATOR
Supervises conservation department and at least one conservator. Responsible for all conservation related matters pertaining to collections.
CHIEF CURATOR / DIRECTOR OF COLLECTIONS
Responsible for the care and academic interpretation of all objects belonging or lent to the museum. Makes recommendations for acquisition, deaccession, attribution, and authentication. Responsible for research on the collections and the publication of the results of that research. Considerable public and donor contact. May supervise one or more curators.
CONSERVATOR
Responsible for collection care and conservation with a major collection or subject area.
CURATOR OF COLLECTIONS / COLLECTIONS MANAGER
Within the area of his or her specialization, same responsibilities as chief curator. Less public or donor contact. May supervise a collections manager.
CURATORIAL ASSISTANT / SECRETARY
Responsible for performing varied administrative, secretarial and clerical duties in support of curatorial department.
HISTORIAN
Responsible for publication, interpretive theme development, establishing historical context and supervision of institution's research efforts.
REGISTRAR
Responsible for creating, organizing and maintaining orderly forms, legal documents, files and retrieval systems associated with the following: acquisitions, accept, cataloging, loans, packing, shipping, inventory, storage and insurance. Coordinates all aspects of borrowing and lending objects, including making shipping arrangements, arranging for security, handling customs procedures, processing requests for rights and reproductions.
Exhibition Staff
CHIEF EXHIBIT DESIGNER
Responsible for coordinating the design, construction, and installation of permanent and temporary exhibits and supervises preparators or contractors. Works closely with the curator or exhibition director.
EXHIBIT TECHNICIAN / PREPARATOR
Under supervision of exhibits curator or designer, prepares, installs, and assembles components for permanent and temporary museum exhibitions.
EXHIBITION DIRECTOR / CURATOR
Responsible for selecting, scheduling and curating of exhibitions which fulfill the mission of the museum. Works closely with other museum departments and may be responsible for design, construction and installation of permanent and temporary exhibits.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Creates and designs museum signage, stationery, catalogs, advertisements, newsletters and other publications using desktop publishing and related software or hardware. May coordinate production of finished print material with printers. Position may be located in either the exhibitions department or the communications/marketing department.
Education & Public Programming Staff
ART INSTRUCTOR / TEACHER
Plans and facilitates hands-on art workshops or other classes or workshops pertaining to the museum’s subject matter.
ASSISTANT EDUCATION DIRECTOR / CURATOR
Assists the Education Director/Curator in developing, implementing, evaluating, and supervising the museum’s educational programs for a variety of audiences.
ASSISTANT PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Assists education or program director in developing, implementing, and supervising the museum’s education programs.
AUDIO-VISUAL COORDINATOR
In charge of the operation, maintenance, and storage of audio and visual equipment.
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROGRAMMING
Responsible for overall long-term planning of the exhibition schedule, education and interpretive programs, and related policies. Serves as a member of the senior management team and may supervise heads of exhibits and education departments.
DOCENT / INTERPRETER
Implements interpretive program to the public, such as conducting tours of the collection or exhibition for school groups or adults. Works under the supervision of other staff members.
EDUCATION ASSISTANT / SPECIALIST
Under the supervision of Education Director/Curator or other education department members, helps develop, organize, and implement the museum’s education programs. May assist by scheduling schools, groups, docents, and field trips.
EDUCATION DIRECTOR / CURATOR
Develops, implements, evaluates and/or supervises the museum's educational programs for a variety of audiences, including students, teachers, families, museum visitors, and/or adults. Ensures museum programs meet the needs of target audiences and the educational objectives of organization. Usually participates as a member of the senior management team and works closely with other departments to fulfill the institution’s mission.
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Responsible for recruiting new volunteers and training and coordinating the organization’s volunteer staff. Coordinates the needs of staff members with available, interested volunteers. Other activities include maintaining the volunteer database and schedule, identifying work that can be accomplished by volunteers, and coordinating volunteer recognition events or programs.
Library Staff
ARCHIVIST
Responsible for public record and document administration.
ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN
Assists Librarian in responsibilities.
HEAD / CHIEF LIBRARIAN
Manages library containing specialized collections for the institution. Selects, orders, catalogs, and classifies special collections of books, periodicals, and other materials relating to the subject emphasis of the institution.
Retail Staff
BUYER
Reports to the Store Manager. Responsible for purchasing store merchandise.
MANAGER OF RETAIL STORE/ OPERATIONS
Manages the museum store operations to be consistent with the museum’s goals and ensure reasonable profits. Responsible for ordering merchandise, merchandise display, pricing policy, employee work schedule and training, and financial reporting and record keeping.
RETAIL CLERK / SALES ASSOCIATE
Provides service to customers in the museum retail store, including operating the cash register and credit card machine and bagging merchandise. Assists with the general upkeep of the museum store and the care and reshelving of merchandise.
Facilities Staff
ASSISTANT SECURITY DIRECTOR
Assists Chief of Security with technical and administrative direction for security operations.
BUILDING SUPERINTENDENT
Responsible for the operation, maintenance and repair of the physical plant including heating, lighting, employees, custodians or ground crews.
CHIEF / DIRECTOR OF SECURITY
Oversees all phases of building and grounds security to insure protection of persons and property.
CUSTODIAN
Cleans facilities and work areas including furnishings, bathrooms, fixtures, walls, and floors to ensure they meet standards and present an attractive appearance. Uses maintenance supplies; removes waste material; maintains inventory of tools and supplies.
DIRECTOR / MANAGER OF FACILITIES
Oversees all departments responsible for the physical building and grounds of museum, including maintenance and technical staff and service contracts.
GROUNDSKEEPER
Maintains grounds of museum property.
GUARD
Provides protection of persons, museum property and collections, and exhibitions. May maintain visitor records and provide identification cards.
MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN
Performs a wide variety of maintenance duties related to the museum’s physical building and grounds, including routine plumbing and electrical duties and preventative maintenance.
