Profession archive manager

Archive managers ensure the care and preservation of a cultural institution and the archives within. Archive managers, along with curators, and conservators, play a very important role in the care of the institution and all the collections within.

Personality Type

• Enterprising / Investigative

Knowledge

• Art collections

  The variety of paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings and other works that form collections in a museum and prospective new collections which are of interest for a museum or art gallery.

• Conservation techniques

  The procedures, instruments, techniques, materials and chemicals used in conservation and archiving.

• Project management

  Understand project management and the activities which comprise this area. Know the variables implied in project management such as time, resources, requirements, deadlines, and responding to unexpected events.

• Collection management

  The process of resource evaluation, selection and life-cycle planning to create and promote a coherent collection in line with the developing needs of the users or customers. Understanding legal deposit for long-term access to publications.

• Museum databases

  The tools and processes involved in working with museum databases.

Skills

• Create collection conservation plan

  Create a comprehensive, high-level overview conservation plan for the collection.

• Execute administration

  Carry out administrative work and establish public relations.

• Manage staff

  Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.

• Monitor activities

  Monitor all the activities of an artistic organisation.

• Manage budgets

  Plan, monitor and report on the budget.

• Cope with challenging demands

  Maintain a positive attitude towards new and challenging demands such as interaction with artists and handling of artistic artefacts. Work under pressure such as dealing with last moment changes in time schedules and financial restraints.

• Monitor museum environment

  Monitor and document environmental conditions in a museum, in storage as well as exhibition facilities. Make sure an adapted and stable climate is guaranteed.

• Document museum collection

  Registrars are concerned with documentation and record keeping of museum collections. Documentation includes information about an object's condition, provenance, materials, and all of its movements within the museum or out on loan.

• Establish high standards of collections care

  Establish and maintain high quality standards in collection care, from acquisition to conservation and display.

• Implement risk management for works of art

  A registrar determines risk factors to an art collection and mitigates them. Risk factors for artworks include vandalism, theft, pests, emergencies, and natural disasters. It is the responsibility of a registrar to develop and implement strategies to minimise these risks.

• Supervise work

  Direct and supervise the day-to-day activities of subordinate personnel.

• Advise on loans of art work for exhibitions

  Working together with curators and museum collection managers, a registrar evaluates the condition of art objects for exhibition or loan purposes. The registrar also decides whether or not an artwork is able to withstand the stresses of travel or exposition.

• Supervise artefact movement

  Supervise any movement of museum artefacts and ensure their security.

• Respect cultural differences in the field of exhibition

  Respect cultural differences when creating artistic concepts and exhibitions. Collaborate with international artists, curators, museums and sponsors.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB