SFMOMA_CED
02-11-2025, 05:12 PM
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
Assistant Head Preparator, Installation
Schedule: Full Time, 35 hours/week, fully onsite
The Collections Management Department provides collections care and access to SFMOMA’s art collections, ensuring the safe handling and storage of artwork, and maintenance of our art storage spaces including the Collections Center, SFMOMA’s dynamic research and storage center. The department is also responsible for preparing, installing, activating, and maintaining art – both borrowed and collection works – for the museum's robust exhibition program.
Reporting to the Head Preparator, the Assistant Head Preparator, Installation co-manages a large team of expert preparators and related projects, in alignment with the museum’s strategic priorities and goals of the Collections Management department and the Collections, Exhibitions, and Design (CED) division. The Assistant Head Preparator, Installation works closely with Head Preparator and Assistant Head Preparator, Collections to plan and support the orchestration of art handling, movement, housing, packing/unpacking, and installation/deinstallation in accordance with the museum’s standards, policies, and procedures for caring for, managing, and exhibiting modern and contemporary art. They work closely with other Collections Management colleagues and Registration, Curatorial, Conservation, and Exhibitions and Program Management departments to ensure that art handling resources are planned and available for all of the museum’s art program needs. The Assistant Head Preparator, Installation, assists in the oversight of art preparation operations, with direct management of junior members of the Preparator Team based at 151 Third Street.
Within the first month, the Assistant Head Preparator, Installation will have become familiar with the preparator team and the activities the team is responsible for, as well as introduced to our purchasing systems for materials, exhibition development process, and roles and responsibilities of the departments Collections Management partners with, to be able to answer questions and source information for the preparator team and make appropriate preparator assignments. Within the first year the candidate will proactively further their institutional understanding, evaluation of preparator team skills and abilities, and become a positive contributor to the successful completion of collection and exhibition based projects.
Responsibilities & Duties
Team Leadership
Hire, onboard, manage, and lead a diverse and inclusive art handling team, building a sense of belonging and shared responsibility.
Act as a partner with the Director of Collections Management and department management in sustaining a collections management community where all team members have a productive and safe forum to share ideas, best practices, and learning, so they have a deeper sense of responsibility and contribution to collections care and audience engagement.
Based at 151 Third Street, and able to be present at the Collections Center and other work sites as needed, to support preparator teams primarily in person.
Model highly collaborative modes of operating through open communication with staff and respect for the diverse expertise essential to an art museum.
Maintain awareness of overall departmental and Collections, Exhibition, and Design division activity and goals. Serve as a communicator of departmental and institutional goals and professional standards internally and externally.
Create and foster a diverse and inclusive work environment, recognizing conflict and working towards positive resolution.
Share in developing and delivering ongoing training and professional development in collections management and art handling.
Demonstrate the ability to coach and influence others, communicate clearly, focus on explaining positive benefits, change practice and behavior, and share information and responsibility.
Participate in and lead seminars and workshops to keep abreast of best practices in the field as well as developing new skills to share within the department and with interdivisional partners.
Art Preparation and Collections Care
Manage Museum Preparator I and II staff based at 151 Third Street and coordinate preparator support for our exhibitions program with a focus on smaller scale exhibitions and gallery rotations. Collaborate with the Head Preparator and Assistant Head Preparator, Collections on planning, prioritizing, and scheduling work such as generating and distributing weekly/daily schedules with anticipated goals; assessing resource needs and make adjustments as required. Serve as the primary Preparator Team contact for addressing emergent needs in the museum’s galleries.
Ensure the consistent application of the museum’s standards, policies, and procedures for art preparation, handling, rehousing, storage, installation/deinstallation, and transit. Draft and contribute to additional policies and procedures as needed to ensure alignment with contemporary museum standards and SFMOMA strategies.
Work with the Fabrication and Construction Manager to ensure proper training in proficient use of construction lifts (forklifts and scissor lifts) and woodshop equipment including portable and stationary power tools. Responsible for ensuring compliance with required safety protocols.
Support preparators in documenting installations/deinstallations, packing and other activities
Supervise art handling activities such as the installation and/or deinstallation of art on display, and may be asked to assist with physical preparator work occasionally.
Administration
Responsible for the assignment, tracking, and reassignment of tasks/work/projects of Preparators I and II based at 151 Third Street.
Assist with material research and support ordering for exhibitions and collections projects. Track purchases, invoice processing, and related budget as needed.
Act as Preparator contact for the museum’s event software, Artifax; attends logistics meetings and tracks gallery activity in Artifax.
Coordinate and facilitate team and project meetings, as needed.
Act Head Preparator when the Head Preparator is otherwise occupied.
$76,703 - $92,829 per year
Job posting close date: 2/19/25
Link to posting: SFMOMA - Assistant Head Preparator, Installation (https://jobs.lever.co/sfmoma/bbc87b82-6d6a-4a34-af71-e3db02a7cb10)
Assistant Head Preparator, Installation
Schedule: Full Time, 35 hours/week, fully onsite
The Collections Management Department provides collections care and access to SFMOMA’s art collections, ensuring the safe handling and storage of artwork, and maintenance of our art storage spaces including the Collections Center, SFMOMA’s dynamic research and storage center. The department is also responsible for preparing, installing, activating, and maintaining art – both borrowed and collection works – for the museum's robust exhibition program.
Reporting to the Head Preparator, the Assistant Head Preparator, Installation co-manages a large team of expert preparators and related projects, in alignment with the museum’s strategic priorities and goals of the Collections Management department and the Collections, Exhibitions, and Design (CED) division. The Assistant Head Preparator, Installation works closely with Head Preparator and Assistant Head Preparator, Collections to plan and support the orchestration of art handling, movement, housing, packing/unpacking, and installation/deinstallation in accordance with the museum’s standards, policies, and procedures for caring for, managing, and exhibiting modern and contemporary art. They work closely with other Collections Management colleagues and Registration, Curatorial, Conservation, and Exhibitions and Program Management departments to ensure that art handling resources are planned and available for all of the museum’s art program needs. The Assistant Head Preparator, Installation, assists in the oversight of art preparation operations, with direct management of junior members of the Preparator Team based at 151 Third Street.
Within the first month, the Assistant Head Preparator, Installation will have become familiar with the preparator team and the activities the team is responsible for, as well as introduced to our purchasing systems for materials, exhibition development process, and roles and responsibilities of the departments Collections Management partners with, to be able to answer questions and source information for the preparator team and make appropriate preparator assignments. Within the first year the candidate will proactively further their institutional understanding, evaluation of preparator team skills and abilities, and become a positive contributor to the successful completion of collection and exhibition based projects.
Responsibilities & Duties
Team Leadership
Hire, onboard, manage, and lead a diverse and inclusive art handling team, building a sense of belonging and shared responsibility.
Act as a partner with the Director of Collections Management and department management in sustaining a collections management community where all team members have a productive and safe forum to share ideas, best practices, and learning, so they have a deeper sense of responsibility and contribution to collections care and audience engagement.
Based at 151 Third Street, and able to be present at the Collections Center and other work sites as needed, to support preparator teams primarily in person.
Model highly collaborative modes of operating through open communication with staff and respect for the diverse expertise essential to an art museum.
Maintain awareness of overall departmental and Collections, Exhibition, and Design division activity and goals. Serve as a communicator of departmental and institutional goals and professional standards internally and externally.
Create and foster a diverse and inclusive work environment, recognizing conflict and working towards positive resolution.
Share in developing and delivering ongoing training and professional development in collections management and art handling.
Demonstrate the ability to coach and influence others, communicate clearly, focus on explaining positive benefits, change practice and behavior, and share information and responsibility.
Participate in and lead seminars and workshops to keep abreast of best practices in the field as well as developing new skills to share within the department and with interdivisional partners.
Art Preparation and Collections Care
Manage Museum Preparator I and II staff based at 151 Third Street and coordinate preparator support for our exhibitions program with a focus on smaller scale exhibitions and gallery rotations. Collaborate with the Head Preparator and Assistant Head Preparator, Collections on planning, prioritizing, and scheduling work such as generating and distributing weekly/daily schedules with anticipated goals; assessing resource needs and make adjustments as required. Serve as the primary Preparator Team contact for addressing emergent needs in the museum’s galleries.
Ensure the consistent application of the museum’s standards, policies, and procedures for art preparation, handling, rehousing, storage, installation/deinstallation, and transit. Draft and contribute to additional policies and procedures as needed to ensure alignment with contemporary museum standards and SFMOMA strategies.
Work with the Fabrication and Construction Manager to ensure proper training in proficient use of construction lifts (forklifts and scissor lifts) and woodshop equipment including portable and stationary power tools. Responsible for ensuring compliance with required safety protocols.
Support preparators in documenting installations/deinstallations, packing and other activities
Supervise art handling activities such as the installation and/or deinstallation of art on display, and may be asked to assist with physical preparator work occasionally.
Administration
Responsible for the assignment, tracking, and reassignment of tasks/work/projects of Preparators I and II based at 151 Third Street.
Assist with material research and support ordering for exhibitions and collections projects. Track purchases, invoice processing, and related budget as needed.
Act as Preparator contact for the museum’s event software, Artifax; attends logistics meetings and tracks gallery activity in Artifax.
Coordinate and facilitate team and project meetings, as needed.
Act Head Preparator when the Head Preparator is otherwise occupied.
$76,703 - $92,829 per year
Job posting close date: 2/19/25
Link to posting: SFMOMA - Assistant Head Preparator, Installation (https://jobs.lever.co/sfmoma/bbc87b82-6d6a-4a34-af71-e3db02a7cb10)