Assistant Registrar – MAGNT

The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) is the Northern Territory’s premier cultural institution. It offers a dynamic and diverse arts, science and cultural program to more than 300,000 visitors each year.

We are both a museum and art gallery with collections, exhibitions and programs across our core areas of Aboriginal culture, natural sciences, history and art focussing on Northern and Central Australia and our near neighbours.

MAGNT’s objective is to maintain the highest standards of excellence in preserving, researching, exhibiting and communicating the record of natural history, art and peoples of the Northern Territory. Our vision is to be a world-class museum connecting people and stories of the Northern Territory.

MAGNT has seven venues: Bullocky Point, the Defence of Darwin Experience, Fannie Bay Gaol, Lyons Cottage, the Museum of Central Australia (incorporating the Strehlow Research Centre), Megafauna Central and the Alcoota fossil site.

Primary Objective:

Assist with the development and coordination of MAGNT’s History and Culture Collection Management program as it relates to the activities of acquisition, loans, exhibition, preventative conservation research and implementation of the Collections Management System.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Undertake database clean-up, create and update records, manage registry settings, generate reports and assist with the standardisation of data fields on the EMu Collections Management System.
2. Manage the documentation of the collection for improved cataloguing, access and accurate reporting in compliance with museum standards.
3. Process internal and external copyright and reproduction requests and ensure compliance with the Australian Copyright Act.
4. Assist with the preparation, installation and deinstallation of exhibition including collection and loan material to ensure the effective care, condition checking, handling and movement of cultural, and historic material.
5. Oversee the Peter Spillet library including maintenance of the catalogue system, create new records and spine labels and organise the library materials as required.
6. Provide planning advice for storage requirements for improving the management of collection material and storage facilities.
7. Undertake and support the accessioning procedures to ensure that Collection objects are registered, labelled and stored appropriately.
8. Administer inward and outward loans including liaison with lenders/borrowers, packing and transport requirements.

Selection Criteria:

1. Relevant tertiary qualifications and experience gained through working in a museum-related environment in the application of professional museum standards in registration and collection management practices.
2. Demonstrated ability in the implementation and use of EMu collections management system (highly desirable).
3. Proven experience in the management of loans and acquisitions processes that provide for safe and effective handling, packing, transportation, installation, display and storage of cultural objects in a variety of media.
4. Ability to understand issues relating to the use of images and knowledge of relevant Copyright legislation and Intellectual Property procedures.
5. Well-developed oral and written skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team environment.
6. Understanding and knowledge of WHS issues and how these relate to safe practices for the movement, location and storage of collections.
7. Strong organisational skills, capable of prioritising tasks and completing within scheduled timeframes.
8. On occasion perform other duties as appropriate.

Other relevant information:

1. This role statement is intended to provide an overall view of the role but in addition to this document, the specifics of the role will be described in business work plans.
2. MAGNT is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity in the workplace.
3. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island applicants are encouraged to apply.
4. Applicants must have full Australian work rights.
5. A valid Australian Drivers licence is essential.

Further information:

Applications must address the selection criteria and include three referee contacts (two A4 pages only). Referees will not be contacted without prior consent.